By Gee Bino | The Who Dat Daily
The New Orleans Saints’ 24-20 preseason loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars delivered the full exhibition experience. New Orleans produced explosive plays, young standouts, costly mistakes, injury concerns, and a second-half collapse.
The Saints raced to a 20-6 halftime lead at the Caesars Superdome. However, Jacksonville scored 18 unanswered points after halftime and stole the victory. The result does not count in the standings, but the lessons could influence several roster decisions.
Zach Wilson strengthened his case for the backup quarterback job. Bub Means created explosive plays. Michael Heldman supplied pressure. Meanwhile, the Saints’ reserve offensive line struggled, the running game disappeared, and the deeper defensive units failed to protect the lead.
Here is what the Saints vs. Jaguars preseason recap revealed about Kellen Moore’s team.
Saints Started Fast but Failed to Finish
New Orleans could not have scripted a more exciting opening.
Veteran running back Ty Chandler returned the opening kickoff 86 yards to Jacksonville’s 9-yard line. On the next snap, Audric Estimé bounced outside for a 9-yard touchdown.
The Saints led 7-0 only 21 seconds into the game.
New Orleans continued building momentum in the second quarter. Tanner Brown connected on a 49-yard field goal. Later, Zach Wilson found rookie tight end Oscar Delp for a 1-yard touchdown. Brown added a 29-yard field goal before halftime.
The Saints entered the locker room with a commanding 20-6 advantage. Unfortunately, the offense failed to score again. Jacksonville dominated the second half and completed the comeback of New Orleans Saints.
That dramatic swing produced the clearest lesson from the game: New Orleans’ young reserves must learn how to finish.
Zach Wilson Won the Quarterback Battle
Spencer Rattler started because Tyler Shough and most of the Saints’ primary starters sat after receiving extensive work during Thursday’s joint practice.
Rattler completed 8 of 11 passes for 42 yards. His 72.7% completion rate looks respectable, but the offense rarely threatened Jacksonville vertically.
The backup offensive line did Rattler few favors. Pressure arrived quickly and repeatedly. His most damaging play came when linebacker Yasir Abdullah rushed unblocked off the edge and forced a strip-sack. Jacksonville recovered the fumble deep inside Saints territory.
Rattler did not throw an interception, but he averaged only 3.8 yards per attempt. His longest completion gained nine yards.
Wilson delivered a completely different performance.
The veteran completed 11 of 16 passes for 145 yards and one touchdown, finishing with a 118.0 passer rating. He attacked Jacksonville downfield and showed excellent control of the offense. The official Saints recap confirmed Wilson’s final line. New Orleans Saints
Wilson connected with Bub Means for a 37-yard gain down the sideline. He later found Means for another deep completion that moved New Orleans to the 1-yard line. Wilson finished that possession with a quick touchdown pass to Delp.
What We Learned
Wilson clearly won the opening round of the backup quarterback competition.
He played faster, pushed the football downfield, and created points. Rattler still deserves context because his protection frequently collapsed. However, Wilson produced the type of aggressive, controlled performance needed to create separation.
Bub Means Made a Strong Roster Statement
The Saints needed somebody from the reserve receiving group to emerge. Bub Means answered the call.
Means caught four passes for 77 yards and became Wilson’s primary vertical weapon. His 37-yard reception displayed his ability to track the football and win downfield. Another long connection helped set up Delp’s touchdown.
Rookie Barion Brown also contributed four receptions for 53 yards. That gave the Saints two young receivers who consistently generated offense while the established starters watched from the sideline.
The battle behind Chris Olave, Jordyn Tyson and Devaughn Vele remains important. Means helped himself significantly against Jacksonville.
What We Learned
Means offers something the Saints need: legitimate vertical speed from a depth receiver.
One preseason performance will not secure a roster spot. Still, Means created separation, finished contested opportunities, and developed immediate chemistry with Wilson.
The Young Defense Created Impact Plays
The Saints’ defense provided several encouraging first-half moments.
Linebacker Jaylan Ford intercepted Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens. Defensive back Jayden Price added another interception and returned it 11 yards. Price’s takeaway helped set up the Wilson-to-Delp touchdown.
Those plays showed awareness and anticipation. They also continued Price’s strong summer.
Pass rusher Michael Heldman produced perhaps the best defensive performance of the afternoon. He recorded two of New Orleans’ four sacks and consistently pressured Jacksonville’s reserve tackles.
