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Head Coach Dennis Allen is returning to the Superdome where he spent 5 years as an assistant coach under his mentor, Sean Payton. “Sean’s a heck of a football coach,” said Coach Allen. “I’ve learned a lot from him just as far as how he handles a football team, what his demeanor is, and the swagger that he brings to his team. I think you’ll see a different New Orleans Saints football team this year with having him back. That’s where I feel like, in New Orleans, in those five years, that’s where I feel like I really grew up as a football coach in the National Football League. It’ll be fun to go back. It’ll be fun to get a chance to see some of those guys. I’ll get to talk to Sean and bounce a few ideas off of him and see what he has to say.”

The offense is preparing for an aggressive, physical defense coached by former Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. The offensive line will have to be on their toes in their matchup against the pass rush that will be coming at them. Without Left Tackle Jared Veldheer, Alex Barron is going to get a heavy dose of pass rush on his side. This should be a good test for Barron’s ability to start at the left tackle position.

Matt Flynn was running the first team offense in practice again, and he will more than likely get the start. Once again, we should get a heavy dose of Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin with Tyler Wilson rounding out the 4th quarter.

Rookie Wide Receiver Brice Butler (7th Round Draft Pick) has been running with the first team offense in practice. I look forward to seeing him get more reps on the field, and it will be interesting to see if he can get open against the Saints first string. He was exciting to watch in the game against the Dallas Cowboys, and I hope he continues to climb the ladder against the Saints.

The defense is preparing for a high powered offense that will test the secondary. Saints QB Drew Brees will attempt to pick apart the newly acquired Raiders backfield. Look for Charles Woodson to use his veteran experience to jump on some pass plays/routes. I envision a pick-six. Also, look to see growth from LB-Sio Moore and LB-Nick Roach in their respective positions.

This road trip will be the first for the 2013 Raiders. Heading into New Orleans, the Raiders want to win, but they also want to see improvement in all facets of the game. All in all, it will be a good test for our team.

Oakland Raiders VS. New Orleans Saints Pre-Season Preview - Just Blog Baby - An Oakland Raiders Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

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