((Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com |The Times-Picayune))
The New Orleans Saints will use Friday night's third preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.
Saints starters on both sides of the ball are expected to play through the first half before giving way to the backups, all of whom also need the game to prove they belong on the roster.
While the first-team defense has shown steady improvement through two preseason games, the same can't be said for the other side of the ball. The first-team offense sputtered in the preseason opener against the New England Patriots and second exhibition contest against the Houston Texans.