I think this is easily the most significant year of the Sean Payton era. IF these new guys on D turn out to be any good, or really good, then we know we are set -- that we have them locked in at low low Brees-friendly prices for the next 3 or so years to grow and get even better. If they're bad, then we know we are looking at continuing on squandering and wasting the next 2-3 years of Brees' talent, and the whole window starts shutting very rapidly. It's make or break.

The defense last year was the worst in history....I get that Poydras and everyone else is frustrated and skeptical, because of that....but here's the deal. Part of that was lack of big-play talent, yeah...but a BIG part of that, specifically to Poydras's fears, was it was bad last year because the unit GAVE UP on Spagnuola, as per the anonymous Saints defender who spoke out around New Years' Day.....they stopped believing in him, they basically started tuning him out. He pissed off the other coaches (according to the anonymous player), he couldn't make adjustments, it wasn't working, and one by one they slowly gave up and lay down on him....

So for most of the latter part of the season, that means Spagnola is there in the team meetings and he's up there at the podium going WAH WAH WAH WAH, like the trombone parents in Charlie Brown, and no one is listening to him....plus there was no REAL head coach to step in and say "WHAT THE ____ IS GOING ON?" when the defense under-performs week after week.

If you go back and read the actual quotes from the "anonymous player" you will see the whole year EXPLAINED in great detail. From the perspective of a player. I just re-read the interview with fresh eyes, and it's a real eye opener to read it NOW with some distance on it.

So in short: yes, the defense last year was really miserably bad. But it actually was WORSE, than it really truly was.

New Orleans Saints player: Steve Spagnuolo should be fired as defensive coordinator | NOLA.com

I don't mean to sound like that over reacting/pessimistic fan

I just don't Like a few players on defense that all my problem is
Malcom Jenkins Is just down right awful
Vilma and W.Smith Past his Prime and taking too much cap space
R.Harper I love the way he is Aggressive and hits. I just wish he could strap a jetpack on his back my Gramma runs faster
I just miss the sacks and turnovers I guess if we were able to get more of them id be happy

Special team is a worry but understand that changes yr to yr with young guys given there shot to play

I'm just hoping and praying for the best out of our defense.
It would be nice to have a few guys play out of their shoes.
We are still slow to the ball, still don't tackle very well,
still can't seem to actually catch an INT, didn't seal the corners very well.
OK, it was pre-season...vanilla packages and all that stuff.
That's no excuse for bad angles or not making receivers pay for crossing routes.
Williams, Spagnuolo, or Ryan still has to have guys that make it happen.
None of the guys have to make every play. Just the ones in "their moment":
that 3rd-and-7 stop for just 4 yards; something more than "almost" a sack.
Doesn't matter to me how it happens (if it happens);
Inspiration, configuration, or determination, I just want to see it.
That would take a lot of pressure off of the offense to have to score 30 every week.
So far, in the pre-season, I haven't seen it.

Thank you I could not agree with you more and that's all I have been trying to say for a couple of days now.
I was beginning to think I had to make a eye exam cause I was watching a different games then everyone else was or if I had glaucoma lol