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This August has basically been business as usual for New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis -- long training camp days full of practices and meetings, hoping for no key injuries through dull preseason games, studying players as he and his staff prepare for roster cutdowns. In short, getting the Saints ready to defend their NFC South title in a year in which Super Bowl XLVII is in the Saints' home dome.

September, however, will be a departure from the norm for Loomis. That's when the eight-game suspension for his alleged role in the Saints' alleged bounty system kicks in. He must exit team offices after Aug. 30, the team's final preseason game, and have no contact with Saints staff members, coaches or players until he returns after the Nov. 5 game against Philadelphia. On top of that, head coach Sean Payton is suspended for the entire year.

While obviously not happy about the situation, Loomis is not overly concerned about the impact his impending absence might have on the team.

Read more: Mickey Loomis thinks New Orleans Saints will handle bounty adversity well in 2012 - Jeff Diamond - SI.com

Rugby Saint II

I had high expectations too before the Jaguar game.

QBREES9

me three.

The Dude

Im glad somebody does. I think we will have a winning season, but don't see a Super Bowl happening this year. Now that I got a taste after all those years I want a ring every year. Before Payton and Brees came along I was happy as long as we made it to the playoffs.

poydras

I think we're all badly underestimating the effects of not having Sean around. Even though our offense has the exact same players except for one guy, they have changed from an attacking wide open style to a ball control, field position scheme and that reflects the way a head coach views the role of the offense. We just aren't set up to win games that way. I think we're in for a VERY long season.

|Mitch|

Did you not pay attention to Drew's TD drive in the Jaguar game? Nothing about that drive would be considered ball control... Most of last year Pete was calling the plays, it wasn't a ball control scheme then and it won't be this year...

poydras

... but that was the only time in three games we've done that. I'm just saying that we now have a coach that is more oriented to defense than Sean ever was and it's we're seeing a defensive philosophy overall.

|Mitch|

Pete is calling the plays, I doubt Vitt has too much say so on what offensive plays are called...

poydras

... so you're saying the head coach doesn't have any say in the overall game plan philosophy???! Then why do we need a head coach?

|Mitch|

No way, Pete & Drew are going to let Vitt start calling a ball control offense... And from what I understand and Vitt has even said that they're not deviating from Payton's way