First Look: Raiders vs. Saints

The Saints host the Raiders on Sunday and hope to get on the right track after some time away.

The Saints (2-5) look to take advantage of their mini-bye and turn their season around this Sunday when they take on the Raiders (2-4) in the Superdome. The team is certainly optimistic about their outlook, but obviously, the results are what everyone is most interested in right now. Here's a few things we're watching as the game gets closer.

Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton (14) and tight end Juwan Johnson (83) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

What to Watch For

HEALTH: There's no bigger category for the Saints going into Sunday. We're under the impression that several key players will be returning to the lineup from injury for this game. We saw Michael Thomas (foot) on Wednesday, and other players like Andrus Peat (chest) and Paulson Adebo (knee) were out there. Marshon Lattimore (abdomen) could be the biggest return for the team, but he missed the first practice.

RED RIFLE TIME: Jameis Winston is healthy, according to Dennis Allen. However, he's named Andy Dalton as the starter for the team, citing that it's an offensive decision.

Allen said on Wednesday, "All the quarterbacks were full today. Andy’s gonna get the start again this week. I feel like he’s played well. Offensively I feel like we’re in a little bit of a rhythm. We’ve been moving the ball effectively, we’ve scored points. And so we’re gonna continue down that road with Andy as the quarterback."

Of course, things can change down the road, but Allen said they'll stick with Dalton if they continue to play well and move the ball offensively. Regardless of who starts for New Orleans, they don't have to go out and reinvent the wheel. Leaning on the ground game will go a long way for this team while also taking care of the football. 

THE SOUL-SEARCHING: By now, you should have heard about Alvin Kamara's impassioned speech to the locker room following the loss to the Cardinals. Essentially, it revolved around the team not playing their style of football and stressing the need for accountability all around.

Demario Davis said on Monday, "Certain people are built for moments like this. Some people get excited about this. When it's dark outside, somebody has to be the hope that the sun's going to come back out."

We'll see how the message was landed this week. When I spoke with Kentavius Street on Tuesday, he talked about how the locker room continues to be unified. They believe this season isn't lost, and they know what to do to fix things. The defense is going to be under a microscope in this one, facing the likes of Derek Carr and a red-hot Josh Jacobs on the ground.

JUST WIN: The Saints need to put together a win in the worst way imaginable. It won't solve everything, but it sure will go a long way and echo the belief in the locker room. The next several games on the schedule are winnable, but they have to take it a week at a time. Listening to what Alvin Kamara said on Wednesday in the locker room, it seems like the team can at least string together some wins.

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