Saints take a long look at Ian Book, plus the middle and bottom of their roster in loss to Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. — This was no dress rehearsal for the New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans’ No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks, 80% of its regular starting offensive line and its entire starting secondary watched from the safety of the sideline Friday night, giving the team a long look at the middle and bottom portions of its roster in a 20-10 loss against the Green Bay Packers at historic Lambeau Field. 

The spotlight shone most intensely on quarterback Ian Book, who started under center and had the keys to the offense for the entire game. Fighting to keep the roster spot he held for all of his rookie season, Book struggled for the second straight week.

Book, whom the Saints (0-2) selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, turned over the ball twice — including his second straight week with a fumbled quarterback-center exchange that the opponent recovered.

The Saints struggled to consistently move the ball, going three and out on four of their first nine possessions and failing to gain more than 40 yards on a drive until late in the fourth quarter.

He finished the night completing 16 of his 28 passes for 128 yards, compiling a 63.8 passer rating in the process.

The best moment of the night for Book came near the end of the first half, when he saw rookie receiver Chris Olave break free behind the Packers’ zone defense. Book threw the ball away from the coverage and toward the pylon, allowing Olave to make a clean catch for a 20-yard touchdown.

It was the first professional touchdown of both Book’s and Olave’s career.

Book led a lengthy drive late in the game, much of which he was responsible for with his legs — including the Saints longest play from scrimmage to date this preseason, a 27-yard scamper through the Packers defense. 

But that drive fizzled inside the red zone. Referees nullified a Book touchdown pass to rookie tight end Lucas Krull after penalizing Krull for offensive pass interference. Two incomplete passes later, rookie kicker John Parker Romo missed a field goal.

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Defensively, the Saints’ second- and third-teamers mostly held the Packers in check. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers sat out Friday’s game, and his primary backup, Jordan Love, completed just 12 of his 24 attempts for 113 yards while playing into the fourth quarter.

The Packers’ lone touchdown drive with Love in the game was made possible by a regrettable penalty by defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who clearly hit the Packers quarterback well after he released a third-down pass deep in his own territory.

With that gift from New Orleans, the Packers went on an 80-yard touchdown march, culminating in rookie receiver Romeo Doubs’ leaping 4-yard touchdown catch over Saints defensive back Brian Allen.

The play of the night for the Saints defense belonged to linebacker Eric Wilson, who jarred the ball loose from tight end Tyler Davis in the closing minute of the first half, a fumble the Saints recovered to set up Book’s touchdown pass to Olave. It was the second consecutive week Wilson played a role in a key turnover.

The Saints specialists were responsible for a significant chunk of the team’s highlight reel Friday night.

Wil Lutz, who missed all of last season with a core muscle injury, cleared the crossbar with plenty of room to spare on a 59-yard field-goal attempt near the end of the first quarter. Preseason games do not count as official statistics, but the kick would have represented a new career long for Lutz.

Kirk Merritt, who attended Destrehan High School and is trying to make a name for himself in a stacked Saints receiver room, showed he can contribute some special teams value as well.

He set up Lutz’s long field goal with an electric 59-yard return, finding a crease in the Packers’ coverage unit and showing off the acceleration that has made him stand out in Saints training camp, racing into Packers territory before being dragged down.

The performance of the night, though, might’ve gone to punter Blake Gillikin, who connected on punts of 81, 65, 61 and 52 yards. Gillikin’s 81-yarder nearly pinned Green Bay inside its own 5-yard line, but it skipped into the end zone for a touchback before the Saints’ coverage team could get there.