This week of NFL preseason action will culminate with a nationally televised game between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers. FOX will televise this contest between the two former bitter NFC West rivals.
As opposed to many of their meetings through the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, it doesn’t matter who wins this Saints-49ers clash. However, there is still plenty to watch when these two former division foes take the field this evening. Several position battles and spots on the depth chart are still up for grabs.
Many of the healthy New Orleans first-teamers could see significant snaps, especially after scheduled scrimmages between the two teams were canceled this week. That said, there are specific units on each side of the ball that should be closely watched against the 49ers, expected to be a Super Bowl contender this season.
Obviously, most eyes will be on the New Orleans offensive line, which played poorly against Arizona last week and most of training camp after underachieving last season. The quarterback spot is certainly critical as well. Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler have played well, but more importantly will be how Derek Carr and the starters fare against an outstanding San Francisco defense.
Other positions may not garner as much attention, but are worth close attention against the defending NFC Champion 49ers.
Rashid Shaheed (foot/toe) and A.T. Perry (ankle) likely won’t play. Chris Olave will, and will go up against a San Francisco secondary led by CB Charvarius Ward that led the NFL in interceptions last season. Olave looks to take the next step into the elite wideouts of the league. For him to do that, he needs to show that he can consistently make plays as Derek Carr’s go-to target despite a thinned out receiving corps.
It’ll be an even bigger opportunity for the other wideouts on the roster. John Hendrix of the Saints News Network pointed out that Samson Nacua and Kevin Austin Jr. have each had some nice outings in practice. According to Hendrix, Austin saw 42 snaps against the Cardinals last week, with Nacua getting 17. Both made some plays, but Nacua had the stronger game. Each are sure to see plenty of action this evening, with a potential chance to solidify a roster spot.
Trying to hold off Nacua and Austin are veterans Cedrick Wilson, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Stanley Morgan Jr. Wilson was slowed early by injury and hasn’t consistently stood out in his competition with A.T. Perry for the third receiver spot. St. Brown is the big wideout the Saints covet, but has also spent more time on the sidelines than on the field. New Orleans would love to have a more experienced receiving corps, but Wilson and St. Brown are being heavily challenged to earn their spots.
This should also be the first game appearance for rookie fifth-round choice Bub Means, who has also dealt with some injury woes. Undrafted rookie Mason Tipton has been the head-turner throughout most of camp, but Tipton likely won’t play because of a hamstring injury. Means, a good athlete with excellent contested catch skills, is a little behind the other receivers but could make up a lot of ground with a good performance against the 49ers.
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The Saints defensive line dominated the trenches against the Cardinals. New Orleans recorded four sacks and made three crucial short yardage stops while getting consistent penetration into the Arizona backfield.
Ends Chase Young, Carl Granderson, and Payton Turner were outstanding against the Cardinals, as were tackles Nathan Shepherd and Bryan Bresee. Standout performances weren’t just limited to the top rotation, as backups Niko Lalos, Jack Heflin, Khristian Boyd, and Kendal Vickers also made plays. The challenge now will be remaining effective against a physical 49ers offense.
Chase Young has so far provided exactly the disruption the Saints were hoping for when signing him. Granderson and veteran legend Cam Jordan will join Young as a strong trio, with a hopefully healthy Turner making it an even deeper unit. Bresee could be an emerging star after a strong rookie year for a potentially underrated interior threesome with Shepherd and Saunders.
The top rotation on the edge and inside will look to match San Francisco’s physicality. New Orleans also needs to start seeing development from second-year DE Isaiah Foskey, who’s shown little upside so far.
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San Francisco WR Brandon Aiyuk probably will not play as that saga continues. However, the 49ers still have an array of weapons and a scheme that tests defenses both sideline to sideline and vertically. Stopping the run and forcing the quarterbacks into rushed throws falls on the defensive line, but the New Orleans secondary will be tested numerous times this evening.
Top corner Marshon Lattimore will not play and Paulson Adebo is unlikely to see much action. This will give the Saints a chance to showcase their rare depth at the position with Alontae Taylor and rookie second-round choice Kool-Aid McKinstry. Additionally, the recent play of Rico Payton, Shemar Jean-Charles, and Rejzohn Wright are making it tough to leave any of the three off the active roster.
Safety is a key spot to watch this evening for the Saints, especially with the recent miss in signing Justin Simmons. Tyrann Mathieu is a lock for one spot, but the other is wide open. Jordan Howden, Will Harris, and Johnathan Abram have all made their cases for the job. However, inconsistencies by all three and the inability of any to take control of the competition is what sparked the Saints’ interest in Simmons.
Tackling issues on the back end created some opportunities for the Cardinals in the second half of last week’s contest. San Francisco taxes the tackling ability of any team they face. Other than the second safety, the New Orleans secondary is as strong as they come. As the game wears on, Payton, Jean-Charles, Wright, Abram, Harris, Howden, along with safety hopefuls Millard Bradford and J.T. Gray, need to prove that the Saints have the depth to match up with the deeper receiving units that will be on their schedule this season.
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