- You've got to wonder just what Sean Payton is thinking.

Deep in his Illinois-born and Bill Parcells-reared heart, does the New Orleans Saints head coach hope that his team will flourish -- or flounder -- in his absence during the 2012 NFL season?

The Saints' boss was shelved for an entire year by Commissioner Roger Goodell in the aftermath of the bounty scandal uncovered during the offseason that claimed New Orleans coaches were complicit with a system of monetary rewards for players making big hits and causing injuries.

A great season under interim coaches Joe Vitt and Aaron Kromer might take some of the luster off Payton's reputation as a dynamic wonder boy, while a mediocre slog through the schedule without him could enhance his aura.

The "problem" for the 48-year-old Payton, who played three "replacement" games with the Chicago Bears during the 1987 players strike, is that the Saints aren't likely to tumble far no matter who's barking out the orders.



Read more: New Orleans Saints 2012 Season Preview | Fox News