Difficult '06 Schedule
 

If we are going to win in '06, it's going to be tough. Here is how our schedule breaks down:
Of the 16 teams* we play in '06, 12 have made the playoffs in one of the last two seasons. The combined '05 record of all the teams we play next season is 138-118. This includes playing 9 games against teams with 9-7 or better records; 7 games against teams that won 11 games last year, one being the Super Bowl Champion Steelers; only 2 games against teams that won less than 6 games.

*The Panthers, Bucs, and Falcons were counted twice in all of the calculations.

RE: Difficult
 

I think the teams that scare me the most next year are Detroit, Green Bay, San Francisco, Arizona, and the New York Jets. The Saints seem to play fine against the good teams. It's those 5 that really scare me.

RE: Difficult
 

Luckily, we have a new coach and new staff... and hopefully not the same results. We tend to play to the level of our opponents... we need consistency. I want to see a new energetic product on the field next year and hopefully Payton will be able to motivate our players the way Haslett wasn't able to.

RE: Difficult
 

Remember, the Saints have always had a way of winning games against playoff teams but can't beat teams that only win 3 or 4 games in a year.