Jeff Duncan's take

It was one preseason game. The starters played well against one of the better teams in the league led by three primary stars (all in the top 15 players in the league per NFL network's survey of players for this year). Two of them did not play. The goal is more of player development and not realizing grave mistakes. Carr looked like he is a solid fit in control of the offense connecting with the starting RB, TE, and our WR that has been out for years. It is not everything but it is not nothing.

Cautious optimism is the appropriate response even if that was against one of the poorer teams in the league rather than the defending Superbowl champions but it happened. My majors concerns with the Saints in 2022 were almost all on the offense. Number one of which was with Winston I felt like he fell apart when blitzed because his pre snap adjustments and anticipation seemed to be his worst aspect as a player aside from his lack of availability due to injuries. Dalton lacked mobility on any level and had slow release. Derrek Carr seems better in both of those weaknesses. Carr moved in the pocket and progressed through his reads well putting zip on the ball.

2023 seems like Carr will also bring elements of the Gruden Raiders offense to re-capture some of what we lost when Sean Payton (a disciple of Jon Gruden who gave him his first NFL job with the Eagles). Telling fans to curb our enthusiasm in a wet blanket tank is standard preseason fair and would be appropriate if some Who Dat were to be chanting Superbowl. The Saints have maybe the easiest schedule on paper in team history. There is reason to be optimistic that if the Saints defense can improve against the run and we get better quarterback play we can win the NFC South host a home playoff game and host a home playoff game and see what happens. The NFL is in the entertainment business not the Superbowl winning business. They sell hope. Seeing the Derek Carr led Saints gave me enough hope to want to watch far more than Winston or Andy Dalton did.