We're getting close now. Just 48 hours away from kickoff of the Saints' 2021 season. Can you feel the buzz building? The Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers got things started on Thursday night. Now Saints fans can turn their attention to the Green Bay Packers and the regular-season "home" opener in Jacksonville, Fla. In fact, I'm so ready for kickoff that I'm already on the scene in the River City. And our coverage of the big game is about to ramp up, starting with our report from Thursday's practice and press conferences. Saints beat reporter extraordinaire Amie Just sizes up the matchup with the Packers from all angles, and you might be surprised at how she sees it. Amie also reports on the Saints' injury status, and unfortunately it's not as promising as it was on Wednesday. The all-important cornerback spot is once again in the spotlight. From the good news department, Cam Jordan became the latest Saint to offer aid for storm victims of Hurricane Ida. The star defensive end came up with a unique way to help those in need, our Luke Johnson reports. In yet another example of a Saints player who gets it, columnist Rod Walker takes a look at quarterback Jameis Winston, who has quickly learned to embrace his new hometown and connect with its residents. And finally, I think you'll be inspired by my latest column on Mr. Inspiration himself, Steve Gleason, the former Saints standout who, along with his family, visited storm-ravaged Jean Lafitte in an effort to support the relief workers and residents of the hard-hit community. In in his own inimitable way, Steve made a strong impression on everyone there. To our paying subscribers: Stick with our team, and thank you for supporting our sportswriters’ work. If you’re not already, please consider becoming a digital subscriber and continue to support our journalism. Click here for a special offer from us. As a paying subscriber, you'll enjoy full access to our award-winning coverage, faster-loading web pages with fewer ads and much more. Hope y'all are able to take your mind off storms in the Gulf and escape with some football coverage the way we were able to today. And hopefully next time I won't be reaching you from a cramped hotel room. Cheers, Jeff Duncan | 