WhoDat!656

Between 2009 and 2012, the New Orleans Saints’ defense fielded only two very good football players. One of them was cornerback Jabari Greer, who is a wonderful human being. The other is in the Los Angeles county jail.

How the Saints Finally Built a Defense | B&G

Rugby Saint II

We finally started hitting on our draft picks.......free agency moves that were smart.

hagan714

we were a retirement home for solid defensive players for years while the saints went offense.

Just as Williams hit the door did the Saints really just get started on a youth movement.

Williams does not get the credit for the job he did.

Jack Vegas

IMO we really started seeing the beginning of this in the 2012 offseason. Signing Bunkley, Lofton and Hawthorne as free agents, then getting Hicks and White in the same draft. That's 5 major contributors in one offseason. Of course people pooh-poohed those acquisitions when the defense stunk but it wasn't those guys fault, we found that out later didn't we.

FinSaint

Nor does Spagnuolo... people often overlook the importance of hitting a rock bottom before rising to excellence.

Euphoria

I think its a never ending process. Every year you are constantly looking for talent and upgrades... lets now crown anyone yet we haven't played a game yet.

Marlboro Man

I think we've actually been working our way to this type of defense for a while now. If you will remember, we didn't have a lot of draft picks since 06, what with trades to get better players than what Haslett left us with, and to actually stabilize the defense. In addition, knowing that this was what they were doing, SP and Loomis built an incredible offense to take pressure off of the defensive work in progress. During that time we didn't do very well with the defensive players we drafted but did do well with the offensive players so we pressed that advantage. We built a respectable defense and with the signing of the guy living in jail right now, made the back end of the defense just good enough to get us into and win a Superbowl.

However, all during that time, SP and Loomis kept plugging away at that defense and it was still hit and miss with players, but we got some average players to replace sub par players and got marginally better and kept at it until we built the kind of team and locker room that attracted better players and a winning tradition that also helped attract higher profile FA's and now look what they have accomplished. Possibly the best defense we've had since the Dome Patrol days and maybe even better than that defense due to the DB's we've assembled. Last year saw the first time since the Dome Patrol days that our defense won games for us when our offense faltered, and we look better, more talented, stronger, younger and dare I say much more formidable on the defensive side of the ball than any time since the Dome Patrol. I believe this defense will keep us in games in the cold in Chicago and GB. In the cold and rain in Seattle, and against teams like SF, GB, Denver, Indy, and any other playoff caliber teams. Yes, we will have off games from our offense like we do every year, but this defense is built to win championships, and it's deep and talented enough to get us through the tough games. Be prepared to be awed.

44Champs

No LB's recognized in the article, and rightly so. I hope someone steps up this year.

Audiotom

it all revolves around being able to get heat rushing 4
the Saints hadn't been able to do that for years

seeing Will Smith get a mere hand on a quarterback after 5 seconds as he let a ball go was always frustrating

Danno

Pretty much sums it up.

Pass rush, Gregg Williams had to manufacture one with exotic blitzes, which teams eventually catch on to.

Jordan, Hicks, Bunkley, JJenkins, Galette... That's the main reason why our defense has improved so much.