5 Takeaways from Saints' Preseason Week 2

Jason Watson Jr • August 23, 2023

Another preseason game is complete for the Saints’ 2023 campaign following a 22-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The Saints will return to New Orleans with a 2-0 record with a lot to break down after the team showed flashes of success but plenty of immaturity. Let’s take a look at five things we learned in the past game:

A referee is standing on a football field with a yellow flag on the ground.

Penalties Have got to be Cut Down

The Saints finished the game with 14 penalties found on offense, defense, and special teams, equating to an inexcusable 141 yards given up. The 14 infractions rank as the most by any team in a single game this preseason. While many of the starters did not participate in this one, it is still a troubling case Dennis Allen will look to address with his group.

A football player is catching a ball on a field while a referee watches.

How Many Receivers Will the Saints Keep?

Between the first two weeks of the preseason, the Saints have had several young guys make plays from the receiving core who are battling for roster spots. Shaquan Davis and former LSU Tiger Jontre Kirklin both hauled in 3 receptions against the Chargers, each gaining 63 and 59 yards. Additionally, A.T. Perry’s six receptions, 70 yards, and one touchdown performance stood out from week 1. The younger players will complement nicely with veterans like Michael Thomas, Chis Olave, and Rashid Shaheed, all to make Derek Carr’s life easier.

A football player is running on the field during a game.

Isaiah Foskey Struggling Early On

New Orleans drafted the Notre Dame defensive end in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft, making him the 40th player taken overall. The hope is for the rookie edge rusher to make an impact in the rotation and aid Cameron Jordan’s pressure on opposing quarterbacks. However, Foskey has not looked hot through training camps and practices. He has also failed to have an impactful performance in his preseason reps, only assisting on one tackle versus Los Angeles. There is still plenty of time in the young DE’s learning curve, but many are hopeful he can take off sooner rather than later.

A football player is kicking a field goal during a game.

A True Position Battle at Kicker

After finishing near dead last in field goal makes percentage (74.2%; 23/31) amongst those with 20+ attempts, Wil Lutz is facing some steep competition this offseason. Rookie kicker Blake Grupe came to camp to push Lutz toward his best; it has worked wonders. Against the Chargers, Allen had Grupe play the first half and Lutz the second. Grupe looked strong as he knocked through his two FG attempts and drove through the lone XP for the Saints. Lutz answered the call right back by going 3/3 in his FGA and had a long make of 51 yards. Lutz has performed well enough to keep his role but watch for Grupe to garner interest from other NFL clubs soon.

A group of football players are standing around a player who is laying on the ground.

Wait. What? Another Turnover?

Yes, three of them, to be exact. After ranking 31st last season in forced takeaways, Dennis Allen has been vocal and harping on turnovers being a point of focus for the upcoming season. The Saints responded with one recovery off two forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions from Isaac Yiadom and Lonnie Johnson Jr. The defense shows intensity and tenacity in getting after the football, a promising sign of things to come in 2023.



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Saints Pregame: Domecoming vs Falcons

By Matt Miguez • October 5, 2026
Twenty years ago, the city of New Orleans was forever changed. The "Rebirth" game when the Superdome reopened after Hurricane Katrina was more than a football game already. However, when Steve Gleason blocked the first punt of the game and it was returned for a touchdown, everyone in the building knew it was over.

Recap: LSU Pummels McNeese in Non-Conference Game

By Chrissy Smith • October 5, 2026
BATON ROUGE -- No. 11 LSU did exactly what it was supposed to do Saturday night — and then some. The Tigers dominated McNeese from the opening whistle, rolling to a 63-14 victory inside Tiger Stadium while putting together one of the most productive offensive performances in school history. LSU finished with 731 yards of total offense , the second-most in a single game in program history. The Tigers also ran 101 offensive plays, setting a new school record. For head coach Lane Kiffin, though, the night was about more than piling up points against an FCS opponent. Kiffin Wants LSU Playing Its Standard LSU led 35-0 at halftime and had every reason to take its foot off the gas. Kiffin chose not to. When asked about using a running clock in the second half, Kiffin said LSU needed to continue playing its game. “You play the game and we decide when the game’s over, by the way that we play, and how physical that we play,” Kiffin said. That mentality showed up throughout the night. Even with the game firmly in hand, LSU continued to play with energy and gave plenty of younger players valuable snaps. Kiffin said the number of plays was particularly important because the Tigers will need that depth during the stretch ahead. “A lot of snaps for guys,” Kiffin said. “The goal was to get (that up) to evaluate those guys because they are going to need to play with the injuries we have down the stretch.” Offense Finds Plenty of Contributors Quarterback Sam Leavitt completed 18 of 23 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns, while Corey Barber Jr. caught two touchdown passes. The running game was just as impressive. Harlem Berry rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown, while Stacy Gage added 110 yards and two touchdowns. Five different Tigers — Berry, Dilin Jones, Gage, Landen Clark and freshman defensive tackle Deuce Geralds — scored rushing touchdowns. Geralds' touchdown was particularly memorable. Kiffin joked afterward that he had checked with LSU historian and former Tiger Anthony “Booger” McFarland to determine whether anyone had previously recorded a sack and offensive touchdown in the same game. Kiffin said Geralds now holds the record outright. After a 35-6 victory over Texas A&M last week, LSU has now put together back-to-back dominant performances. The competition gets much tougher from here. But Saturday night showed that LSU has plenty of players capable of making plays — and Kiffin is making sure they understand the standard doesn't change simply because the opponent does. LSU is 4-1 and now turns its attention to Kentucky next Saturday on the road.
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