Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints: How will the Saints come out in their first action since the infamous “no-call.”
The Saints get their first look at some exciting new prospects in their first preseason game against the Vikings
The New Orleans Saints ended an extremely promising 2018 season in disappointing fashion. Although it is only the preseason, their revenge tour begins now.
Drew Brees and his high flying offense will be on the field for a few drives to get their juices flowing and adjust to full game speed for the first time since late January. The real things to look for, though, will be the new additions the Saints acquired this offseason and some tight position battles at key roster spots.
The Saints didn’t make any huge splashes in free agency, but they filled the roster with depth and filled some big holes.
With Max Unger retiring, the Saints didn’t waste any time trying to fill his spot. They acquired Nick Easton in free agency and drafted Erik McCoy out of Texas A&M with their second-round pick. The Saints have Easton and McCoy listed as co-starters on their first depth chart of the season, so this will be an interesting battle to look at. Easton has not played a snap since Week 16 of the 2017 season due to a fractured ankle that held him out for the remainder of that season and a neck injury that kept him out for the entirety of last season. McCoy has been impressive in camp so far, but it remains to be seen if the Saints want to trust their 40-year-old quarterback with a rookie at the center position.
The biggest splash of the offseason came with the signing of tight end Jared Cook. The tight end position has been a problem in the Saints’ offense since the departure of Jimmy Graham. He will immediately step in as the starter and it will be fun to see the chemistry Brees and Cook have created so far in training camp.
Other big free agent signings that will get their first look in the black and gold are Latavius Murray, Malcolm Brown, Mario Edwards, and Marcus Sherels.
The biggest position battle to keep an eye on will be the wide receiver battle. The Saints have a slew of receivers they will be trying out behind All-Pro Michael Thomas. Ted Ginn, Keith Kirkwood, Tre’Quan Smith, and Austin Carr are all familiar names from last season, but keep an eye on new names like Emmanuel Butler, Simmie Cobbs, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey, as well as veteran Rishard Matthews, who have all had impressive camps and will look to prove their worth against a real opponent on the field.
Game Info
Date: August 9, 2019
Start time: 7:00 pm CST
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Superdome
TV Info: WVUE-Fox 8, NFL Game Pass (Subscription Required)
Betting Odds
Point Spread:
New Orleans -2.5
Minnesota +2.5
Moneyline:
New Orleans -145
Vikings +125
Over/Under: 37.5
Although both teams have respectable defenses, expect an offensive showing with two high scoring offenses taking the field. The over is the safer bet in this one, as both teams are expected to put on an offensive showing, although it may be sloppy.
Prediction
Expect both offenses to come out fast with their starters. The Saints and Vikings both have elite offenses and they will be looking to set a good tone in the few drives the starters are on the field. The Saints will feature Alvin Kamara, but will look to get Latavius Murray some playing time against his former team. Kirk Cousins will look to start fast in an attempt to prove himself to Vikings fans after a very disappointing first season.
Final Score: Minnesota Vikings 24, New Orleans Saints 30,
