The New Orleans Saints are 0-2 in the preseason so far and didn’t look pretty in a 34-0 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. With New Orleans entering their final preseason match, it feels vital to go into the regular season on a high note.
Head coach Kellen Moore has already announced very few starters will see playtime against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite the reserves seeing the bulk of the playing time, there’s still plenty of matchups to pay attention to on Friday night.
Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III has been lighting it up in the preseason. Through two games, Milton has thrown for 286 yards and 3 touchdowns with just seven incompletions. For short, the Saints defense that just allowed 254 passing yards is in for a challenge.
Milton’s talent is exceptional, and he may be one of the league’s best raw talents. While he hasn’t been able to put it all together as a starter in the league, his name often comes up as a trade target for teams looking for a young passer.
The Saints secondary had a strong showing against the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first preseason outing, despite the loss, but followed it up quickly with a poor performance against the Rams. With questions entering the season centered around the secondary, they’ll need a strong performance on Friday to increase confidence in the depth.
Part of Milton’s success has been the Dallas pass protection. Through two games, the Cowboys have only allowed one sack, with Milton himself not suffering a sack.
In preseason week one, the Saints pass rush logged four sacks, with Michael Heldman recording two. But like every other facet of the game, the Saints’ pass rush was terrible against the Rams, failing to record a quarterback hit.
If New Orleans wants to slow down the powerful Cowboys offense, it will come with slowing down the Dallas quarterbacks. If the Saints can replicate their success from their first outing, they will severely increase their chances of coming out on top and winning their first game of preseason.
Running back Devin Neal and Ty Chandler each suffered significant injuries against the Rams. These injuries only emphasized the depletion of available backs the Saints have in the running back room. With the injuries, the Saints traded for Zamir White.
Despite the trade, running back Kendre Miller is still the player with the best chance to take over for Alvin Kamara while he’s away with an injury. Through two games, the Cowboys have allowed 242 rushing yards. While facing a defense that has been vulnerable to the run, the Saints’ run game has been inconsistent.
In his preseason debut against the Rams, Miller only rushed for 22 yards on six carries. While underwhelming, the fourth-year running back had plenty of plays negated by penalties and still showed the ability to create explosive plays. Friday’s matchup is a great opportunity for the young running back, who has a big opportunity to see playtime this season.