SmashMouth

The rookie class is going to play and play a lot
Three rookies started: weakside linebacker Alex Anzalone; cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23); and free safety Marcus Williams (43). It remains to be seen if this trio will be in the starting lineup when the regular season begins but it’s safe to say that all three will be in the regular rotation. And this doesn’t take into account Ryan Ramczyk, who will start at left tackle once he returns from injury, and camp sensation Alvin Kamara, who rested.



The defense looks much improved
Repeat after me: It's just the preseason. It's just the preseason. It's just the preseason. But it's difficult to ignore how solid the defense has played in all three exhibition games so far. The Saints shut out the Texans for four quarters and had a slew of big plays, including an interception (Damian Swann), eight tackles for loss and 12 pass break-ups. Most encouraging, the Saints have hardly had blown assignments or coverages so far. If nothing else, the defense looks well coordinated. And in case you're wondering, it's been nine years since the Saints last recorded a preseason shutout.

This linebacker corps has potential
The starting unit of A.J. Klein, Manti Te'o and Anzalone reminds me of the early linebacker corps of the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era, a group that featured Scott Fujita, Mark Simoneau and Scott Shanle. None of the three is going to make the Pro Bowl, but collectively they are a smart, tough and instinctive unit. Missed assignments will be few and far between with the group. Considering how shaky past linebacker units have been, the Saints will take solid tackling and sound assignment football from the second line of their defense.

Adrian Peterson's breakout performance is at least two weeks away
The veteran running back's much anticipated Saints debut didn't move the needle. He carried six times for 15 yards and caught one pass for a 1-yard loss. Peterson had little room to operate as the stingy Texans run defense swarmed him at the line of scrimmage on almost every carry. He did make one nice side cut to avoid a tackle in the backfield. All in all, it was a get-feet-wet workmanlike night for the future Hall of Famer.

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