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Gruden: New Orleans Saints can repeat - NFC South Blog - ESPN

METAIRIE, La. – There has never been a more colorful or quotable coach than Jon Gruden in the history of the NFC South.

Although Gruden’s now an analyst for “Monday Night Football’’ nothing really has changed. Gruden held court with a few reporters on the side of the New Orleans’ Saints practice field Saturday morning and was more entertaining than New Orleans coach Sean Payton, who talked a few minutes later. I’ll even go out on a limb and guess that what Gruden had to say was more interesting than anything that came out of Tampa, Flowery Branch, Ga., or Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday.

Gruden’s doing homework for his television role, but he also is spending a few days with Payton, his longtime friend, and sitting in on meetings with coaches and players. Gruden did the same thing last year. Although recent history, including Gruden’s 2002 Tampa Bay team, suggests it’s virtually impossible for a team to repeat as Super Bowl champion, the former coach said the Saints can do it. The main reason? Drew Brees, he said.

“It starts with having a great quarterback,’’ Gruden said. “That’s the No. 1 ingredient. If you’ve got the right steak, you’ve got a chance to cook it up pretty good. You can put herbs on it or make it medium rare or whatever you want to do. You’ve got one of the great quarterbacks in the history of this game. You’ve got a heck of a good chance to repeat. I promise you that.

“Their turnaround on defense wasn’t by accident either, and they’re in Year 2 of Gregg Williams’ system. All these guys know the system, they know what to expect and they’ve got every reason to be better there as well.’’

Gruden knows the challenges of defending a championship very well. The season after the Buccaneers won their Super Bowl, they didn’t even make the playoffs. He said he learned some lessons from that experience and he’s shared that with Payton.

“I just tell him, 'You’re the expert on repeating because you know how to get there and win it’,’’ Gruden said. “No one’s gutsier than this guy. … He’s got the guts to pull it off. There’s no question. You’ve got to draw from within. Get your strength from each other and go out there every day and work. They have that work ethic in place. They have as good a football team as they did last year or better.’’