First Look: Will the Saints Outshine Their NFC South Adversary in Week 1?

Week 1 is a fresh start for all NFL teams, and a particularly important one for the Saints as they open at home.

Dec 10, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs against Carolina Panthers defensive end Henry Anderson (94) during the first half at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

We're finally here. It's Week 1 of the NFL season, and over the next 18 weeks we're going to find out a lot about each team. For the Saints, the aspirations are big, but how they execute to get there is in question. New Orleans opens up the season against a familiar foe in the Panthers on Sunday, and here's a few Saints storylines to follow leading up to the game on Sunday.

Saints Storylines to Follow In Week 1

August 18, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) hands the football off to quarterback Taysom Hill (7) during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Health and Availability

The first injury report of 2024 comes out on Wednesday, and we'll be paying close attention to it. One of the main players we're keeping tabs on is Willie Gay Jr., who has an undisclosed injury and was not spotted at Monday's practice. Dallin Holker (ankle), Nick Saldiveri (calf) and D'Marco Jackson (calf) would be the others we're paying close attention to, as we don't expect Khalen Saunders (calf) or Jaylan Ford (hamstring) to be available to start the season. We should also see where Kool-Aid McKinstry (knee) and Mason Tipton (hamstring) are at.

Who Gets Named QB2?

Somehow, people are more enthralled with who gets the backup spot for New Orleans more than anything. The first Saints unofficial depth chart listed Jake Haener OR Spencer Rattler to back up Derek Carr. For starters, 'or' is not a new thing and it hasn't been for years. Eventually, one of these players will be 'the guy', but Dennis Allen has made it clear that both will be developed. The future is pretty bright with this room, but semantics take centerstage right now.

How The Offense Comes Together

Aug 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Trevor Penning (70) and center Cesar Ruiz (51) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Dennis Allen has yet to reveal whether or not Klint Kubiak will be in the booth or on the sidelines for Sunday, as he has played some things very close to the vest related to the Saints. Kubiak's offense will be on full display, but we probably won't see the full extent of it in Week 1. Still, the staples we should expect to see are play action, motion, and plenty of runs. In turn, that could mean plenty of Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara.

Where the center of attention falls is on the offensive line, specifically Trevor Penning. He's going to be tested and if the Panthers were smart, they'd throw everything they got at him and then some. Jadeveon Clowney is most likely the biggest threat to Penning's outing, and Carolina's 3-4 defense is going to be a challenge. Last year, New Orleans had their work cut out for them facing the Titans, and while that was a totally different offense, the fact is protection will be key.