Saturday marks the second preseason game for both the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints. This rematch of last year’s one-sided affair pits new personnel against familiar coaches as they try to knock the rust off and earn important roster spots.

Texans fans will flock to NRG Stadium in hopes of seeing an improved offense, or at least some more of that Tom Savage magic. The Saints new offensive pieces will be an intriguing match for a defense that struggled in week one, and the offensive line will be looking to slow down the Texans’ pass rush. What else will be a key on Saturday evening?

Michael Thomas and Coby Fleener

For the longest time, Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, and Jimmy Graham were Drew Brees’ best weapons. Those days are long gone now that none of those players are with the Saints. Brandin Cooks has taken over as the top option in the passing attack, but he needs some running mates. The Saints solution to this problem was signing free agent tight end Coby Fleener from the Colts and drafting rookie Michael Thomas from Ohio State.

The Saints obviously have high hopes for both players, but Thomas has been drawing rave reviews throughout training camp. Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins even went so far as to compare Thomas to himself. Most rookies don’t set the league on fire during their first season, but it will be interesting to see how Thomas deals with the hype. Will he beat either Kareem Jackson or Johnathan Joseph for a long touchdown?

Where Thomas is a high-profile rookie looking to make waves, Coby Fleener is a tight end that never truly fulfilled his potential. During his time with the Colts, Fleener dropped too many passes and never ended up on the same page as Andrew Luck. Indy even chose to keep Dwayne Allen instead of Fleener during Free Agency. Fleener has the physical tools to become an absolute star for the Saints, especially with Drew Brees’ focus on the tight ends, but he needs to show some consistency. Saturday’s game against a familiar foe in the Texans should be the perfect test for both Fleener and Romeo Crennel’s defense.

On a side note, can anyone prove that Fleener isn’t actually Roy Stalin, the Villain from “Better Off Dead”?

Brock Osweiler’s Passing Attack

Sports sites have been abuzz this last week with hot takes about whether or not Brock Osweiler is truly ready to lead the Texans to the Super Bowl. I even wrote about this exact topic during the recap of preseason week one. Well, week two should be the perfect time for Osweiler to prove his worth against Dennis Allen’s defense given the Saints recent struggles against the pass.

Bill O’Brien will look to prove that he wasn’t wrong with focusing on Osweiler as his new starting quarterback, so expect an extended look at the Jolly White Giant. Osweiler will most likely play through the first quarter, and he will focus on building rapport with a quartet of great receivers. Hopefully, offensive coordinator George Godsey uses the deep pass early and often to test out Will Fuller’s hands and Osweiler’s accuracy.

The Saints Starting Cornerbacks

The Saints have struggled with stopping offenses the last few years, especially when the ball is flying around the field. Allen and Sean Payton jettisoned some players after 2015, including starting corner and pass interference poster boy Brandon Browner. Now the Saints will be relying on the duo of Delvin Breaux and Keenan Lewis, with P.J. Williams and Damien Swann serving as depth.

Lewis is a proven talent when healthy, and he should be locked up with DeAndre Hopkins for however long the starters play. Breaux, on the other hand, has shown potential to be a star but has struggled with consistency at times. The 26-year-old corner should be trailing Jaelen Strong during Saturday’s game, provided that Breaux plays. Both Breaux and Williams left Thursday’s practice with cramps from the heat.

If the Saints and Texans play as expected, Saturday’s game should be full of fireworks. Breaux and Lewis will have their hands full with Strong and Hopkins, and rookie Braxton Miller could see considerable time against P.J. Williams. These battles between receiver and corner will be fascinating. I’m curious to see if the Saints use a nickel corner against tight end Stephen Anderson after a strong first week.

The Saints and Texans kick off Saturday at 8:00 pm EST.