New Orleans Saints wide receiver Bub Means (16) catches the ball during the fourth day of training camp practice at Crawford Field at University of California, Irvine, Calif., Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune) Sunday's preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers was Bub Means' NFL debut.
And the very first ball that went his way was meant to go his way. On fourth down, no less. No pressure.
With 2:05 left in the first quarter, Means heard the play call in the huddle, automatically ran out to his spot in the formation, and then the thought occurred to him — "So I lined up and I’m trying to keep my composure, because I’ve still got to make the play," Means said. On 4th and 5, Means motioned from the left side of the formation to the right side. At the snap, he ran an option route based on his defender's coverage.
He broke toward the sideline, and Carr hit him for a 7-yard gain. The catch kept alive what turned into a 16-play, 95-yard touchdown drive. "That’s my first catch in the NFL, so that’s a blessing," Means said.
"But I don’t make the game too much bigger than what it is. At the end of the day, we practice these plays and we run these plays multiple times before we come out here and run ‘em. So I treated it just like practice.
"In practice, we hit these, we do it with the right timing and the right details. So I just try to translate that to the field." Means, whom the Saints selected in the fifth round out of Pittsburgh this year, missed the first preseason game with a shin injury.
He finished the game with two catches for 16 yards, both of which moved the chains. "I’m just hoping that I showed I’m valuable to this team," Means said..
