With rain pounding and thunder booming, the Saints went through a 90-minute walk-through at their indoor practice facility for Friday night’s game against Jacksonville. Although it's New Orleans’ third preseason game, it's their first at home in the Superdome.
“Those cement structures that hold the noise in are hard (for opponents) to play in,” Saints interim coach Joe Vitt said. “I don’t care if you’re offense or defense or visitor or home team, you have a headache after the game. You have a ringing in your ear (after a Sunday game) until like Monday or Tuesday.”
Injury Update: RB Darren Sproles (knee), CB Jabari Greer (sports hernia surgery), WRs Adrian Arrington (meniscus) and Nick Toon (foot), reserve CB Kamaal McIlwain (ankle) and DE Turk McBride (ankle) didn't participate in the walk-through and will not play Friday.
TE Jimmy Graham (back), who missed the New England game last Thursday, will play along with CB Marquis Johnson, who returned after missing a day with a knee problem.
Playing Time: Starting QB Drew Brees played two series against New England. He and the rest of the starters will get more time against the Jaguars, but maybe not much more time.
“They will go longer than they did in the last game,” Vitt said. “There is a natural progression of getting our guys in shape.”
Daniel's running: Backup QB Chase Daniel, who likely will get extensive time after Brees exits, has scrambled several times in practice and the first two preseason games. Brees almost never scrambles, but Vitt disputed the notion Daniel was running too much.
“He sees man coverage and he sees the defense with his back to him and he sees the running lane, he’s going to take it,” Vitt said. “You’ll even see a guy who’s not noted for running do that, a guy like Peyton Manning, so as soon as he sees man coverage, two high safeties and the underneath safeties have their backs to him, the best way to get a first down is to take off and find a running lane.”
Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on twitter@CBSSportsNFLNO.
