METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints' offense took almost three weeks of training camp to have its first standout day. After 11 practices of up-and-down offensive performances, it couldn't have come at a better time.
The Saints hosted the Jacksonville Jaguars for a joint practice session last Thursday, and New Orleans' starting offense held its own against a Jacksonville defense that was No. 1 against the run, 21st in passing defense and 11th in total defense last season.
It might have been the spark the Saints needed after weeks of facing their own teammates.
It also came right before a few days of rest for the starters -- who didn't play in the first preseason game against the Jaguars on Saturday.
The Saints lost that game 24-20 after a quick start that featured a 86-yard kickoff return by Ty Chandler and a 9-yard touchdown run by Audric Estime on the first play. Spencer Rattler started the game but struggled, completing 8-of-11 passes for 42 yards. He was also sacked twice and fumbled.
Quarterback Zach Wilson came in during the second quarter and showed good chemistry with Bub Means and Barion Brown, both of whom had more than 70 receiving yards. He also threw a touchdown pass to Oscar Delp after a previous touchdown by Means was reversed.
The starters will ramp things back up in California for a joint practice against the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday followed by a joint practice session against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday.
Those practices will be the next big tests for the starting offense, as the Saints will face a Rams defense that led the league in total yards allowed last season and a Cowboys defense that finished second in that category.
"I think more than anything, it was good to go against a really good defense in the Jaguars. And continually we're going to be able to do that the next couple of games against the Rams and Cowboys," Saints quarterback Tyler Shough said. "So, we feel really good where we're at, but we also know that we have so much more to go. We're nowhere close to where we need to be, but I also know that we're kind of light-years from where we were last year as well."
The Saints' offense didn't take off immediately at the start of camp, but there were some standout moments. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images The offense didn't take off immediately at the start of camp, but there were some standout moments, with rookie wide receiver Brown making a name for himself.