The New Orleans Saints open the preseason at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday on the road against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Here are a couple things to watch for during the game:

Why to watch: The most exciting thing to watch for is an explosive play from quarterback Drew Brees to dynamic second-year receiver Brandin Cooks, who should emerge as the Saints’ top playmaker this year now that Jimmy Graham is gone. But the first-string offense won’t be on the field long, and we know what roles those guys will be playing in Week 1. We could see even more from second-year big man Brandon Coleman, who I think could emerge as New Orleans’ No. 3 receiver this year, and under-the-radar receiver Willie Snead, who has been making a strong case in camp to crack the roster. … Others growing into bigger roles include first-round draft pick Stephone Anthony, who is trying to lock down the starting middle linebacker job, cornerback Delvin Breaux and defensive linemen Bobby Richardson and Tyeler Davison.

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