Before Saturday’s preseason opener, I said one thing:
“Forget the score. Show me who’s ready to play.”
Well, the Saints lost 24–20 to Jacksonville.
And you know what?
I’m still not worried about the score.
This was preseason football. Most of the starters weren’t playing, the coaches were evaluating the bottom half of the roster, and winning the game wasn’t nearly as important as finding out who deserves to be here when September arrives.
And we got some answers.
Zach Wilson Made People Pay Attention
Let’s start with the obvious one.
Zach Wilson looked good. Really good.
Wilson finished 11-of-16 for 145 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers, posting a 118 passer rating. More importantly, he looked comfortable. He pushed the ball downfield, made some impressive throws and showed some of the arm talent that once made him the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
I’m not about to start a quarterback controversy after one preseason game.
Tyler Shough is the quarterback we’re building around.
But every NFL team needs a backup capable of walking into a game and keeping the offense alive.
If this version of Zach Wilson is what the Saints are getting?
That’s a pretty nice problem to have.
Bub Means Answered the Call, Too
With Jordyn Tyson sidelined, I asked before the game:
Who is going to take advantage of the extra opportunities at receiver?
Bub Means was one of the guys who answered.
The Saints themselves listed Wilson, Means and Michael Heldman among the players who stood out in the opener.
That’s exactly what preseason is supposed to produce.
Somebody gets hurt. Somebody else gets more snaps.
Then you find out who is ready.
There Were Problems Too
Let’s not pretend everything was perfect just because we’re excited football is back.
The Saints led 20–6 at halftime and then watched Jacksonville score 18 unanswered points in the second half. Jacksonville’s depth eventually took over, including 78 rushing yards and the winning touchdown from undrafted rookie J’Mari Taylor.
That’s something coaches will notice.
Spencer Rattler also had a rougher afternoon. He completed 8 of 11 passes for only 42 yards and lost a fumble deep in Saints territory that handed Jacksonville a scoring opportunity. To his credit, Rattler acknowledged afterward that he should have thrown the ball away.
And Charlie Smyth missed a 52-yard field goal in the second half.
Those things matter when guys are fighting for jobs.
But Here’s Why I’m Leaving the Dome Feeling Pretty Good
We didn’t see the Saints team that’s going to line up against Detroit on September 13.
We weren’t supposed to.
What we saw were players competing for jobs.
And some of them made the coaches’ decisions a little more difficult.
That’s a good preseason game.
Would I rather win 24–20 than lose 24–20?
Of course. I’m still a Saints fan.
But nobody is hanging a banner for preseason victories.
What matters is finding players who can help you when the real games start.
Saturday we found a few.
And the biggest surprise might have been Zach Wilson.
So after Game 1, I’m sticking with exactly what I said before kickoff:
Forget the score. Show me who’s ready to play.
Some guys did.
Now let’s see who can do it again next week.
WHO DAT!
— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank
WhoDatNation.com
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