No doubt this is important, but I think a major overlooked factor is the timing of injuries. I don’t think Tampa wins if KC isn’t missing 3 O linemen and I don’t think they beat the Saints if Hill, Murray, Thomas, and Harris are healthy. Tampa had a late bye and got all their pieces healthy at the right moment. Throw in the obvious favoritism the refs gave them during the playoffs and boom, 7 rings for Brady.

I agree on the injury and reffing front in terms of in the playoffs and vs KC. However, regardless of our Injury Status, I've seen this team come out flat in 4 straight playoff exits.

The playoff saints are a different team. Everything we do well during the regular season, inexplicably becomes a weakness in the playoffs and they look like they don't want to be there. No fire at all.

I agree on the injury and reffing front in terms of in the playoffs and vs KC. However, regardless of our Injury Status, I've seen this team come out flat in 4 straight playoff exits.

The playoff saints are a different team. Everything we do well during the regular season, inexplicably becomes a weakness in the playoffs and they look like they don't want to be there. No fire at all.

That's what I see too. They like to go through the motions because they think they are so good that they can be winners without really trying. They have bought into the hype.

]Or we are simply unlucky as hell.[/B] One team has to lose. When we have been knocked out we haven't been blown out. It has always been a few key plays here or there. There isn't a player on any of those teams that weren't trying their asses off. A team has to lose and it was ours.

]Or we are simply unlucky as hell.[/B] One team has to lose. When we have been knocked out we haven't been blown out. It has always been a few key plays here or there. There isn't a player on any of those teams that weren't trying their asses off. A team has to lose and it was ours.

You make you own luck my friend.

]I don’t think the Saints had anything to do with making the luck of the non PI call against the Rams[/B]. Just like I don’t the Packers had much to do with making the luck Tampa got against them on the PI call they got late in the NFCCG to clinch the game.

Hmmm, I view the draft as a gamble, from the very first selection to the very last, and regardless of team or coach or executive, they all make mistakes, and lots of them. Heck, Tom Brady almost fell completely out of the draft. Are we really trying to insinuate that, in retrospect, there were 198 draft choice mistakes ahead of a guy like Tom Brady? It’s a fair argument to make, that had Brady been drafted by the 1-15 Carolina Panthers team, then he might not be what he is today.

Bottom line, all teams make mistakes when it comes to drafting, and personnel selection is the biggest gamble of all, even for the best scouting teams. In retrospect, every move could be labeled a mistake. As for “improving”? Tell me how one improves on the ability to have foreknowledge of the future. Learning? There is no doubt that they’ve learned from the things they’ve done well, and those they haven’t, wrt drafts.

idk jp, a fair argument can be made that certain superstar players on other teams would have been failures on our team bc of lack of coaching or any other unique environmental considerations specific to each individual team. I’m not defending CSP’s drafting since he got here, heck I would even argue in your favor that he hasn’t had much success. But, you haven’t sold me on the idea that if he had chosen other people, the outcomes would have been measurably different. ie..., had the Saints drafted Tom Brady, would we have played in ten Superbowls? With our coaching at that time? lol, nah, I just can’t get on board with the idea that looking backwards logic will improve our foreknowledge thinking wrt improving drafting.

They were a lot of missed opportunities, coaching and players, that put the team in that position - that's what Rugs means by making your own luck - at least that's my take on his post...