
THE APEX TIMES
Interview with the Enemy: Evan Craig breaks down the Saints-Rams preseason matchup at SoFi Stadium
As the 2026 NFL preseason moves into Week 2, New Orleans travels to Inglewood to face the Los Angeles Rams, with Turf Show Times’ Evan Craig joining the conversation to frame what to watch and how each team could approach the game.
The New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams meet in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL preseason at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, and ahead of the matchup, Evan Craig of Turf Show Times joined the “Interview with the Enemy” format to preview what the game could reveal. The premise of the segment is straightforward: one side’s beat perspective, with the goal of translating personnel questions and game-plan choices into something fans can track as the preseason turns more consequential from week to week.
Craig’s role as the Rams beat voice matters because preseason contests are often where teams compress their evaluation windows. In that setting, what happens on offense and defense, how coordinators balance installation with experimentation, and which players are trusted with key situational reps can carry outsized meaning even when the regular-season stakes are still weeks away. The “enemy” interview format typically surfaces those details by focusing on the matchups that will test the traits each team is trying to build.
From the Saints’ standpoint, the visit to Los Angeles is a chance to see how New Orleans handles an opponent that, at this stage of the year, is likely to lean on specific personnel groupings rather than a full, settled rotation. Craig’s preview positioning suggests he is looking for early indicators, such as how Los Angeles answers matchup problems with scheme adjustments, and whether the Rams prioritize fundamentals over highlight plays as they sort out the pecking order.
For the Rams, hosting the Saints at SoFi creates a familiar stage, but the preseason environment changes how teams manage reps. Craig’s preview angle is framed around how Los Angeles will use the Week 2 window to sharpen execution and keep players moving through planned workloads. That includes monitoring how quickly units communicate under game speed, and whether the Rams’ approach in the trenches and the pass game lines up with what they want to emphasize as the preseason continues to narrow the field of candidates.
The interview preview also carries an important fan-facing function. Even without regular-season scoring implications, Week 2 often becomes a narrative bridge between “first look” and “second evaluation.” The matchup at SoFi, as described in the lead-up, is therefore best understood as a snapshot of direction, not a verdict on final form. The questions are likely to revolve around consistency, role clarity, and how each coaching staff treats critical downs and red-zone opportunities.
With limited public detail available from the pregame description alone, the most reliable takeaway is the structure of the viewing lens: watch how each team deploys its key groups and how the Rams, through their beat perspective, are attempting to define their priorities early in the second week. The Saints-Rams preseason game at SoFi should offer a clearer sense of which players are being positioned for bigger responsibilities as the preseason progresses toward its later rounds.
What to watch next is the bridge between preparation and performance. If Los Angeles uses Week 2 to reinforce its identity, New Orleans will have to respond in ways that test those choices. The Rams’ plan, as previewed by Craig, should point toward the matchups and sequences that matter most for both teams’ evaluation process.
Why It Matters
- Week 2 often functions as a second evaluation checkpoint, which can shape how coaches manage rotations for the remainder of the preseason.
- For the Rams, using a home game at SoFi to refine scheme and communication can clarify the team’s preseason priorities moving forward.
- For the Saints, confronting Los Angeles’s approach offers an early read on how New Orleans’ matchups will look under game-speed conditions.
- Preseason clarity can influence late-preseason reps, helping separate candidates for roles before the regular season begins.
Key Facts
- New Orleans and the Los Angeles Rams play in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL preseason at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
- Evan Craig of Turf Show Times joins the “Interview with the Enemy” preseason edition to preview the matchup.
- The interview format focuses on translating team tendencies into what fans should watch during the game.
- The preseason is positioned as an evaluation window, making Week 2 more meaningful than the opening week for role definition and execution.