The New Orleans Saints are headed to Inglewood for a Week 2 preseason date with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, and there’s no shortage of storylines to track on Saturday. From Ty Simpson’s first impression to a wide receiver battle that still looks unsettled, the Rams have plenty to sort through before the games start counting.
Simpson’s debut is the headline item. Against the Chiefs, he was sharp, composed, and efficient, finishing with only four incompletions and two touchdown passes.
Even with that coming against third- and fourth-stringers, he showed more command than many around the team expected. As Evan Craig put it, “It was everything you
could’ve wanted in a rookie quarterback’s debut.” Craig also noted that Simpson entered the preseason under some pressure, with fellow high-profile quarterbacks from this year’s draft class like Fernando Mendoza, Carson Beck and Drew Allar drawing attention of their own. What the Rams want now is simple: another steady outing, and a look at how he responds when things don’t go perfectly.
There’s also a real opening at wide receiver. Behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, the Rams still don’t have a settled answer at WR3, which puts the spotlight on the younger names fighting for snaps.
Brennan Presley made a push in the opener, leading Los Angeles with 58 receiving yards on four catches, including a 23-yard grab in the first quarter. Jordan Whittington and rookie CJ Daniels are in that mix too.
The talent is there, but the experience isn’t, and that’s made the competition tighter than anyone would like.
The Rams also came away from the preseason opener with a clear defensive takeaway. Even in a backup-heavy game, Los Angeles kept Kansas City out of the end zone and held all three Chiefs quarterbacks under 200 passing yards.
That mattered because defensive problems have helped knock the Rams out in the playoffs the last two years. Craig said the team needs every bit of depth it can get, and the opener suggested there’s enough on hand if the season stretches the way they hope.
Another young player to watch is rookie tight end Max Klare. The Ohio State product led the Rams in receptions in the opener and showed he can be a reliable pass-catching option in a crowded tight end room. Craig also praised general manager Les Snead for the way he has stocked the roster with promising young talent.
One name Saints fans should keep on their radar is undrafted running back Dean Connors. He caught both of Simpson’s touchdown passes last week and added 22 rushing yards.
With the Rams’ backfield crowded, Connors is making a strong case for himself, and Craig said he’ll be tough to leave off the roster when cutdowns arrive. He should be involved plenty again on Saturday.
As for how this one plays out, the expectation is a tight game. Craig believes Simpson will handle a heavy share of the quarterback reps and said the outcome may come down to whether the Saints’ depth can outlast the Rams’ depth. He expects Simpson to play well again, but with a couple of mistakes that help New Orleans edge out a close win.
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Alex Cooks pick-six, Jarquez Hunters touchdown run and solid work from Wesley Bailey, Stetson Bennett, CJ Daniels, Austin Blaske and others turned the preseason meeting into a reminder of how much can swing once the starters are gone. For New Orleans, that is the part of August that matters now, because the challenge is no longer just finding flashes, but deciding which reserves can actually help when the games count. [Read more 🡒]