Saints at Jets
Game Info
Kickoff: Saturday, August 24h, 2019, at 7:30 PM
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Betting Odds: NO -3 via Oddsshark
Network: WVUE, WCBS
New Orleans Saints
Rookie Class Looking to Fill Holes
On a team that was a few plays away from representing the NFC in the Super Bowl, the New Orleans Saints don’t have many holes to fill. However, the Saints have been one of the better teams at drafting players in the past few seasons. This year the team added five picks but the most significant will be center Erik McCoy. McCoy has looked good in camp but it is a huge step to line up in front of Drew Brees in the regular season. McCoy has been lining up with the starters in the pre-season and he looks to continue his strong showing. Another position the team has struggled recently has been at safety, with up and down performances from a variety of players. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, the Florida safety, was selected in the fourth round but could slot into significant snaps as the season rolls along. Both players should be showcased this weekend and the team hopes they strike gold again.
Slow and Steady at Running Back
The Saints let veteran running back Mark Ingram walk in free agency but they didn’t wait long to replace him by signing Latavious Murray on day one of free agency. Ingram carried the ball between 12 to 15 times per game during his time in New Orleans and Murray is expected to pick up that load. The team employs a two-headed monster, with Alvin Kamara leading the way. But Kamara needs a thunder to his lightning. Murray should get some work on Saturday in preparation of what should be a heavy early-down role in the offense. He’s a solid sleeper in the mid-rounds for those owners that decide to look for value at the position.
Davenport Ready to Quiet Doubters
The Saints spent enormous amounts of draft capital, trading multiple first-round picks, to select defensive end Marcus Davenport in the 2018 draft. Davenport came from the small school Texas at San Antonio but was billed as a physical freak with limitless potential. Davenport flashed in year one but he battled injuries throughout, including three weeks of his rookie training camp. Midway through the season, he seemed to hit his stride, with four sacks in five games, until a toe injury sidelined him. He eventually returned but he wasn’t the same, and he admits to being less than 100%. This year Davenport is healthy and flashing in his first full training camp. Davenport is a tall, lanky and bendable with all the traits needed to become a dominant pass rusher. PFF graded him as the top rookie pass rusher and this weekend he will have a warmup opportunity to what the Saints hope is a big season.
New York Jets
Darnold to Anderson Could Be Huge
Late in the 2018 season, something seemed to click for Sam Darnold and Robby Anderson. Darnold closed out the year with six touchdown passes in four games, including two multiple touchdown games. Anderson was a primary recipient catching three of those TDs in the same stretch. Anderson finished with just under 100 targets and 20% of the target share. The efficiency between these two improved as the season wore on but still left room for improvement. With a full year under his belt and a new coach calling plays, the duo is primed to take the next step. Darnold and Anderson need to improve their efficiency if that is to happen. Last season the duo were only successful on 54% of their targets, just inside of the top 100 receivers. Darnold must improve his accuracy and Anderson must find some consistency. Both players should be on the field this Saturday and Jets fans can see where this relationship is headed.
Return of Ryan Kalil
Veteran center Ryan Kalil retired from the NFL in December of 2018, after a successful 12-year career with the Carolina Panthers. The announcement wasn’t surprising, as his play had declined in the past couple of seasons as he battled injuries in 2016 and 2017. While he did complete a 16-game season in 2018 called it quits. However, the Jets were able to talk him out of retirement and we get another look at the veteran in the dress rehearsal game on Saturday. Kalil brings veteran leadership and intangibles to a unit looking for them. He should immediately come in and lend his experience to a group that is tasked with protecting a young franchise quarterback. While his dominance will now only come in spurts, the signing is solid for a team needing help at the offensive line.
The Return of Marcus Maye
Young free safety Marcus Maye, a second-round pick in 2017, missed ten games in 2018 after a solid rookie season. While all world safety Jamal Adams still enjoyed a great season, he missed his partner in the deep middle. Maye had thumb and shoulder injuries and returned to practice just last week. For a team that is thin at the position, the return of Maye could be just what is needed for a young unit coached by defensive coordinator Greg Williams. Maye has been eased in this training camp, spending most of his time on PUP, but this weekend should give him a chance to hit work out some kinks heading into the season.
-Marc Salazar (@DingWog)