The New Orleans Saints will host the Los Angeles Chargers in the final preseason game in 2022. Both the Saints and Chargers are entering this contest with an 0-2 record. Last week, New Orleans fell to Green Bay, 20-10 and Los Angeles fell to Dallas, 32-18. Both teams will look to end the preseason on a high note and create momentum heading into the season opener in the regular season.
Los Angeles Chargers @ New Orleans Saints Game Information:
TV Channel: FOX 8 (New Orleans); KCBS-TV (Los Angeles)
Location: Caesar’s Superdome; New Orleans, Louisiana
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Spread: Saints (-3.0)
The Chargers-Saints Series
The Saints and the Chargers have faced off 13 times in the regular season, with Los Angeles leading the series seven to six. Though, New Orleans has taken the last four matchups between the two teams. The black and gold hold a five to four advantage over Los Angeles in the preseason, having won the last three meetings.
New Orleans and Los Angeles last met in the preseason in 2019, where the Saints edged out the Chargers, 19-17. The last time the two teams met in the regular season was in 2020. The game would go into overtime with the Saints escaping with a win, 30-27.
What to Expect From the Saints
Saints fans saw a lot of Ian Book in last week’s preseason matchup with the Packers. The former Notre Dame product continued to struggle to find his rhythm, but if there was a highlight during that game it was his 20-yard touchdown to Chris Olave.
Jameis Winston participated in full-team drills for the first time in two weeks. The quarterback is starting to feel better since his stint of injuries dating back to last season. Head coach, Dennis Allen, hasn’t hinted on which starters could be seeing the field on Friday night:
“I’m not telling anybody who’s playing, who’s not playing. Look, I think the last couple of days, he’s looked pretty good out there, which has been really encouraging.”
New Orleans has taken a conservative route in the preseason slate by resting their majority of their starters to prepare for the regular season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. Saints fans will have to wait and see what Allen’s game plan will be heading into Friday night’s game against the Chargers.
What to Expect From the Chargers
Los Angeles is coming off a home loss to the Cowboys in the second week of action in the preseason. The special teams play for the Chargers made the difference in that game as they gave up two return touchdowns. Los Angeles will look to clean things up in the special teams in the final preseason game in 2022.
Easton Stick had a shaky start for the Chargers in their last preseason game. On the Chargers first offensive possession, Stick threw a pass that was intercepted. The highlight of the game for the former North Dakota State product was finding Joshua Palmer in the endzone for a 18-yard score. Palmer has shown flashes in the preseason and he is looking to have a bright future in the NFL.
Like the Saints, Los Angeles has been conservative by resting their starters in the preseason. The game plan shouldn’t change from head coach, Brandon Staley. Expect to see no big name players for the Chargers, including Justin Herbert. Staley spoke on his team will prepare for the preseason finale against the black and gold:
“It’s important that we go out there and play well. Guys that had a tough night against Dallas, or a tough night in the first game against the Rams, that they’re able to bounce back and that we keep building on our practices, keep building on our games. It’s our first road game as a team, so you add that element to it. Going against a good team like New Orleans, it’ll be a good game for our guys.”
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