Rating: (0 votes - average)

METAIRIE — Less than 24 hours after losing their chance to finish a frustrating and disappointing season with a break-even record, the New Orleans Saints quickly put 2012 to rest Monday.

As they said their goodbyes and had exit meetings with position coaches as well as a final team meeting with interim coach Joe Vitt, New Year’s Day couldn’t come fast enough for the Saints.

Soon, suspended coach Sean Payton will return to the team, and the 7-9 season that ended their streak of three consecutive playoff appearances will be forgotten — if it isn’t already.

In fact, Vitt said he was confident the Saints will be able to rebound sooner rather than later and quickly return to the form they showed in winning 41 games, counting the playoffs, from 2009-11.

“Absolutely,” he said when asked if they could be back in the playoff hunt next year. “That’s why we wake up every morning and come to work here. The standards are high, the goals are high, the expectancy level is high.

“There is not a player or a coach or anybody that works in our building that is going to sleep easy tonight on 7-9,” Vitt said. “It’s a great motivational tool for the offseason. That’s what this organization is about … it’s what these core players we have here are all about.”

Read more: Saints set sights on rebound season in 2013 | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA

QBREES9

Coach can back day after the Super Bowl right.

xan

"We'll get'em next year" is the most uttered trite phrase in the English language.

I don't care about next year, I cared about this year and you totally sucked. What makes you think you're gonna suck less next year? Even if you improve 20% you will still totally stuck.

pumpkindriver

I'm hoping we improve waymore than 20% with Sean back. That being said I hope you suck 20% less during the off season. C'mon xan, be 20% less negative so we don't all feel like finding a cliff to jump off after we read your posts.

Ashley

I will be happy to see the D just imploded. But that wont happen, year in year out the D has just not gotten any better. So I don't think it will magically do so this upcoming year.
This is just frustration coming out.

Rugby Saint II

There are going to be changes made that will bring us back to 13-3. I don't know what they are but they will be made by Loomis and Payton early on. I just hope that they get rid of McMahon.