Bobaganoosh

If the Saints were to stumble in the remaining games this season, how upset would we be allowed to be if they finished 8-8 or 9-7 and out of the playoffs? Before anything gets said, i have faith in the boys to make the playoffs, but if they fell short, could we really be upset? Lookiing at what Payton has had to work with, and the murderous schedule we had to play this year, should 9 wins really piss us off? Either way, this team has overachieved and i think it is clear that this team is being built to win next year and the coming years. With the exception of Horn on offense, the offense is very young, learning a new system, learning the NFL, and still trying to come together. The FO brought in an infusion of youth on offense this year and the potential is there to only get better.

I believe that in this offseason, you will see the majority of the draft and free agency focused on defense. The young o-lineman will only get better, and i do see the Saints addressing the WR and TE position and then focusing squarely on the defense. A young DT, MLB and a couple of corners, and this team will be as solid as any team in the league.

Payton has done a helluva job at getting these guys to play above their potential but there are still holes to fill....not all the holes could be filled in one year, but there is no denying that we are putting together a contending team for the next few years. Lots of money to play with, and a great core of players means this is something to be excited about.

So if luck isnt on our side the rest of the way out, this has still been a very exciting season and things are certainly looking up and although we could be disappointed, we shouldnt be mad regardless of how this season shakes out. Thanks for your time...Peace, I'm outta here!!!

It's all in the reflexes.

TheGambler

Your question is an interesting one.

This is MY answer, and why I feel the way I do.

Anything short of a playoff appearance would be a disappointment. There have been teams over the years that have overachieved for various reasons, and at the end they simply didn't have the talent or firepower to go any further. This Saints team, much like Saints teams over the last few years, has no shortage of talent. Just because people didn't EXPECT Marques Colston to be R.O.Y. candidate and to be almost automatic on 3rd down, doesn't mean we should be content with his play if he suddenly started only averageing 3 to 4 catches a game the rest of the way out. Just because some people didn't EXPECT Drew Brees to have an MVP like season coming back from shoulder surgery, doesn't mean we should be content if he suddenly started completing 50 percent of his passes.

And finally, just because people didn't EXPECT the Saints to start off 6-3 doesn't mean we should be content with a record of anything less than 10-6, especially with winnable games against the likes of San Francisco, Dallas, Washington, Atlanta/Carolina (they should get ONE of them).

So to answer your question, yes, 8-8 or 9-7 would be a disappointment, and maybe even a failure, unless 9-7 gets them a wildcard berth.

Tobias-Reiper

... my expectation for this season was to see a solid foundation for the next 3-4 seasons to come, and they have met that expectation. I did not expect them to do this well. Am I going to be dissapointed if they don't make the playoffs? Sure. But I didn't expect them to.

TheGambler

True, the foundation is there, and it's something to look forward to. However, sometimes you just have to grab opportunity when it's there. This could very well be the best opportunity that the Saints have had..well, ever.

Bobaganoosh

I see your points...and Brees and Colston have been great and i believe that will continue. But, i think it is obvious that they wouldnt be the reason why we wouldnt make the playoffs. This team still has issues. They still have questions. They are still vulnerable in several areas. You cannot patch all the holes of a 3-13 team in one offseason. If those problems catch up to us and we miss out, it would suck. But when you reflect on it, could you really be mad at the team? I say the answer is no.

TheGambler

Yes, I'd still be mad.....because they need 4 more wins to basically be guaranteed a playoff spot. I think 10-6 will pretty much guarantee any team in the league this year a playoff spot. And of the remaining 7 games, 4 or more are against winnable opponents. Sure the team isn't perfect but I have no interest in seeing a repeat of 2002 (losing to the pitiful Vikings, Bengals, and Panthers that year to miss the playoffs).

NarwhalHunter

If they didn't make the playoffs, I'd be worried. I've followed this team too long to let any kind of late season collapse go as just a minor losing streak, but wait till next year! I realize they were a 3-13 team last year, but the offense has never had a lack of talent and we were all going through the hell of Katrina, something no pro team has ever had to endure before. They were easily 6-10 to 8-8 yet again if it weren't for Katrina.

Now, I think Payton is a good coach and can rally the troops so we don't have another losing season, but at this point, missing the playoffs would be a huge disappointment for me.

SapperSaint

I have asked that same question time and time again.

This is one thing I have noticed about some fans. When they lose the attitude towards the team is utter hatrid! I know because I have done it myself. When they do what they are doing this year, they EXPECT, EXPECT, EXPECT PLAYOFFS AND A SUPERBOWL WIN. Again, I know because I did it too.

After watching this season so far, I am PROUD of them! Playoff or not. YES, I will be disappointed, but i will not, WILL NOT consider it a failure! How will I take the rest of the season you may ask? Simple. I will go with the flow and enjoy the wins and get pi$$ed at the losses (just like I've always done). But I will be happy knowing what is still yet to come from this team.

Yes Hunter, we have lacked talent on offense. Who, you may wonder???

Two words: Arron Brooks

"We are number one. All others are number two, or lower."
-The Sphinx
http://blackandgold.com/groups/28-ou...tsman-s-corner

xan

San Fran and Washington should be W's. Where to get the other two?

Panthers at home in the season finale. If it's to make the playoffs, I'll bet it will be a win.

ATL on the Road? Maybe, but this will be a payback game, so bets are off.
G-Men in the Swamp? If the injuries to half their starters persists, this could be a possible.
Boys on the Road? You never know which Parcels team will show up. This is a tough one, even though Dallas will be coming off a miserable stretch of Indy, TB, and the Giants. They could be ripe.

And then there's this weekend's game against Cincy. Whoever scores last wins. I wouldn't count on being able to stop Palmer, but there's always hope that the Dome crowd will respond to disrupt.

Calvin: "I wish I was a Tiger."
Hobbes: "Common lament."

SaintFanInATLHELL

Pissed off. Plain and simple.

Absolutely. Here's why. The only thing that has been shown so far that stops the Saints offense is their own mistakes. We gave up 14 points in turnovers in both the Balitmore and Pittsburg games. Brees and company are getting to the point where they can score at will.

But they stop themselves. The same penalties, fumbles, and mostly foolish interceptions (Stecker in the Baltimore game excluded, the Brees and Bush ones not) are the difference between winning and losing.

So if the team loses out down the stretch it'll be because they couldn't stem those foolish mistakes.

The defense gets a bit of a paddling too. The 3 big plays they gave up to Pittsburg resulted in 21 quick points. We slow Pittsburg down or hold Parker to one long run and we win the game.

Again this cannot continue. The defense can bend. They can even break sometimes. But to give up big plays (30 yards+) creates too big a hole to climb out of.

I can only speak for me. We have the offensive firepower to compete with anyone in the NFL. Last check we were a top 10 defense.

Top 10 offenses and defenses shouldn't collapse down the stretch.

I disagree. They've already come together. It's not like Pittsburg or Baltimore are Swiss cheese defenses. Both are in the top 10. And our offense sliced through both like a hot knife through butter.

Just limit the mistakes.

Agree. I think the defense will be totally awesome in a couple of years with the new talent working the scheme.

Snipping the rest...

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.