While the preseason isn’t always indicative of what to expect from a team when the regular season comes around, one thing stood out from the New Orleans Saints’ preseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams: the stress that came with responding to the Rams’ substitutions.
Twice the Saints were called for having too many men on the field on the defense. In both situations, including a 3rd-and-4 that was converted into a 1st-and-10 following the infraction, the Rams’ late substitutions were part of the factor.
This isn’t a new strategy by Los Angeles, but it is an effective one that’s worth highlighting as the Saints head into the 2026 regular season.
The Rams will often wait until later in the playclock to make changes to their offensive personnel. When they do so, opposing defenses have to quickly respond, get their calls in and make sure they have the right personnel in place.
It’s a normal part of the game, but one that gets rushed in the way the Rams challenge teams. It has a risk for the offense as well, but Los Angeles tends to manage this well.
But what this says about the Saints is that it could be a potential pressure point for them going into the 2026 season.
Having the starters and their communication on the field will make a big difference, of course. But from the coaching side of substitutions, a lot of practice time will likely be dedicated as well.
The preseason so far won’t give anyone a look at what the starting team brings, but it does expose some of the club’s DNA, both positively and negatively.
This was a good test for New Orleans to possibly identify a little bit of a weakness in their armor with time to get it adjusted. This will be worth tracking as an area of improvement, or otherwise, for the Saints as Week 1 approaches.
