Rams look to keep momentum as Saints prepare for a preseason Week 2 matchup

The New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams meet in a Week 2 preseason game this Saturday, setting up a direct contrast between New Orleans’ offensive approach and a Rams defensive unit that has shown it can keep games contained through the early part of the preseason slate. The framing for the matchup is simple: the Saints enter after a 24-20 defeat that was described as dramatic, and Los Angeles comes off a 20-12 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

For the Rams, the most immediate takeaway from their earlier exhibition is that their defensive identity can translate even when games are used to evaluate personnel in motion. A 20-12 final suggests a game plan built to prevent big swings and to play the kind of football where scoring is earned in controlled phases. How well that carries over versus New Orleans’ first and second offensive group will shape the tone early in the week.

New Orleans, meanwhile, is trying to rebound from a loss that, according to the game summary, came down to the final moments. A 24-20 scoreline typically indicates both sides found ways to produce enough offense to keep the game open, but it also implies that execution in critical stretches mattered. In preseason, that often turns into a film study on third downs, red zone efficiency, and late-game decision making, not just raw playmaking.

This is also a matchup that matters for more than one quarter. Preseason Week 2 games tend to be where teams start to settle into clearer pecking orders for roles, particularly along the line of scrimmage and in the quarterback rotation. The Saints will want to see their offensive unit move the ball with a steady rhythm, while the Rams will look to pressure the passer, compress throwing windows, and force the Saints into difficult third-down conversions.

What to watch for is how each side handles tempo and field position. The Rams’ 20-12 result against Kansas City points to a defensive approach that likely emphasized leverage and tackling fundamentals, both of which become more noticeable when offensive starters are giving way to younger combinations. For New Orleans, the priority will be consistency, especially after a close, late-tilt setback against Jacksonville. If the Saints can sustain drives and avoid turnovers, they will give their coaches a clearer look at their play-calling against a defense that has already shown it can keep scoring down.

Ultimately, preseason previews often sound interchangeable until a game reveals who is winning the small details. Los Angeles will aim to make the Saints’ offense work for every possession and to turn mistakes into points when opportunities arise. New Orleans will try to demonstrate that it can respond in-game, not just score when the opponent’s personnel changes. In a Week 2 setting, the most telling sign will be whether either team can assert control in the middle third of the field and finish drives with reliable production.