Preseason Postgame Recap: Rams

Kaden Arkeder • August 22, 2026

Well whatever that performance was the Saints sure hope they don’t have again for a long time. It was the type of game where it felt like they couldn’t really manage to do much of the little things right. Sure they had a couple nice moments here and there like Rattlers 25 yard throw to Moreno-Cooper but this game was terrible all around. No other way to put it. Let’s look at some of the key points I was looking for in the game. 


The backup quarterback battle just got even murkier. After Zach Wilson shined in the first preseason game but unfortunately had a complete 180 of a performance against the Rams. I don’t think Wilson had much help around him today but he did not do enough to have us overlook the circumstances. Rattler was watching this from the sidelines and knew his turn was coming to make up ground in the backup battle. His first drive ended in a 100 yard pick six to completely bury the Saints on the scoreboard. Once you’re down 27 points in the third quarter barring a miracle comeback there’s not much positive merit in individual performance for the rest of the game. 


Following up the QB battle was the pecking order battle in the receiver room. But because of how the offense performed today we got no answers there. We’ll have to wait till next week against the cowboys to see if we get any clear answers before the rosters are trimmed down. 


I wanted to keep an eye out for the RB3 battle in this game and unfortunately no one stood out in a positive fashion in this game. Ty Chandler was someone who had a big moment in the last game with a long kickoff return but all that positive momentum he created came to screeching halt. Ty had a lackluster day running the ball and had a brutal fumble that was recovered by the Rams while in the red zone. Just can’t have those two things happen and expect to win a job with so little opportunity left.


I came away impressed with the corner depth after the Jaguars game last week and was looking forward to see how’d they look against better competition from the Rams. I won’t single out any one player specifically here but ultimately the defense as a whole just really had no answers for the Rams today. The Rams were moving the ball at will today, didn’t matter if it was on the ground or in the air. The Rams could do whatever they wanted and there should be some concern even if it’s just a preseason game after a performance like that. 


Lastly was my interest in the kicking battle given Smyth’s uneven track record. Unfortunately the Saints did not give the kickers much if any real work today. Brown got the only chance of the day to kick a FG at the end of the game and missed a 39 yarder. If this keeps up the Saints might have to go in a whole other direction at the kicker position before the regular season starts. 


I won’t give the Saints an excuse for a poor performance like this. Preseason or not failing to execute at the level they did today is unacceptable and will have to be a lot different in the last preseason game if they want to bring some positive momentum into the regular season. Moving forward though as it’s been noted by others the Saints looked tired today. I don’t believe we will see the Saints schedule two joint practices between two preseason game over a ten day span again. Let’s hope for a more competitive game next week for the preseason finale against the Cowboys. 


A quick share helps us a lot!

By Kaden Arkeder August 22, 2026
The second preseason game is shaping up to be quite the interesting one as there is numerous position battles being waged. These position battles are being fought over depth chart positioning or for the couple of roster spots up for grabs. Here is what I am looking out for in the preseason matchup against the Rams. The battle to be the backup quarterback behind Shough. Entering training camp I didn’t see this becoming a legitimate battle but give credit to Zach Wilson for taking advantage of his opportunities while Spencer Rattler has not done enough to cement himself as the backup thus far. Zach Wilson made some good reads and throws in the previous game showing he can move the offense down the field into scoring position. Moving the offense down the field was something Spencer Rattler was not able to do and will need to in this game if he wants to keep this a competition heading into the final preseason game against the Cowboys. This battle could come down to the wire so buckle up over these next two games. Up next I am keeping an eye on is the WR depth chart battle. With Tyson injured there is a good chance another roster spot opened up for another wide receiver to make the roster. But not only that because of the injury there is increased opportunity for these young wide receiver to make a bigger impact early on in their careers than expected. I’ll be looking to see if they can take advantage of that or if the Saints might have to add a veteran to the mix to bring in some experience. Speaking of experience, it appears as though the experience Charlie Smyth got last year has not translated into consistent results quite yet which leaves the door open Tanner Brown to potentially win the kicking job should Smyth continue to miss on his opportunities. This is a position where it’s been in a flux since Will Lutz was moved the team would greatly benefit from some consistency and reliability after not having for a couple years. However, the experience Martin Emerson Jr and Jayden Price have showed up in a big way in the Jaguars game. I’m looking to see if they can make the same kind of impact in this game as they did in the last because if so I think the Saints would feel a lot better about the cornerback position heading into the season as they probably did heading into training camp. Lastly with the news of Alvin Kamara being out for a few weeks with an injury of his own I’d like to see if any of the other running backs on the roster can standout and make a case for themselves to be RB3. Last week Ty Chandler had the kickoff return which set up Audric Estime for the touchdown so I give them the lead on trying to secure a roster spot as of right now. But there is still time for someone else to make a case over these next two games to widen the competition. Looking at the game in general I’m pretty excited to see how the team looks versus the Rams. The Rams have been a Super Bowl contender for a while and will prove to be a good litmus test for the Saints to see where they are in their preparation for the regular season. It’s one thing to look good against the Jaguars but another if they look good against the Rams.
Football player in red kicks as teammate kneels on field during game, crowd blurred in background
By Patrick Harkness August 20, 2026
K 
Jackson Courville- Ohio State 
He committed on January 12, 2026 (after entering the portal January 2) and is now on Tulane’s 2026 roster as a redshirt junior (#96, 5’10”, 185 lbs) from Centerville, OH (Centerville HS). 
Here’s why Courville aligns so well with the Green Wave program: 
• Proven Leg Strength and Clutch MAC Production
: In two seasons as Ball State’s starting kicker (2023-24), he went 26-of-34 on field goals (76.5%) and 54-of-56 on extra points. Highlights include a game-winning 52-yard FG as time expired vs. Northern Illinois (2024), his career long, plus multiple makes from 50+ yards. He was automatic inside 40 yards and showed the power and accuracy Tulane needs after the departure of standout Patrick Durkin. 
• P4 Experience and Fresh Start
: After battling for the job at Ohio State in 2025 (limited to just 4 XPs in one appearance), he brings valuable Big Ten reps and camp competition experience. Now at Tulane, he’s locked in a competitive spring battle with Cooper Helmke and Zach Marini. 
• Immediate Depth and Competition in a Reloading Unit
: Tulane aggressively addressed special teams via the portal after losing Durkin. Courville arrives as a high-upside veteran with two years of eligibility left, ready to compete for the starting job and provide reliable kicking depth right away. 
In short, Jackson Courville is a smart, high-character portal pickup who brings proven production, big-leg power, and built-in chemistry with the offense to a position group that needed reinforcements. #RollWave Make sure to follow Patrick Harkness on X
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