Key Matchups: Saints vs Texans

The New Orleans Saints are closing in on 24 hours away from their preseason finale with the Houston Texans. During this weekend and matchup, there will be a lot of questions not only asked but answered.

With the news that the starters will be sitting this final game, this presents an opportunity for the younger players to carve out a role in the Saints’ depth chart.

Let’s break down three critical matchups for Sunday night’s finale.

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Derek Stingley Jr. vs Saints receivers

Stingley was a top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of LSU and had a strong rookie season. In nine games, he had 43 tackles, a sack, and an interception. Now, he’s ready to build off those numbers in his second season. The matchups from the Saints won’t be Mike Thomas or Olave, but this is definitely a player to keep your eyes on.

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D’Marco Jackson vs Roster Cuts

Jackson has had a strong preseason and training camp, which has been very encouraging for the sixth round pick out of App State. He missed the entire 2022 season with an injury and there’s plenty of depth at the linebacker position, so we’ll see if he is able to crack the final roster next week.

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Wil Lutz vs Blake Grupe

I didn’t expect the Saints to have a kicker battle this preseason, but alas, here we are.

Grupe, an undrafted free agent from Notre Dame, has been excellent this offseason and has really applied pressure to Lutz, who struggled last season.

Now with Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos interested in a new kicker, who will be the place kicker for the Black and Gold?

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