The New Orleans Saints will open the 2023 regular season at home for the first time since 2020. They will face the Tennessee Titans at the Super Dome on September 10.
Source: #Saints will open the season at home against Tennessee on September 10. #Tulane RB/Ponchatoula native Tyjae Spears will begin his NFL career in the Superdome.
— Brooke Kirchhofer (@brookechesney) May 11, 2023
With leaks dropping left and right on the 2023 NFL schedule, there was a lot of speculation about who the Saints would face in Week 1. Many of us at CSC were hoping for an NFC South game to start the season, but the Saints got an AFC foe in the Titans.
Although the Titans traded in the second round of the NFL draft to draft Will Levis, who many thought could go as high as four overall, the Titans will likely start veteran Ryan Tannehill in Week 1.
Tannehill has started three games against the Saints in the past, once as a dolphin and twice as a member of the Titans. In those three games, he has amassed 734 passing yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions and has been sacked 11 times.
Although he has been on the roster each of the last two times the Saints have played the Titans, Derek Henry will play in his first game against the Saints as he was inactive in the previous two matchups. Louisiana native and rookie running back Tyjae Spears will also be in the backfield during Week 1, making his NFL debut in the Superdome.
Henry was unavailable when the Saints and Titans faced off in 2019 due to a hamstring injury, only to be held out with a broken foot for the 2021 rematch. I assume he’ll be ready for Week 1 on 2023. https://t.co/V1ZbTcOx5G
— John Sigler (@john_siglerr) May 11, 2023
One of the league’s top running backs, Henry has played against every NFL team except the Saints in his seven-year career. Fortunately for the Saints, their front seven should be fully healthy entering the season to help slow him down.
While the Titans have a dynamic backfield, they probably have the worst receiving core in the league. After trading AJ Brown to the Eagles in the 2022 draft, the Titans selected Treylon Burks, a highly touted WR prospect in last years draft. In one season at Tennesee, Burks recorded 33 catches for 444 yards and just one touchdown. Some other wide receivers on their roster include Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Chris Moore and New Orleans native Racey McMath.
The Saints secondary should have no problem getting back into shape in Week 1, but the Saints will need to make a concerted effort to minimize Derek Henry if they want to leave the Dome with a win.
The Saints are 6-9-1 all-time against the Titans, but have split the series 2-2 since 2011. With new QB Derek Carr leading the offense, the Saints will look to start the season 1-0 for the third straight . season before heading to Carolina for Monday Night Football in week two.
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