The Saints need more defensive-line depth following Bryan Bresee’s season-ending knee injury. Heldman’s performance gives the coaching staff another developmental option to evaluate.
What We Learned
The Saints may have uncovered useful defensive depth.
Ford and Price created turnovers. Heldman created pressure. Those are the plays that separate bubble players during the preseason.
Offensive-Line Depth Is a Serious Concern
The starting offensive line did not participate, but the reserve group’s performance still raised questions.
Rattler frequently faced immediate pressure. Jacksonville recorded four sacks and seven quarterback hits. The Saints struggled to establish a traditional rushing attack after Estimé’s opening touchdown.
New Orleans finished with only 56 net rushing yards. Backup running back CJ Donaldson Jr. recorded zero yards on four carries.
The problem went beyond individual missed blocks. The reserve unit struggled with communication, edge pressure, and creating movement at the point of attack.
The recent knee injury to Dillon Radunz makes the situation more concerning. New Orleans cannot assume that all five starting linemen will remain healthy for an entire season.
What We Learned
The Saints must continue searching for reliable offensive-line depth.
The starters offer promise, but the second unit needs better answers at guard and tackle. Protection breakdowns can make it difficult to evaluate quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers fairly.
The Second-Half Collapse Exposed the Bottom of the Roster
New Orleans led 20-6 at halftime but lost 24-20.
That means Jacksonville outscored the Saints 18-0 during the second half.
The Saints’ deeper offensive units could not sustain drives. Meanwhile, Jacksonville found success against New Orleans’ reserve defense. The Jaguars finished with 118 rushing yards and controlled the game late.
Third-string quarterback Hunter Dekkers nearly created a winning finish. He completed 8 of 15 passes for 69 yards and moved the Saints within scoring range. However, Jacksonville deflected his final goal-line pass with one second remaining. New Orleans Saints
What We Learned
The Saints’ final roster spots remain unsettled.
Some reserve players made individual plays, but the overall depth failed to maintain the standard established during the first half. Coaches will examine conditioning, assignment discipline, and situational execution closely.
The Kicking Competition Remains Open
Tanner Brown took an important step forward.
Brown made both field-goal attempts, connecting from 49 and 29 yards. He handled his opportunities cleanly and added pressure to the competition.
Charlie Smyth missed his only attempt from 52 yards. The miss does not end the battle, especially after Smyth’s strong training-camp practices. Still, game opportunities carry additional weight.
Punter Ryan Wright delivered an uneven performance. His five punts included a 55-yarder but also a damaging 15-yard shank that handed Jacksonville favorable field position.
Special teams also committed four penalties.
What We Learned
Brown won this round of the kicking competition, but special teams remain inconsistent.
Chandler’s 86-yard return provided the game’s most explosive moment. However, the penalties and punting mistake showed why consistency matters as much as raw ability.
Injuries Overshadowed the Evaluation
Estimé suffered the most concerning in-game injury.
After scoring on his first carry, he exited during the second quarter following an awkward low hit on a reception. Estimé entered the medical tent and later walked to the locker room under his own power.
Defensive tackle Christen Miller also left before halftime and received a concussion evaluation.
The Saints already entered the game without several injured players, including Jordyn Tyson, Kendre Miller, Devon Neal, Cam Jordan, Davon Godchaux, John Ridgeway, Chris Rumph, Rejzohn Wright and Terrell Burgess.
What We Learned
New Orleans cannot afford more injuries at running back or defensive tackle.
The team already lacks healthy depth in both areas. Estimé and Christen Miller will require close monitoring before the Saints begin their West Coast practice schedule.
Big Q’s Take
The final score matters less than the information the Saints gathered.
Zach Wilson looked like an NFL-caliber backup quarterback. Bub Means demanded more opportunities. Michael Heldman, Jayden Price and Jaylan Ford strengthened their roster cases. Tanner Brown responded when the lights came on.
Those are legitimate positives.
However, the Saints cannot ignore the second-half collapse. The reserve offensive line struggled badly. The run game vanished. The deeper defense surrendered the lead. Special-teams penalties and poor punting created unnecessary problems.
This game showed that New Orleans has promising young talent, but the overall roster still lacks dependable depth in several critical areas.
The most important development may be Wilson’s performance. Tyler Shough remains the starter, but Wilson showed that he can operate the offense, attack downfield, and potentially stabilize the team if called upon.
The Saints lost the game, but preseason football is about evaluation. In that regard, New Orleans received several clear answers—and discovered several problems that require immediate attention.
