So Adam Schefter finally got me ready...
 

I haven't posted much. Got a new job that's keeping me busy. I've been hanging out here reading threads and view the interesting avatars.

With the Saints, I've been following the offseason on and off. Saw three of the four preseason games (The Texans game did not record on my DVR).

So it's a holiday and I was watching Mike and Mike in the Morning on the Especially Stupid Prediction Network. Since it's the first week of the season of course the hosts (Casillias and Adam Schefter) are doing their predictions. I know it's gay. But I'm half listening. So Casillias points out that 14 years in a row in the NFL there are at least 5 new playoff teams and who will it be in the NFC? They run down division by division and get to the NFC South. Basic rundown:

Atlanta: Shefter says definitely will make the playoffs and most likely win the NFC South.

New Orleans: "Maybe."

Maybe? MAYBE??!!! WTF??!!

Now I'm fired up. We're talking about the Super Bowl Champions here. And I know that SB champions have struggled the next year. But the 2010 Saints are not the usual SB champions:

1) The Saints come back virtually intact both with players and coaching staff.

2) We have the best QB in the division, conference, and league. Period. Not subject to discussion.

3) The Saints offensive line may end up being the NFC pro bowl line: all 5 linemen.

4) All of Brees weapons are healthy. Bush is ready. Moore is healthy at the beginning of the year. PT23 is still one of the most effective backs in the league. Wynn/Ivory/Graham/Arrington will provide Brees/Payton new blood and new wrinkles to work with and even more for D coordinators to think about. And remember Brees' favorite guy is the open jersey the same color that he is wearing.

5) Now to the defense. The line is improved. Brown will improve run support and bring a rush presence to the other side of the line. The D-Tackle rotation has another year of seasoning.

6) The Saints may have the best starting corners in the conference. Robinson strengthens the depth and by midseason there will be little dropoff at the 3rd corner spot.

7) At safety, Jenkins may not be the playmaker that Sharper is legend for. But he'll bring speed and tackling ability to the position. And Sharper will be available down the stretch.

8) The LB position is decidedly weak right now. Losing Casillas was a blow. Not having Ingram for 6 weeks (and however much longer after that for him to be game ready) is a problem. But Vilma and Shanle (who I still have nightmares of him in coverage, sigh) still form 2/3s of a SB champion LB core.

9) Juniah and GW are wild cards.

Let's summarize. Not much change. Still #1 offense. Lots of defensive weapons to attack the QB and defend the pass, which with our offense is exactly what will force opposing teams to do. Over 500 points last year (that's 30+ PPG average). No reason to think this year is going to be any different considering the given factors.

Now the 'clowns. Frankly I haven't paid too much attention, even though I live in enemy territory:

1) Matt Ryan is still a 3rd year QB. And he hasn't looked good.

2) Not much improvement on the O-line.

3) The 'clowns spent all their free agent dollars on Robinson. Last I heard he cannot stay healthy.
The rest of the secondary is absolutely awful.

4) No new faces to rush the passer. Block Abraham, no rush.

I won't even bother to go any further on the 'clowns.

We didn't get worse. Other than Turner getting healthy, the 'clowns didn't get much better. Unless there's some secret weapon that I missed in the offseason, I just cannot see them being much better than last year. And we were 4-5 games better than them last year and a sweep.

So thanks Adam Schefter. Thanks to your supercillious prediction that the Falcons make the playoffs and win the NFC South in 2010, and the Saints are a maybe...

I'M READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!

WHO DAT!

SFIAH

Nice breakdown, SFIAH. I'm in complete agreement with you on the Falcons, too. I do not see where they have improved on either side of the ball, either....especially defense. Robinson is very overrated at the corner position. He was just the best corner the Texans had on a very porous defense. The Falcons spent way too much money on the guy. They are also depending on basically three rookies (William Moore, Peria Jerry, and Sean Witherspoon). Moore and Jerry were both on IR last year as rookies, so they haven't proven anything on the field yet. The media is speculating that these guys are automatically going to make their defense improved. I guess we'll see when the season starts, but I think they are getting hyped for no good reason. Suck it, Schefter.

I agree...as long as we stay healthy we are the team to beat...not worried at all about the Falqueers...we have other teams i fear more...the thing that worries me the most is stopping the run...wish we would have made that and LBr more a priority this offseason..with that said ..2DAT!!

I think you're preaching to the choir SaintFan. I'm with you. I can't believe how they can be so blind as to try to pick the trendy choice of the month. It's not like the Saints had their roster raided like most Super Bowl winning teams have happen. We have basically our full roster back with some of the positions upgraded (DE especially).

As for Matt Ryan, I agree. He is pretty good at not losing the game for his team, but he mostly checks to the TE or short routes. He isn't really someone you fear to go deep all day long on you.

Good thing it's not subject to discussion or there might be fans out there that would remind you that he's on his 2nd NFL team. Somewhere in San Diego a few years back I have to believe that there were some serious discussions along these lines...only their discussion were about whether he was good enough to be the QB for their team, which they decided he was not or at least they weren't sure...no?

That's due to AJ Smith, the GM of the Chargers, running scared after Brees tore up his labrum in a meaningless pro bowl. But they would have probably pulled the trigger anyway. Brees was a free agent. Rivers was on a rookie contract. Smith had already done the dirty deed and traded up to #1 to get Rivers. There was no way the Chargers were not going to give him the reigns.

But I get sick of Brees just "being in the discussion". Check the facts in the last 4 years:

1) #1 in every significant QB category.

2) More passing yards (18000+) is a 4 year span in the history of the NFL.

3) New record for completion percentage (70.6 %)
for a season. And this isn't just dinking and dunking the ball. Brees' YPC last year was over 12 yards.

4) He was the MVP of the league last year. Just jobbed by the usual suspects.

So like I said: not subject to discussion.

SFIAH

Great stuff SFIAH, its like I wrote it myself. :)

Except for one thing.

I don't think losing Casillas is a huge blow. He wasn't even the starter heading into camp. It was virtually a tie between Dunbar and Casillas as to which would replace the mediocre Fujita. Casillas separated himself a bit in camp but he was/is still an unproven commodity.

A huge blow would be losing Vilma or Harper or Ellis or Smith. Losing Casillas is a blow, but IMO its a blow along the lines of losing someone like Henderson or Moore on offense. There's not a huge dropoff between Casillas and the rest of the crew. Its a blow, just not a major one IMO.

But I sure was looking forward to seeing how Gregg Williams was going to use his blazing speed.

We are not the same team as last year. Line backing has had a change so has safety. We brought in another DE and we've added new defensive players that will contribute. On the offensive side of the ball our motor basically got a tune up and overhaul. We bored out the cylinders to give us even more power. It's going to be a long year for opposing defenses.

Plus the Cambelt (Reggie) was repaired and is finally running at full power!!

Dont forget..the turbo..Chris Ivory... and the tranny got a shift kit.....JUNYA!!..lol