In week one, the New Orleans Saints (1-0) were carried by their defense as the offense struggled to find a consistent rhythm in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In a season with no preseason work, the Saints’ offensive struggles from coach Sean Payton to the execution on the field led by Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees was understandable.
However, early-season wins can not be discounted in a division like the NFC South, where there could legitimately be a three-team race for the division title.
New Orleans will travel to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders (1-0) in their new home Allegiant Stadium.
Offensively the Black and Gold will be without one of their lethal weapons in WR, Michael Thomas. Thomas suffered an ankle injury late in the Buccaneers contest. His absence will require others on the offense to elevate their level of play.
Below are two players to keep an eye on in Week 2 in the first-ever game at the “DeathStar” in Las Vegas.
1). WR Emmanuel Sanders
The Saints signing of Sanders was one of the most underrated signings of the off-season. The No. 2 receiver position was a hole the offense desperately needed to fill. A three-time 1,000-yard receiver and
Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos, Sanders seeks to catapult the Saints to another Super Bowl title.
Sanders finished with Last Sunday’s game with just three catches for 15 yards but did score a touchdown.
It will be interesting to see how Payton creates ways for Sanders to have opportunities to make plays in the passing game. Last week, the Raiders gave up 270 yards through the air, allowing Carolina Panthers WR Robbie Anderson six catches for 115 yards and one touchdown.
2). WR Tre’ Quan Smith
Smith has potential and was considered one of the most underrated wide-outs in the 2018 draft. There is no doubt he has the ability and the skill set to be an excellent WR, but the consistency is lacking. The Delray Beach, Florida native, has been a feast or famine type of a wide-out and last Sunday was famine.
The UCF standout could not haul in his only target, leaving him with a goose egg in the receiving column. When Smith is on top of his game, however, he is a significant factor, and in his third-year, comfort is the key.
“I’m definitely a lot more comfortable,” Smith said while speaking to team media. “I’m learning more and more different positions like not just the wide or the z, or the x. I’m learning a lot more. So, I’m definitely comfortable. I feel like they can put me anywhere and now be comfortable, play fast and comfortably. I also did a lot, just tweaking things a little. I already knew what to do, but I wasn’t playing 100% because, in the back of my head, I was guessing to myself, am I doing the right thing? So that was a big thing for me.”
Smith’s second year with New Orleans saw him produce five touchdowns matching his rookie campaign output.
Even though he is finding the end zone, Smith failed to surpass 20 yards receiving six times in the 2019 regular season, including two games in which he didn’t produce a single catch. It will be intriguing to see if he can be a factor on Monday night and begin to take his play to another level.