The five key story lines for the Saints match up with the Colts Saturday night in Indianapolis:
1. Quarterback Drew Brees makes his season debut:
Brees has been sidelined since the beginning of August with a left oblique strain. Tonight, he finally resumes command of the Black and Gold's offense. Watch to see if Brees is indeed 100% healthy and whether the time he missed during training camp affects his rhythm on the field.
2. Wide Receiver Brandin Cooks in action with Brees:
The Saints have high hopes and big plans for their speedy rookie phenom. Cooks proved his worth in the Saints first preseason game against the St. Louis Rams, providing numerous highlights, including a 25-yard touchdown run on a handoff from backup quarterback Ryan Griffin. The first round draft pick ended the game showing much promise as a dual threat weapon with 5 receptions for 55 yards and that touchdown run. However against the Titans, Cooks had just one catch after being targeted only 4 times. Tonight, Cooks looks to build up his highlight reel and show he has chemistry with Brees. A lot of fans have been waiting to see these two in action together since the Saints traded up on Draft Night to snag Cooks.
3. Injury Check:
Several players are expected to return to action tonight besides Brees, and their health is a crucial question mark. Wide receiver Kenny Stills and guard Jahri Evans are expected to make their season debuts. The most important area to watch though is the secondary, which overflowed with an abundance of riches early on. Now, however, corners Patrick Robinson and Keenan Lewis were injured in the first and second preseason games, respectively. Pro Bowl phenom Champ Bailey hasn't seen much action all of training camp, and top free agent acquisition Jairus Byrd has been sidelined while recovering from back surgery. Tonight, Byrd plans to test the waters after a promising week of practice, and many eyes will be sizing up the progress of the other dinged-up members of the secondary.
4. Can the Defense Continue to be Opportunistic?
Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan has frankly stated many times that his unit must improve on its takeaway ratio in order for this team to return to the Super Bowl. There wasn't much evidence of that goal coming to fruition during the game in St. Louis, but in New Orleans versus the Titans was a different story. Ryan's crew forced 5 turnovers, a stat which would have been even more impressive if it weren't for penalties. The Colts' offense, led by third-year pro Andrew Luck, will likely provide a much stiffer test of just how much the Saints defense has, or hasn't, improved when it comes to bringing pressure, creating turnovers and capitalizing on opportunistic situations.
5. Starting Center: veteran Jonathan Goodwin vs sophomore Tim Lelito
No doubt the Saints are praying Lelito, an undrafted free agent out of Grand Valley State, is the future. The question is, has Lelito made enough progress to be trusted with the starting job of protecting quarterback Drew Brees, while former Super Bowl champ and Pro Bowler Jonathan Goodwin stands on the sidelines? Brees is returning from an oblique injury, he's 35, and he took a bigger beating last year than at any other time during his tenure in New Orleans. The coaching staff is demanding to see improvement in the offensive line immediately. Lelito will need to show he's ready to handle the job, not a work in progress.
