Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

I know some people will say that the last game of the season is the extra game and that is what ended up costing the Saints a playoff spot. But look at it this way. The Saints played the Tennessee Titans this year as an “extra game “. The San Francisco 49ers played the Cincinnati Bengals as their “extra game”. Saints lost theirs, Niners won theirs. So, If the NFL would’ve played their normal 16 game schedule those two games would not have counted and the Saints would be in the playoffs. Just an observation. Lots of “if” there.

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

So what you're really saying is that RG cost the Saints yet again...

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

Maybe not intentionally, but it was a cherry on the Sunday as far as he was concerned.

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

Poor play and injuries cost the playoffs. When you lose to a New York team not named the Bills you deserve to miss the playoffs

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

Weird season.
We won games against superbowl contenders and lost games to top 5 draft pick contenders too.

The New York game and the first Carolina game hurt us, as did that rough stretch of 5 straight losses.

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

There was nothing playoff caliber about the 2021 New Orleans Saints body of work.

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

Not even wins against Green Bay, Pats, and Tampa twice?

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

I think he's referring to notable losses to non-playoff teams: Panthers, Giants, Dolphins, and Falcons. You really can't hang your hat on beating TB and then losing badly to the Dolphins, regardless of the circumstances. IMHO, true playoff contenders never rely on 'help' to punch their ticket to post season.

The Saints controlled their own destiny in the Miami game and blew it.

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

Unfortunately, could anyone say that we are/were better than any of the playoff teams that made it? I mean at the time the playoff started.....I would say we are/were not. Like TheOak said, there was nothing playoff caliber about our team; parts yes! Defensively yes, offensively no.

Re: Extra game cost Saints a playoff spot
 

Yet, with our defense and many players finally returning to health we could have beaten any of the teams that made the playoffs on any given day. Would we have made it to the Super Bowl? Extremely unlikely, but a win against the Rams was very possible.