The New Orleans Saints are running out of time to fix things

“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing” said John Powell. This quote says it all for the first two games of the Saints 2016 preseason thus far.

Tonight the Saints finally come home to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third preseason game of 2016. This game will not count. However, there has to be a sense of importance of how this game plays out. After back to back losses, the Saints have looked improved in certain areas. The defense has Who Dat Nation a bit giddy about the outlook for this year.

There’s some new optics as well inside the Superdome like the scoreboard.

There’s even some new banners for the 50th anniversary as well.

Everything is set up this year for a special season. There’s just one itsy bitsy problem. Does any us really know what will happen when the regular season kicks off? The answer is maybe. That’s the best answer that I can personally think of.

The answer may not be the assurance the Black and Gold wanna hear. And if the mistakes don’t get corrected tonight, it’s gonna be hard pressed to believe that a full resurrection of perfection will come down magically overnight. The third preseason game is definitely the most realistic of all four. The fans should get a glimpse of how this team will perform under real game time conditions. The first half will be the last dress rehearsal before opening day.

The one thing to look for, is finding a running back that can tote the rock. At this point, it doesn’t matter if its running back Mark Ingram, C.J. Spiller, Tim Hightower, or Daniel Lasco. The Saints need production on the ground. Of course the offensive line will be a huge part of that to open up some holes. The one thing I saw last week specifically, is that the Saints were getting pushed back upfront. The offensive line must come out firing and holding their blocks.

On the defensive side, the pass rush will be once again the critical part of helping out the secondary. With a good pass rush, the corners will be able to jump those routes and make some plays hopefully. The whole scheme will depend on the guys upfront. The battle for the secondary should really heat up between defensive backs P.J. Williams and Ken Crowley. This game could be the difference maker.

Furthermore, just hold on to the ball! If we don’t do anything else, just guard that football with both hands. There is no more time for errors. The last preseason game will have a lot of players vying for the 53 man roster. Most of the starters won’t get much playing time then. This is the last game to really catch coach Payton’s notice. Look for wide receiver TommyLee Lewis to also have another big game too.

This is the last chance to get it right. After tonight’s game, all bets are off. Who Dat Nation will just have to hope it all comes together by opening day if mistakes keep occurring.