First Look: Titans vs. Saints

The Saints finally get to face off against Derrick Henry, and they'll do it for the regular season opener at home.

Author:
John Hendrix
Publish date:
Sep 6, 2023 8:00 AM EDT

In this story:

We're finally here. It's Week 1 of the regular season, and we'll be treated to the league's opening game on Thursday night when the defending Super Bowl Champion Chiefs host the Lions. For the Saints, they'll host the Titans for a noon kick inside the Superdome, as the Derek Carr era starts in New Orleans. Here's all the things we're watching for and paying close attention to leading up to Sunday.

Saints Storylines to Watch vs. Titans

Saints LB Demario Davis — Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) sacks Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17). Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY

WILL KENDRE MILLER BE AVAILABLE?

The Saints health going into Sunday does seem like it's in a positive light. However, the status of Kendre Miller is something to pay close attention to. He's been dealing with a hamstring and has not been at practice lately. Dennis Allen was asked if he wouldn't play on Sunday, to which he said, "I wouldn't make any assumptions." We'll get our first injury report on Wednesday afternoon.

Alvin Kamara is on a three-game suspension, and with Miller out of the picture, it essentially leaves Jamaal Williams and fullback Adam Prentice to shoulder the load. Of course, we can't rule out Taysom Hill here and overlook someone like Kirk Merritt. However, there's a real lack of experience approaching this game in the backfield facing off against the league's best run defense last season. Tony Jones Jr. or Jordan Mims could be a call-up from the practice squad in Week 1.

SAINTS REVAMPED FRONT VS. DERRICK HENRY

This will be the first time the Saints play against Derrick Henry, as the last two meetings in 2019 and 2021 saw him sidelined. Everyone is fully aware of just how good Henry is, and this new look interior will be tested out of the gate. Henry had nine 100-yard games last season, including a 219-yard performance against the Texans in Week 8.

Splits for Tennessee are somewhat interesting regarding Henry. In the seven games where Henry didn't get to the century mark, the Titans went 3-4. On the flip side, they went 4-5 when he did get 100 or better. It's not just Henry who will test the defense, as the very talented rookie Tyjae Spears will be looking to make his mark returning to New Orleans.

DEREK CARR'S FIRST REAL OUTING IN BLACK AND GOLD

We've seen plenty of teases and glimpses of what Derek Carr can bring to the table for the Saints offense, and now it's time to see what the full-time product will look like. Naturally, Week 1 won't tell the whole story, but we'd expect to see some strong indication of how much better the offense will be. If you didn't check out some of the quotes from his SiriusXM on Tuesday, be sure to. It has tons of great insight from Carr. He mentioned how excited he is going into the game, but isn't trying to get too excited.

SEASON OPENER TRACK HISTORY

After five consecutive seasons of losing the regular season opener from 2014-2018, the Saints have won their last four. Last season came in dramatic fashion in a come-from-behind victory over the Falcons in Atlanta. Starting strong is always a desire, but it won't guarantee you being in the playoffs at the end of the day. Dennis Allen is 1-3 in his career as a head coach in opening games. Tennessee has dropped their last two openers, with their last win coming in 2020 against the Broncos.

LAST FIVE YEARS OF SAINTS REGULAR SEASON OPENERS