not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

We're told Saints general manager Mickey Loomis couldn't be more pleased with how well the Saints' offseason has progressed this year and believes the team will be a serious playoff contender in 2005.

from espn the way we hear it. i think it is profootball weekly

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

I think Loomis is saying what he needs to say. I\'ll tell you this .. If I were the owner of the Saints, my GM had better be out there promoting my club as a winner.

And according to most here at B&G, this club has more than enough talent to be a playoff team. So, I don\'t want hear we don\'t have the talent to make the playoffs. At least not from those who preach that here. ;) :D

Personally, I don\'t feel good about the middle of our run defense. We need a proven MLB and a proven DT wouldn\'t hurt either.

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

well im with you gumbo. thats why i was saying it wasnt much of a surprise. so hopefully we will finally do it

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

I agree Gbo, we got carved up pretty hardcore thru the middle last yr. Surely the FO saw that too. Overall tho its a new season, and we all saw what a turn around pittburgh did, and i think we can do the same. I think we have a very good team and if we get clicking on all 3 phases, everybody better look out.

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

Why would we be considered a playoff team this year? Most people agree that the MAIN downfall of our team was defense and we have only added two new players on D. Only one of them is projected to be a starter. I look our D this year and they are nearly identical to the one we had last year.

We have 1 DT that can play.
We have linebakers that are less than par.
We have no #2 CB
We have an aging SS that could die any time now.
We have one strong point, and that is DE. And that position may get weaker if Howard is traded for draft picks.

Overall, I see a D that needs help. Now, I\'m not saying that we can not make the playoffs, but if we want to do that we will need to have a nearly perfect draft or someone needs to step up.

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

You\'re right TayTay. The Saints have preached that this is THE year since 2002 or 2003. This is nothing new. When camp starts, Haslett will talk about how impressed his is with the play of guys like Craft and Henderson, and people will begin to predict how great they\'ll be. Then they\'ll never show up in 2005 and most everyone will forget the Saints\' BS promises and predictions.

We have the talent to be a true SUPER BOWL contender at every position except, as Billy put it, in the middle of our defense. We do not have the DTs or LBs to be successful. That will stop us... and even if not, you can expect a few underhanded backwards passes to hurt our chances too. LOL. ;)

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

Ya\'ll are reading it all wrong. Loomis said the saints will be a serious playoff contender. He is just saying that the Saints have a chance to make the playoffs, as they have every year. After all 8-8 / 9-7 is just a win or two away from making the playoffs. He said nothing about being a superbowl contender.

Note : extreme sarcasm is implied throughout each and every part of the above statements.

[Edited on 3/4/2005 by progress]

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

sad but true progress.

\"If things fall right we might go 9-7 and have a shot at the playoffs.\"

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

Just to re-efforce my point, this shows Loomis is pleased with averageness. It is true that in the NFC a team is a playoff contender at 8-8, but it is still average. Since our playoff win in Brooks\' first season as a Saint, our team has not made strides to improve. We have had decent first round picks (with the expeption of Sullivan), but this FO has not made an effort to improve the team through FA. Correct me if I am wrong, but I beleive we have had more points against than points for in three of our last four seasons. And every year the FO beleives (or claims to beleive) we will improve. This furthers my original point that if the Saints want to rise above mediocrity, something has to change.

not that this is a surprise but what do you guys think?
 

I think you nailed it pretty well, TayTay. You pretty much summed up how I\'ve felt the last few years running.

Mediocre won\'t win a Superbowl. And there seems to be no fire under anyone\'s butt to get us anywhere past mediocre.

So, barring any stunning surprise trades (yeah, right) or major shakeups (haha), I\'m stuck predicting the same old Saints.... We\'ll have another 8 and 8 season, and we\'ll miss the playoffs by a game. Teams run over our defense (or rather right through the middle of it), and though our offense shines once in a while, it just isn\'t solid or consistent enough to make up for the defensive failures.

Doom and gloom? Maybe. But that\'s what I see coming.