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Nope, the Saints did not have all the pieces together for 2011. Missing piece is a game changer on defense. The 2009 season was all about Darren Sharper. The Saints have not found anyone close to his defensive production since then. Yes, most of the pieces are there, just need a game changer to make it effective. Also, it wouldn't hurt if the Saints would use their running attack a little more. I get it that the running game finished great, but seriously, Mark Ingram toting the ball 20-30 plus times per game is going to do wonders for the team.

Marlboro Man

All I got to say is, a 9-7 team won the Super Bowl. I didn't watch it, because I'm still sick over that pathetic defensive effort and loss at Frisco, and a team we've trashed for the last 3 years including this year goes to the Super Bowl when EVERYONE ON THE PLANET KNOWS that had we won and the Giants had to go through us at home to get where they are now, IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED and we'd be the champs right now. I think it's time to stop being so goody, goody and all about this BS defense. These guys or should i say gals, oh wait, thats an insult to the way women can play decense, need to be called out on the carpet for their play or the lack there of. These last 2 playoff losses are strictly on them and their pathetic effort and play. If you say "Well the offense and ST turned the ball over 5 times" I say that's true, but the offense overcame those turnovers to win the game TWICE and the defense blew it again, TWICE. All those that think Patrick Robinson is even a decent CB should actually WATCH this guy play, he might as well not even be on the field he's so bad. We do still need defense. We STILL need DT's, we STILL need DE's (Rob Ninkovitch wasn't good enough to play for us, but turned into one of the TOP PASS RUSHERS in the NFL in NE) and we STILL need better LB's and yes I'm including Vilma in that too.

Why is it that we get a supposed TOP DC in Williams to come here and he can only produce 1 good year? Do we need to replace DC's every other year to every 3 years to stay on top defensively? I don't think so. Right now we've got Spags, and while I'm happy about that, how long do you think he's gonna stay? A year? Two? Spags has his own agenda, and while I understand that, it just puts a damper on things because you'd ideally want a guy for at least a 4-5 yr. tour. Oh, well, it is what it is. Time's a wastin.

halloween 65

On our O all the pieces worked like a fine tuned machine, to me the most complete offense in the NFL, we need to keep them all. Defense if thats what you call it, ran like it something out of a shady used car lot, I do see a bright side to this jalopy, install the master mech.{Spags} get 3 to 4 pistons 2DT's, 1 MLB. or OLB. and 1 killer free safety { which might be here already in Quaddus} tweak the engine and see how we do. I think if we cut or trade the overpaid, over-hyped dead weight on D and get a few real players we will have top 10 D this year. I like what I see from most of our youth and I think G.W. left us sitting well with them, it's the namesakes like Vilma, Smith, Ellis, Rodgers that don't produce for there money I want gone, not restucture their contracts but gone. It's what have you done for me lately type of D I want, you know the kind that feeds off each other every game.

Danno

The NY Giants just won a Superbowl with the #8 offense and the #27 defense (we were 24th).

ALL THE DAMN PIECES ARE IN PLACE!!!

jcp026

We definitely have some good pieces in place.
Brees is arguably the best QB in the league. We have a stable of running backs. Wide receivers who are unselfish and know their role. Jimmy Graham is a beast. The best two guards in the league, assuming we keep Nicks. A new DC with high expectations. Some young talent on D with big upsides.

Euphoria

Stats are for losers.

Those stats don't tell the whole story.

papz

It's all about getting hot at the right time and making plays when they matter. I hope people can finally see once the post season starts, regular season rankings are irrelevant.

Waaaaaaa... we ranked in the bottom of the league in defense(so annoying). Who gives a crap? Colts, Giants, even the Saints the year we won the Superbowl. Accumulate the talent, get to the post season, and make plays. We are not far from where we need to be.

Danno

Cliche's are for the simpleminded.

We certainly have enough talent on both sides of the ball to win it all.

CharityMike

I would agree we have most of the pieces. We need a PLAYER on defense.

IMO our secondary is way better than the Giants but there is no denying there front 4 are light years better than ours. To just look at the D ranking is not really telling the story.

It comes down to how many games did the Giants D win for them and how many did our win for us? If we had a front 4 close to what they have we would have been hoisting the trophy last night.

So it's hard to say we do or don't have the pieces in place. Maybe we do and Spags can bring them to light like he did with Tuck but until that happens, you can't look at what our D has done and not think we don't need help.

Danno

If our offense doesn't turn the ball over 5 times in the San Fran game we're hoisting that trophy last night. That has nothing to do with defense.