WhoDat

Yes this is WhoDat, no aliens have not stolen my body, no I'm not drunk, yes I have had my daily dose of WhoTang.

Believe it or not, I see the upcoming season as a win-win proposition (or at least there's a 90% chance of that). Should the Saints falter and end up 8-8 or worse, I truly believe that fan and media pressure will cause Benson to make a change. Of course, I don't see that happening. I actually believe that despite having a coaching staff that is IMO less than stellar, the Saints will overcome this season.

Consider:

Many of the recent Super Bowls have been played by teams that came out of the middle of the pack the year before. Many have had "young" coaches within their first three or four years (OK so it's Haslett's 5th, close enough).

There's no question that a top flight RB leads to success in this league and we've got that. We've also got a QB capable of breaking out and WRs to rival those of the "greatest show on turf". Our O-line is young and nasty, but anchored by a seasoned vet, deep, and seemingly stable.

On D, there is no doubt questions remain... BUT... our D-line should be much improved and it all starts there. If nothing else, the youth and depth we have in our front 7 will allow for plenty of rotation and that means they'll still be coming on strong late in games and late in the season. There's no question we're talented as hell and if our guys play to prove something, we may just have the makings of something special.

Couple that with our late season success - often an indicator of teams on the rise - and there are many reasons for optimism this year.

Of course, it still is early - we're not even in pads yet - and there is this nagging voice in the back of my head saying, "but this is the Saints we're talking about." Nonetheless, I just may let myself believe this year boys. With the depth we have, even injuries should not slow this team down (or be an excuse) as it has been in previous years. We've got all the makings of a special year. Now we just need a touch of LUCK (saintfan) and a little magic.

Bless you boys - this may be the year. ;)