Re: 2008 predictions
 

The teams we may lose to are the Chargers, Redskins, and the Packers. As for our division ATL is a joke to me so we sweep them. We probably split wins with Carolina. As iceshack 149 said about the Bucs their getting older but their defense is good so we split wins or sweep them. So I predict the saints go 11-5 or 12-4. And my decision is final says the Great and Powerful King of Donuts.

Re: 2008 predictions
 

Where do you see 6 losses?

As usual the season is divided up into 4 groups:

Division: 6 games
AFC (the west next year): 4 games
NFC other division (the North next year): 4 games
NFC same standing (3rd): 2 games

My expectations:

5-1 division (split with TB, beat everyone else)
3-1 AFC (Chargers are tough and it's in London)
3-1 NFC North (Green Bay or Minnesota but not both)
2-0 same standing (payback to Washington, SF no chance)
-----

13-3 Division champs, #1 seed in the playoffs, NFC championship game in the SuperDome and playing in the SuperBowl in Tampa.

Now find me those other 3 losses.

SFIAH

Re: 2008 predictions
 

Sorry I do not think we are there as team yet. I see at least two games lost on melt downs alone. Then there is always the surprise team that puts together that unbelievable season.

Re: 2008 predictions
 

Gosh, trying to predict the Saints is like trying to predict what type of mood your wife is going to be in. In both cases you just hope for the best and expect the worse.

Re: 2008 predictions
 

The offense hasn't changed over the last 2 years. So we can work on some consistent offensive expectations:

1) Move the ball at will
2) A few too many turnovers.

The two question marks are red zone efficiency and the consistency of the running game.

But we can sfaely say that the offense will hold their own.

Our defense only has to do is the two things all defenses need to do: get off the field on third down and create turnovers.

How do you do that? Stop the run and rush the passer.

Stop the run: The Saints got better at it last year. They have plugged in a MLB that a Pro Bowler in the 4-3 when healthy and a DT that has a good possibility of being ROY. A good run defense got a whole lot better.

Rush the passer: Smith, a healthy Grant, and McCray will be huge. Ellis will finally create that inside pocket push that the Saints have been missing for a while. Opposing QBs will no longer be thinking about picking up their dry cleaning while they survey the field. 50 sacks is actually possible with this defensive line.

The defense is going to be a whole lot better really quickly. Think something along the lines of Tennesee's defense last year with Haynesworth in the middle. Tennesee was a team that won 10 games in a tough division with a QB that threw for 9TDs all year.

The defense and offense will complement each other greatly next year. The offense will put pressure on the opposing offense to keep up. The defense will be in a position of strength to shut down the passing game from the line.

All offseason Euph and I have been calling for the Saints to shore up the middle of the defense. Guess what? THEY DID IT! :D This defense isn't going to give up 32 TDs in the air. Or be dragging on the field in the 4th quarter.

This Saints team will steamroll the patsies. And there are a ton of them in the 3 divisions that we play next year.

All the tough games are against teams that will have top 10 defenses next year. ID them and you'll know what games will be a scrap. Off the top of my head: Tampa, Minnesota, Green Bay, San Diego. That's it.

That's where I identified our possible losses.

Things are looking up. Our defense can finally stop the run and rush the passer from the front 7.

And that's going to make all the difference.

SFIAH

Re: 2008 predictions
 

SFIAH, I understand where you are coming from, but your prediction post sounds like my thinking every single year. There is a major difference between expectations and reality though. The reality is, we will lose some games, probably more than three. This time of year especially my expectations are always beyond reality. We have many new pieces and while the cards look like they are in our favor, I'll do my best to just wait and see the end result on the field. Hopefully at the end of this year instead of asking what we can do to improve we will be asking if the patriots ever secured that 19-0 trademark since we will need it. :)

Re: 2008 predictions
 

I'd like to make my predictions after camp and a couple pre-season games.

Re: 2008 predictions
 

10-6 and a division title... I don't see us making the Superbowl though. Just a gut feeling but I don't see us making one until 2 or 3 years down the road... but we will make one.

Re: 2008 predictions
 

I've been a Saints fan since they took George Rogers over Lawrence Taylor. So, I've been accustomed to disappointments year after year. There is quite a bit of optimism for 2008. I have seen improvements especially on the defensive side of the ball. However, there are still question marks in a few places.
One, will Deuce McAllister be anything near his former self? If not, will the Saints give the ball consistantly to Pierre Thomas? Without the running game, it puts a lot of pressure on Brees and the receivers. I have all the confidence in the world in Colston, Patton, Cambell, and I think Arrington is going to be a big surprise. But, you can't put the load all on them. The Saints need to run the ball. If the Saints decide to give the wrecking ball they drafted, Nicks, a chance at guard, we'll see what happens. There just wasn't enough of a running game last year to keep defenses honest.
Two, will the players the Saints picked up for defense pan out? Will Vilma return to pro bowl form? Can Dan Morgan even get a few games under his belt before he gets his bell rung again? Will everyone put too much pressure on Sedric Ellis to perform at Rookie of the Year level? Who will man the OLB position opposite Fujita? Will the secondary perform much better now that the front seven will be able to take away from the time that opposing QB's have to throw the ball? There are a lot of questions on the defense. We just have to hope that the team can perform up to their potential. We can't expect miracles from them. Just a slight improvement over last year.
With that said, the record last year was 7-9. If the defensive changes were enough, I can see the Saints finishing either 9-7 or 10-6. Don't get me wrong, I've really excited about this years team. I have all the hope in the world of them finishing 11-5 or 12-4. I just don't see that happening. The running game is too big of a question mark, and the defense, while improved, is still a mystery.
You Gotta Believe!
Geaux Saints!!!!!!

Re: 2008 predictions
 

thats a long post but i agree with almost all of it....our defense has improved 100%....on paper....there is no telling whether morgan or vilma will come back and there is no guarentee that our CBs that we picked up will help at all....Gay is a cover 2 corner and aaron glenn isnt exactly devin hester....ellis has a lot of pressure too....hes not going to step in immediately and be the push we need...it'll take a few games at least....and if we dont pick up a running back this offseason i think we need to take into consideration splitting carries with all 4 backs again....duece cant handle the load ne more by himself.....losses happen regardless of how well we play on any given sunday but i think we have a good team....i think we go 10-6 and a wildcard berth