The last preseason game is not the greatest of entertainment for the fans of any teams. Regardless, there was still plenty to play for, by many of the players vying for a spot on the 53-man roster. Also, the Saints’ roster is loaded from top to bottom which makes for some tough decisions for coach Sean Payton.
New Orleans Saints Pitch Shutout against the Rams
Surely, there were a few standouts in this 28-0 win over the Rams this evening. Who Dat Nation was no doubt happy seeing wide receiver Cameron Meredith catch a couple of passes for 78 yards and a touchdown from quarterback Taysom Hill. Hill looked sharp in his last action as a quarterback in the preseason. His maturity and composure looked to be spot on.
Of course, most of the plays were against the backups. Still, Hill completed 10-of-17 passes for 159 yards and touchdown. He ended with a 109.7 passer rating. On the defensive end, Nate Stupar was simply possessed all night long. Stupar posted three sacks, five solo tackles, and a pass defended. Stupar was around the ball all night long.
The other huge play was from linebacker Colton Jumper when he blocked a punt that was recovered by linebacker Jayrone Elliott. Everything seems to be clicking for the New Orleans Saints. Special teams were definitely on their game as well. Sean Payton was even impressed.
“We finished the preseason well tonight, and we played with some good energy. We played with good emotion. I thought offensively, defensively, special teams (all) did well, being able to block a punt rushing six guys. I thought that was encouraging.”
Enter Teddy Bridgewater
Of course, all the buzz was about bringing in quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Although he didn’t play, Bridgewater was a hot topic in the press conference after the game.
“His skillset paired well and the big thing was him being able to overcome his injury and help us get better. He has a great football IQ and we liked how he played in the preseason. We think a player like that is valuable and we are excited to have him,” said Payton.
At any rate, the preseason has come to an end. Not to mention, the next game will be against Tampa Bay on September 9th in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. All the numbers and stats now go out the window. Finally, there’s some real football coming to the ‘The Big Easy.’ It’s time to see how this team comes out of the gate in game one.
