The New Orleans Saints play the Los Angeles Rams today at SoFi Stadium in the second week of the 2026 NFL preseason, a game the Rams host as their only home preseason matchup this year. New Orleans enters at 0-1 after a 24-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Rams are 1-0.
Most starters for both teams are expected to see limited or no snaps, with roster bubble players, undrafted rookies, and backup quarterbacks getting the bulk of the playing time as coaching staffs finalize their 53 man rosters ahead of final cuts.
Why Do Preseason Games Still Draw Full Ticket Prices for Backup-Heavy Rosters?
Season ticket packages generally bundle preseason games in with the regular season slate, so fans pay the same per game rate regardless of whether the players they follow all season actually take the field. The players who do see extended snaps are, almost by definition, the ones fighting for a roster spot rather than the ones a broadcast markets the game around, which is why preseason ratings and attendance skew lower even as the underlying financial structure stays the same.
For the players actually on the field today, the stakes are real even if the broadcast treats the game as a formality: a strong showing against the Rams is one of the last chances for fringe roster candidates on both sides to make a case before final cuts. That tension, a corporate afterthought for the league’s TV package but a career defining afternoon for the players actually playing, is what preseason football always comes down to by Week 2.
