Woodland Hills, Calif. – The New Orleans Saints completed their grueling, three-joint-practices-and-a-preseason-game-in-eight-days march Thursday, with a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams at the Rams' practice facility.
"I thought it was good," Coach Kellen Moore said. "Jacksonville's work (on Aug. 13) was excellent. We had to navigate a few things on Tuesday (against Dallas on Aug. 18 in Oxnard, Calif.) and today was really, really good work. I thought we accomplished a lot of it. That was some tough days, to go a Tuesday joint to a Thursday joint – that's a lot of work load in a matter of just three days.
"We're proud of our guys battling. I think it's going to test our ability to play in an uncomfortable setting, which is good for us, and we'll use the rest of training camp to get ready."
Expanding the look for New Orleans, Thursday was their second joint practice in three days and precedes Saturday's second preseason game, against the Rams on Saturday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Overall, it will total three joint practices and two preseason games in 10 days.
"It helps a lot," left tackle Kelvin Banks said. "Getting to see different defenses, getting to see how different guys play, getting to match yourself up against other great talents in this league – it helps a lot.
"The heavy workload, (edge rusher) Chase (Young) said it best when we broke out: There are things where you get late in the season and you're playing games and you're getting tired, we've already been through it. We've already did an (eight)-day stretch where we had three joint practices, (and) now we're about to go do a preseason game Saturday. It's certainly one of those things where you're getting calloused for it right now for the future."
New Orleans' first-team offense Thursday mainly was limited to quick, short throws as quarterback Tyler Shough was pressured routinely. But Shough did connect twice for touchdowns with rookie receiver Bryce Lance in the red zone and quarterback Zach Wilson, who took snaps with the second-team offense, completed a 38-yard beauty to receiver Trey Palmer down the left sideline against blanket coverage. Palmer made the catch, fell out of bounds at the Rams' 22 and survived the ground on the standout play.
"I'd just say that's really good work (for Shough)," Moore said. "We got some mix and match personnel groups, I thought it was all good work for him. That's a really talented defense, there's going to be some plays and some downs that they win. How we respond is pretty critical, and I thought our guys did a really good job."
Saints defensive starters had another closeup view of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, the NFL's Most Valuable Player last season, who clicked with receivers on three-step drops and was precise throughout.
Starters took the majority of reps Tuesday and Thursday, while backups started the first preseason game and also will Saturday. But the quick turnaround was welcomed by the starters, who played more high-level snaps in practice against Dallas' and the Rams' first-team offenses and defenses, than they would in preseason games.
"I feel like this week is definitely one of the toughest weeks of camp," cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry said. "But if you love this game, you love this game – it's another opportunity. I was talking to the corners, like, this opportunity is something to evaluate. So it's nothing to think about, it being a tough week. We get a chance to get out here and do what we love to do. That's what wakes me up and gives me the courage to come out here, just being able to do this. This is what I love to do."
PRACTICE PARTICIPATION: Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and receiver Devaughn Vele dressed and participated in the joint practice after being held out on Tuesday, and linebacker Kaden Elliss and receiver Chris Olave were given rest days. Right guard Caesar Ruiz, defensive tackle John Ridgeway and cornerback Dalys Beanum did not finish practice due to injuries.
PRESEASON FINALE: Moore and the staff will determine over the next few days how much, if any, starters will play in the preseason finale against Dallas on Aug. 28.
