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What We Learned From the Saints In The Preseason Finale

The NFL preseason is over, and here's the final things we've learned about the Saints ahead of their cutdown date.

John Hendrix

What We Learned From the Saints In The Preseason Finale
What We Learned From the Saints In The Preseason Finale /
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NEW ORLEANS -- The final preseason game is in the books for the NFL, as it saw the Saints fall to the Texans in the Superdome 17-13. Here's all of our notes and things we learned from the team in the finale.

TRAINING CAMP RECAPS: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 11 | What We've Learned | Day 12 | Day 13 | Day 14 | Day 15 | Day 16 (Offense) | Day 16 (Defense) | Day 17 (Offense) | Day 17 (Defense) | Day 18 | Day 19 | Day 20 | Day 21

ATTENDANCE

This is a very extensive list, but let's start with those who weren't here or were not spotted. That group included Kirk Merritt, Ryan Connelly, Jesse James, Lynn Bowden Jr. Landon Young was out on the sidelines during pre-game, which is a relatively good sign. We also spotted Taysom Hill there during the game. Tre'Quan Smith was also on the sidelines, as he has not participated in practice since Day 9 of training camp.

Those players who were not in uniform on Sunday included Derek Carr, Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, Pete Werner, Bradley Roby, Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, Jamaal Williams, Tyrann Mathieu, Alvin Kamara, Cesar Ruiz, Zack Baun, Demario Davis, Trevor Penning, Ryan Ramczyk, James Hurst, Erik McCoy, Foster Moreau, Juwan Johnson, Nathan Shepherd, Cam Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Khaeln Saunders.

1ST QUARTER THOUGHTS AND NOTES

  • Kendre Miller still has a knee brace on, so it'll be interesting to see if that carries over into the season.
  • Nice little design getting Jontre Kirklin in space, but it was also because of a nice block by A.T. Perry. He's going to need to be strong there with a strong 53-man roster outlook.
  • Really nice job by Alontae Taylor on the deep pass for Nico Collins to stay with it and force the incompletion and get a pass breakup. Taylor's recovery is pretty exceptional.
  • Not a good start for the second series, as Andrus Peat got blown up that forced Jameis Winston to throw a ball prematurely. Peat also had a tough look on a running play for the first series.
  • Not a good look on the punt return by Tank Dell. For starters, Blake Gillikin only got a 39-yard punt off. However, credit D'Marco Jackson for making up some ground to get the stop and prevent a touchdown. That inconsistency is the thing this team can't afford.
  • Bryan Bresee went into the blue injury tent, but ended up coming out and rejoining the sideline. 
  • Andrus Peat ended up blocking his own man in A.T. Perry on a screen attempt to Kendre Miller. 
  • Gillikin's second boot was much better, but you just can't have the inconsistency. It's one of the things that cost them the game against the Bengals last year.
  • Malcolm Roach ended up making a strip-sack on a play where Bryan Bresee got some tremendous push and drew a holding call. Roach has been great this training camp.
  • Bryan Bresee made another nice push on the 3rd and 14. He's really improving and looking better with each rep.
  • Shaq Davis made a nice cradle catch for a first down on 3rd and 9, and it was immediately followed up by an incredible hookup from Jameis Winston to Jimmy Graham for 25 yards. Graham made a spectacular catch on the back shoulder play, and you'll just have to see it below.

2ND QUARTER THOUGHTS AND NOTES

  • Jimmy Graham had a 3-yard touchdown grab working against Ka'Dar Hollman. It wasn't fair.
  • Nice back-to-back plays by Jaylon Smith on the first defensive series of the quarter. He had a nice read to stop a running play for a loss and then made another good one on the passing play for another loss.
  • Isaiah Foskey had a pretty good week of practice, and it finally came through. He and Bryan Bresee played meet at the quarter for a sack to force a punt, resulting in a 9-yard loss. The sack was actually split between Foskey and Niko Lalos, but Bresee was in there.
  • Nice run stop by Nephi Sewell on a 2nd and 8 for no gain. He's a priority for the practice squad if the Saints don't end up getting him on the final roster.
  • Bryan Bresee had another incredible rush from the interior on a 3rd and Goal from 4 that resulted in a 6-yard loss. He and Lalos split it. 
  • Nice grab by Lucas Krull on a 3rd and 3 for 14 yards to help in two-minute. Krull had some struggles last week against the Chargers, but that was a good idea of what he can bring to the table.

3RD QUARTER THOUGHTS AND NOTES

  • Real nice job by Shaq Davis on a 3rd and 6 play to take a quick pass out to the left and turn it up field to fall forward for a first down.
  • Crazy play that bounced the Saints way after D'Angelo Ross had a clear pass breakup on 2nd and 10. The ball bounced up in the air to Baker for a 15-yard pickup.
  • Jake Haener did a nice job showing off the wheels a few plays later, escaping pressure and picking up a 26-yard gain. 
  • Rough sequence for Adrian Frye getting an illegal contact penalty and allowing a 24-yard catch in the process. He's had a very tough camp.
  • Sloppy tackling on the Mike Boone touchdown from 11 yards out. It's not all on Smoke Monday there, but plays like that from all parties involved is not how to make a roster.
  • Jordan Howden made another special teams play for the second week in a row, not allowing any return on a Lou Hedley punt.
  • Nice job by Nick Anderson being down the field on a deep passing play to get a pass breakup off of his pads.

4th QUARTER NOTES AND THOUGHTS

  • Jordan Howden had another nice special teams stop on a punt. Overall, this rookie class has really come along nicely.
  • Nice concept to Lucas Krull from Jake Haener that led to a 31-yard gain deep left. I had him on the practice squad as a priority, but we'll see how things play out.
  • Blake Grupe made a very important 50-yard field goal to cut the lead to 17-13. This kicking battle is seriously way too close to call.
  • Saints finally got the run game going other than Haener's big one. Ellis Merriweather had a nice 11-yard scamper late in the game.
  • Lucas Krull made two more big catches for 15 and 19 yards to bring up his total to 106 yards on 7 catches. He was targeted in the end zone by Haener, but the pass was picked off after the two-minute warning on a bad overthrow.
  • Pretty tough sequence for Jake Haener on the final drive. He's done well in training camp overall, but there's some growing to do there.

BIG PLAYS

Jimmy Graham back shoulder for 25 from Jameis Winston.

Jimmy Graham gets the touchdown, and it wasn't fair.

Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey. Things you love to see.

Jake Haener with a nice run.

Haener to Lucas Krull for 31.

Blake Grupe true from 50.

Final cuts will start rolling in soon, as teams have to be in compliance with 53 by Tuesday afternoon.

Published
John Hendrix
JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net

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