Saints vs Texans: Film Review

This game specifically showed a lot of promise in players that are expected to make an impact on this roster. For the players that are right on the cusp, this game also proved why they just aren’t ready to get over the hump. With the team's first game against the Titans on the horizon, the final roster looks to be shaping up here pretty soon.

Let’s breakdown some of the positives we saw from this past Sunday’s game and what we can expect from a couple players this season.

We’ll start with first round pick Bryan Bresee. Bresee has flashed a multitude of times during this preseason but in this game, he showed just how special he could be.

Here he takes a quick inside move to set up a nasty spin move to get a free shot at the QB.

On this play, you can see him swipe the hands of the offensive lineman in order to create a rush lane for himself. This causes the quarterback to slide into a forced fumble.

Bresee sure looks like the athletic freak that we’ve known him to be. His quickness and finesse are especially undeniable. He’ll surely assist the team’s pass rushing abilities.

Another guy who made their presence known showing us that he’s still got it, is none other than the legend Jimmy Graham himself. Graham made sure to let us know that he can make an impact on this team in giving us a couple of blast from the moments.

In this clip, Jimmy runs a seam route from the slot. Jameis Winston throws this ball slightly back shoulder to where Graham has to adjust to make a play on the ball. Graham uses all of his size and strength to muscle this ball out of the air and away from the defensive back.

True vintage moment.

Jimmy gives us another one of these moments a few plays later. Here he boxes out a Texans defensive back at the goal line, using his size once again to haul in a score.

Truly amazing to see after all of the uncertainty last week.

Expect Jimmy Graham to be utilized on these types of throws/routes this season. His ability to be a contested catch guy gives the Saints offense another dimension to their multiplicity on that side of the ball.

Other notes:

A couple of negatives in this one came from many of the same culprits as previous weeks. Guys like Alontae Taylor (in the slot), Lucas Krull, Isaiah Foskey (had a little bit of a better week) and Jake Haener. Andrus Peat is one other that had a disappointing performance for a guy who’s been a starter in this league for a while. He could easily be one of the surprise cuts of today.

Jontre Kirklin is a guy that keeps surprising me as he seems like someone going under the radar. I like everything that I’ve seen from him in terms of his speed, yards after catch ability and help in the return game. Don’t be surprised if he’s the guy catching kicks for the New Orleans Saints at some point, similar to what we saw from Rashid Shaheed at first.

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