The New Orleans Saints are back in the spotlight in Week 16, playing the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. New Orleans is having an underwhelming year, entering the game at 5-9, while the Packers are preparing for the playoffs at 10-4.
In addition to Green Bay being a better team than New Orleans, this will be a challenging game for the Saints because it’s in Wisconsin in late December. The Saints, who play their home games in a dome, will have to battle the snow and cold, in addition to a good Packers team.
Unfortunately for New Orleans, it’ll be fighting this battle without some of its best players. The Saints had already ruled out some key players for Monday’s game after Saturday’s practice, and more guys were added to the list once the team released the official inactive list.
Saints Week 16 inactives
Player | Position | Year |
|---|---|---|
Alvin Kamara | Running back | Eight |
Derek Carr | Quarterback | 11 |
Chris Olave | Wide receiver | Three |
Bub Means | Wide receiver | Rookie |
Marquez Valdes-Scantling | Wide receiver | Eight |
Nathan Shepherd | Defensive tackle | Eight |
Khristian Boyd | Defensive tackle | Rookie |
Key absences and their impact
Following Saturday’s practice, the team announced Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara would be missing the primetime game. For Carr, this is his second straight missed game as he deals with a hand injury, and his fifth missed game of the year, after an oblique injury sidelined him for three games earlier in the season.
Alvin Kamara, on the other hand, is missing his first game of the season. The veteran running back has battled through numerous injuries this year, but the groin injury he sustained in Week 15 is one he can’t fight through.
In addition to those two, wide receiver Chris Olave wasn’t activated off the injured reserve list, despite returning to practice this week. It’s pretty obvious the impact these three absences will have. Since Taysom Hill and Rashid Shaheed are also done for the year, the Saints offense will play this game without all of its top playmakers.