GumboBC

We didn't make the playoffs and that has made for a lot of pessimistic talk this offseason.

And if you read this board, you would think we are the worst team in the league. At least that's the feeling I get!!

Somewhere in all this negative talk something has been lost. Or simply dismissed as if it meant nothing.

While most fans are trying to push all the coaches and the QB out the door, there are some positive things that happened this season!!

For the last 4 games the defense improved significantly!!

Here are those games

27-13 W at Dallas
12/19 21-17 W at TB
12/26 26-13 W at Atl
01/02 21-18 W at CAR

The defense didn't allow a single RB to rush for 100 yards and held everyone of those teams to under 20-points!!

Some say it didn't mean anything because they were "nothing" teams.

Oh yeah??

Well, lets take a look at some more of those "nothing" teams we played earlier in the year.

Here are some of those games.
09/26 28-25 W at STL
10/03 10-34 L at ARI
10/24 31-26 W at OAK

Our defense gave up 25, 34, and 26 points in those games. So, don't tell me the defense didn't improve.

Also there were a lot of players on defense who look very promising. Guys that didn't play the year before. Mike McKenzie, Coby Buckwaldt, Courtney Watson and Will Smith. Then there are a couple of players who stepped up their play. Like James Allen and Fakir Brown.

Over the last 4-games our pass rush was tremendous. And that's something that's been missing for a long tiime.

But the biggest thing was the defensive scheme changed. We quit playing that bend but don't break defense and got really aggressive. And it payed off...BIG TIME!!

For the first time in a long time, I actually saw something on the field that made me think our defense could play well. And I'm very optimistic about our defense next year.

And lets not lose sight of the fact that we won our last 4-games.

While everyone was talking up the Panthers, it was the Saints who was playing the better football.

We even went to the Panthers house, with a playoff spot on the line and whipped their butt.

So, while I think some changes are in order, I don't think things are nearly as bad as some make them sound.

shadowdrinker

Well , The thing is, I am sure many of us are just sick and tired of 8-8 kind of years...

Then to top it off..We end up keeping Jim around..

That with the L.A. thing still up in the air..and the fighting between the State and the Owner..has just left us all with a sour feeling about how nothing really got done this year...

4 games do not a season make..We sucked all year long...And somehow stumbled our way into a possible playoff spot..but..We needed to win the last 5 games in reality...and we just fell short..again...

I will always hold hope for the future..but..signing Jim to a longer deal than we allready had to bear just really makes me scratch my head..I wish he could pull it all together..It would be a Genius move then...

Last year..Haslett said he had all the pieces in place...and handed us an 8-8 year..again...Maybe..with a new D coordinator..we could be playoff contenders..But..In my opinion..The NFC South is the toughest Division in the whole game...and we have a reasonably hard schedule staring at us..if we can pull off a 10-6 season..It will be miraculous..

Saint_LB

Gumbo, I like your attitude. There is certainly nothing wrong with a person being full of optimism. The fact of the matter is this, however. You are looking at the last four games and being positive about it. I, on the other hand, am looking at the last thirty-seven years......one playoff win. Whether you like it or not, you have to face the fact. We are the worst team in the league. Maybe not this year, but over the long haul there is no denying that this team has had the least amount of success than any other team....period.

Whether you think you can or think you can't...you're right!

GumboBC

Well, I didn\'t say it was all sunshine...

I just don\'t believe it\'s as bad as some make it sound.

In reality we only need to improve our record by 2-games to make the playoffs. That\'s not that much to improve. Unless you believe we are doomed to winning only 8 games every year.

I don\'t know if there\'s such a thing as a good or bad 8-8 team. I do know that some teams who finish 8-8 are considered to have a huge upside entering the new season and some are considered to have a bleak chance.

When I look at the Saints I tend to see an upside still. Winning the last 4 games and and improving defense. And hopefully Deuce will stay healthy all year.

I think the fans who think coaching is most responsible for the losing are very pessimistic about next year.

Myself, I don\'t think coaching was even close to the reason we didn\'t make the playoffs.

I think we had some players on defense who weren\'t able to carry their load. I think some of that was corrected during the season.

I think we had (and still have) some players on the offensive line who can\'t play well enough. That can be corrected with Haslett still here.

I believe penalties have been a major problem for a long time. And its been the same players (Gandy and Victor Riely) who have made most of them. Both need to go, IMO.

We\'ve got the draft and free-agency to improve this team.

I\'m hopeful.