The NFL preseason kicks off on Thursday and one of the marquee matchups will see the Saints go head-to-head with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
New Orleans is coming in off of a 2015 campaign where it finished 7-9 for the second straight season and third time in the last four. The Saints have missed the playoffs in two consecutive campaigns.
New England, meanwhile, won the AFC East for the seventh straight year in 2015, finsihing with a 12-4 record for the fourth consecutive season. After winning the Super Bowl a year prior, however, the Patriots were ousted by the eventual Super Bowl champion Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is set to miss the first four weeks of the season due to his Deflategate suspension, and he isn't expected to take a single snap against the Saints in preseason Week 1. Jimmy Garoppolo, 24, will be under center for New England for Weeks 1-4 in the regular season
After a lengthy legal battle with the league, Brady opted to accept the suspension.
"It has been a challenging 18 months and I have made the difficult decision to no longer proceed with the legal process," Brady wrote on Facebook in July. "I'm going to work hard to be the best player I can be for the New England Patriots and I look forward to having the opportunity to return to the field this fall."
Julian Edelman (left foot) left practice on Tuesday and isn't expected to play Thursday. It's also unlikely that star tight end Rob Gronkowski suits up.
While Brady won't play Thursday, Drew Brees is expected to suit up for one series for the Saints. Brees, 37, is in the middle of a contract dispute over an extension with New Orleans, which re-signed head coach Sean Payton to a $45 million extension this offseason.
Game Details & Live Stream
Matchup: Saints (0-0) at Patriots (0-0)
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Radio: New Orleans (WWL 870); New England (98.5 WBZ)
Watch Online: This game can be live streamed for free here. (with free trial).
