NEW ORLEANS — Call it the illusion of preseason, but it's hard to know what to believe in these practice games.
Winning and losing literally means nothing.
I feel better about the Saints' loss to San Francisco than I did about the win over Arizona.
First of all, a bunch of key guys didn't play, like Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa.
A dozen frontline 49ers sat this one out.
And on the Saints' side, no Alvin Kamara or Demario Davis, Pete Werner – nine guys I'd call key Saints.
But you have to sort of throw that out.
The five teams with the best odds to win the NFC, according to the Caesars Sportsbook, are the Cowboys, the Packers, the Eagles, the Lions and the San Francisco 49ers.
And while the "ones" were in the Saints stood up nicely against a Super Bowl-caliber team.
4) A Three-Series Win
At No. 4, call this one a three-series win.
The starting quarterbacks, Derek Carr (Saints) and Brock Purdy (49ers), each played three series with a mix of ones and twos.
The 49ers ran 11 plays resulting in 12 total yards and no points in their first three possessions. The Saints ran 22 plays for 106 yards and a touchdown.
This is why Saints fans should feel good about the game.
3) Lost the Backup Battle
The reason the Saints didn't win is because they lost the backup battle.
"The Passtronaut" is Saints' kryptonite.
Josh Dobbs is called "The Passtronaut" because he throws passes – and majored in aerospace engineering.
The Saints couldn't stop him last year when he quarterbacked the Vikings and they couldn't stop him Sunday night.
Meanwhile, Spencer Rattler is a long way from being a quality NFL quarterback.
I do think he might be eventually, but be realistic. He's not ready.
Dobbs quarterbacked on three series.
The Niners picked up 152 yards and 13 points.
Rattler got four series which netted 68 yards, three points and a turnover.
With backup quarterbacks and twos and threes playing, the 49ers were better and that doesn't really matter.
2) Tailback Taysom
At No. 2, the "Kubiak wrinkle" Sunday was tailback Taysom Hill.
Certainly, Hill has run out of the backfield, but not like this – straight tailback – and I love it.
Taysom Hill is one of the NFL's most unique and dangerous weapons.
In his career, he's gotten 10 touches or more – that's rushing or receiving – in 15 NFL games.
Do you know the Saints' record in those 15 games?
Try 13-2.
Any way to get the ball in No. 7's hands is a good thing.
In two preseason games now, Hill has played fullback and tailback, and he's run a bunch out of the slot.
New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is clearly intent on using Hill in new ways and that's absolutely a good thing.
1) The Young Gun
Finally, the "Young gun" on defense is legit.
Chase Young has dominated from Day 1.
Don't forget, at Ohio State, he was so good he was fourth in the 2019 Heisman Trophy voting, but injuries and a poor team around him meant he never reached his potential in Washington with the Commanders.
Now, he's in Year 5.
Although he's only 25 years old, he's motivated and appears ready to show why he was the second overall pick in the draft.
The Saints' defense was already talented and he has the ability to be its star.
Head coach Dennis Allen is playing him next to Bryan Bresee a lot and that tandem looks deadly.
In two games, No. 1 offenses have done nothing against Young and the Saints defense – one first down and zero points in six offensive possessions.
Who cares who won, that's a reason to have a little optimism at the start of the season and that's my '4 Takeaways' from the preseason loss to the 49ers.
