New Orleans Saints: 3 Standouts from Preseason Week 2 vs. Chargers
The New Orleans Saints used a strong second-half effort to top the Chargers in Preseason Week 2 but who were the standouts from the Big Easy?
In the first week of the 2019 NFL preseason, Teddy Bridgewater turned heads as he took the field for the New Orleans Saints. With Drew Brees not seeing the field, the backup in New Orleans went out and dominated. Week 2 of the preseason against the Los Angeles Chargers was a different story, though. Brees didn’t play again but Bridgewater struggled mightily.
The first-team offense for this exhibition matchup was largely uninspiring for the Saints as they went into halftime trailing 17-3. However, New Orleans’ reserves came out strong in the second half of action and orchestrated a big-time comeback. With the defense holding firm, Sean Payton‘s team came back and picked up the 19-17 victory on the road.
Many big-time players for the Saints didn’t suit up on Sunday afternoon against LA. Brees, Cameron Jordan and Alvin Kamara weren’t seen as the team looks to protect them. In turn, that gave players the opportunity to try and earn their spots on the depth chart and/or the 53-man final roster.
Taking that into account, these were the New Orleans Saints standouts in Week 2 of the preseason.
3. Dwayne Washington, RB
The Saints running back room, even with the departure of Mark Ingram, is a bit crowded at this point. Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray are the 1-2 punch at the top of the depth chart. Meanwhile, Dwayne Washington, Devine Ozigbo and Jacquizz Rodgers are battling for roster spots behind them. Washington may have started to make some separation on Sunday, though.
Washington’s five carries for 30 yards was fine in terms of his offensive production. What may set him apart, though, is the fact that he was active and solid on special teams, providing three tackles on the night in coverage. If he can separate himself in that regard through the final two preseason games, Washington could very well take a spot on the 53-man roster.
2. Trey Hendrickson, DE
Cameron Jordan and Marcus Davenport have the starting defensive end spots locked down in New Orleans. The depth behind them, however, is still being sorted out. Trey Hendrickson is starting to separate himself from the rest of the competition, though, in regards to the third spot on the depth chart.
Hendrickson registered just one tackle on Sunday afternoon against the Chargers. However, that doesn’t do justice to the impact that he had. He was a constant presence in the backfield, putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks and showing a strong performance in the run game. If he can stay on this trajectory, he’ll be the first man off the bench behind Jordan and Davenport.
1. Taysom Hill, QB
While Teddy Bridgewater struggled mightily in Los Angeles, do-it-all standout Taysom Hill took the helm of the offense and made one big play after another. Hill finished the night going 11-of-15 for 136 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Furthermore, he was the leading rusher for the Saints as he managed 53 yards on five carries.
Next. NFL Power Rankings after Preseason Week 2. dark
It’s right to be frustrated in the regular season when Hill takes the ball out of Drew Brees’ hands for sporadic snaps. At the same time, performances like this one show why Sean Payton wants to have Hill on the field. He’s incredibly dynamic and versatile with a gamer’s mentality. He’s not going anywhere and will be seen plenty of times throughout 2019.