Raiders vs. Saints Preseason Preview: 4 Things to Watch

The New Orleans Saints will do battle against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday night, as each team begins the second half of the NFL preseason. 

The Saints (1-1) will look to get back on track after dropping their last game, 27-14, against the Texans, while the Raiders (0-2) will attempt to get their first victory of the 2011 preseason.

Here are four things to watch for as these two teams square off at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.  

Drew Brees' Performance

Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but his play this preseason has been less than stellar.

Cause for concern? Probably not, but you'd like to see the offense get into some sort of a rhythm with the regular season opener creeping up in just two weeks.

Brees didn't play much in the first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers and completed only one of four passes for four yards. 

His play increased in the loss to Houston, but he completed just 50 percent of his passes, 7-for-14, for 109 yards. 

Don't expect Brees to play this poorly because, at 32, he is still in the prime of his career, but the Saints would like to see his play improve with the regular season fast approaching. 

Running Back Play

The Raiders and Saints backfields are both crowded with a flurry of running backs who are capable of making a difference on the field.

The Saints have Pierre Thomas, first-round pick Mark Ingram and speedster Darren Sproles. 

The Raiders backfield includes Darren McFadden, Michael Bush and Michael Bennett.

It would appear as though Sproles and Bennett will be backups no matter how they perform in the preseason, but Bush and Ingram could make a case for playing time with stellar performances in the final two games.

Bush has had an average preseason, carrying the ball 11 times for 46 yards. He hasn't really made a strong case for himself, but that could all change with a solid performance Sunday night.

Ingram showed his eye for the end zone, scoring in his first preseason game, but also hasn't made a strong case for himself with 14 carries for 48 yards. 

With most teams shying away from using one feature back, it will be interesting to see which running backs separate themselves and make a case for playing time. 

Darren McFadden's Status

This week, McFadden saw the practice field for the first time since breaking his orbital bone Aug. 3.

He was the Raiders' most explosive player last season, rushing for 1,157 yards and seven touchdowns. He added 507 yards and three touchdowns in the receiving game as well.

The status of McFadden for Sunday night's game is still uncertain, but the Raiders would probably like him to get some game action before the regular season.

Keep an eye on McFadden's status, and if he doesn't play Sunday, expect him to play in the team's final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sept. 2. 

Can the Raiders Get Their First Win?

The final result is not all that important in the preseason, but you have to believe first-year head coach Hue Jackson would like to get a win in the preseason to get that monkey off his back. 

After many dismal years, the Raiders showed some life last season, going 8-8, 6-0 in the AFC West, and Jackson would like that success to carry over to the 2011 season. 

Up to this point, they haven't shown a whole lot of life in the preseason, but with the possible returns of playmakers McFadden and Jacoby Ford, this could be the game where the Raiders show what they can do.

Every coach wants to get that first win, whether it be in the preseason or regular season, and with an owner like Al Davis, who fires coaches at will, it can only help Jackson's case to get it out of the way early.