Saints vs. Packers 2015 online: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online

The Packers have one more chance to try out replacement receivers following Jordy Nelson’s season-ending injury.

Sep 3, 2015, 1:51 PM UTC

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the final week of the preseason, the starters for the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers will spend most of the Week 4 game on the sidelines. With the Packers hosting the Saints on Thursday, backups and rookies are still fighting for a spot on the final 53-man rosters.

This will be the first time these two teams come together in the preseason since 2004, but it will mark the ninth time they’ll do so. The Saints and Packers met last October, resulting in a Saints blowout win.

The rosters on Thursday will look a lot different than they did during their last meeting, due in large part to both injuries and starters resting ahead of the season. The big news out of Green Bay this preseason was the season-ending ACL injury for star wide receiver Jordy Nelson, which was followed by receiver Randall Cobb leaving the field during the Week 3 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

While Cobb is not expected to be out long, Nelson was placed on injured reserve this week. The Packers currently have Ty Montgomery, Myles White and Jeff Janis at the position, but the three are young and inexperienced. Each has shown glimpses of having big-play ability, specifically third-round draft pick Montgomery, who caught two passes for 72 yards against the Eagles.

Second-year players White and Janis have come a long way since their rookie endeavors, and will be asked to play much larger roles early this season. White has 12 receptions this preseason for 111 yards, with 89 of those coming in Week 3. Janis has already impressed as a deep threat with a total of eight receptions for 128 yards, 72 of those against the Eagles.

The key to the Packers' offense against the Saints is to get their newer players more reps and gameday experience. Luckily for Green Bay, with Aaron Rodgers under center, it has a seasoned vet to establish a good rapport with his new receivers ahead of the season, even if Rodgers won't see the field during the last preseason game.

On the other side of the ball, quarterback Drew Brees will also forgo any playing time on Thursday, and the duties will instead fall with Luke McCown, Garrett Grayson and Ryan Griffin.

Early in training camp, it looked like McCown and Griffin were neck-and-neck for the backup job, but Griffin only played for 42 seconds against the Houston Texans and managed to throw an interception in that short time. Now it looks like Griffin has fallen below rookie Grayson in the depth chart.

The Saints’ biggest issue hasn’t been with the quarterback or offense, it’s been on defense. Head coach Sean Payton made a preseason decision not to expose the starters to much playing time ahead of the regular season in an effort to reduce or even eliminate any season-ending injuries. While regular season wins are obviously more important, the fact that the projected defensive line starters haven’t all taken a snap together could be concerning.

Payton is steadfast in his plan leading up to the season, and is working on strong second- and third-team players. This holds true with the secondary, as the cornerbacks have proven to be a real issue during the first three preseason games. And with starting corner Keenan Lewis out 4-6 weeks after undergoing hip surgery, it’s especially important to solidify the depth chart.

Backup cornerbacks Damian Swann, Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Kyle Wilson are all vying for the No. 4 spot on the roster. They've each had one or two rough snaps, but Swann has emerged a little better than his teammates. Going against Green Bay will be their last chance to earn a spot on the team.

In terms of preparation for the season, both teams will learn more when Green Bay is on offense; the Packers can evaluate their young receivers and the Saints can work on strengthening their defense.