Re: Playoff contenders
 

I agree with Danno

Re: Playoff contenders
 

That 2009 offensive line WAS better than our current line. Way better. That doesn't mean our current line sucks. It is NFL average most likely. With Brees under center he can still turn that into 40 TD's and 5000 yards, especially if the defense isn't performing at a historically poor level.

Don't forget about 2006, the year that Payton is comparing to this year by wiping the slate clean and starting from scratch. The Saints sucked in preseason and still went out and went the same 13-3 and made it to the conference championship game.

As for Pittsburgh, once again you can't tell anything about preseason. They may or may not have been running regular season blocking schemes at times. Preseason isn't about winning at all. It is about evaluating players even if it means putting them in situations doomed to fail to see how they respond.

Re: Playoff contenders
 

How do you know our offense isn't quick strike? You haven't even seen it yet. It hasn't been on the field yet. Bits and pieces running vanilla plays, yes, but not the regular season offense.

Re: Playoff contenders
 

Exactly, so the fact that we could not move the ball at all should be more than concerning, especially since our last two seasons have been just as bad.

That's an opinion that I cannot be certain is true. Possible, sure, but I do not know that right now and neither do you. This team looked, offensively, as bad as I have ever seen under SP.

No we went 10-6 in 2006, and to be honest I don't even remember the preseason that year, but I remember (I think) we played Cleveland to start the season and came away with a win and the team seemed to get better as the year went on. We had some scrappy players, so it is possible if we can win and build confidence, but right now I see nothing about this team that leads me to be optimistic. I hope we steal a win or two to start the year and build that momentum, that may be more important than anything.
I do think we are building a good team and are a few key pieces away.

Not likely Pitt was running anything but vanilla, they just kicked our ass up and down the field. And the worse part is the offensive performance against 2nd and 3rd stringers for Baltimore, our 1's managed a FG

But let's hope we get off to a good start at home and build some momentum. That might get us 10-6 and the playoffs.

Re: Playoff contenders
 

You're right, my bad. But we do agree, and you make my point, we "do not know that right now" and will only know for sure when regular season is underway. And I repeat, we haven't even seen the offense on the field yet, at all. Bits and pieces, yes, but not all of the key players. Of course we are going to suck with Cook, Snead and/or Thomas on the sideline. Of course we'll look bad with Greyson or McCown taking all of the snaps. Of course we'll look bad with Murphy or Cadet running the ball up the gut on first or second down. None of that will be the case once the season starts for earnest.

Re: Playoff contenders
 

If Armistead comes back fully healthy and Peat settles in at LG, might be serviceable enough. A win to open the season would be good, very good

Re: Playoff contenders
 

Guido, running vanilla plays are usually getting the team to work out some kinks, they have in no way shape or form worked out those kinks and watching that O-line get manhandled more plays than not has put an exclamation point on it for me. It amazes me how you don't see this. I love my Saints good or bad but this team needs more help than what they have now on the O-line. Buy into it if you want but I have a hard time seeing a good O let alone a quick strike O. Their not close to passing the eyeball test out on the field. I might ask you the same question a few games from now?

Re: Playoff contenders
 

I agree with the O-Line guys here. If our O-Line doesnt get better fast,
and if they let someone come in and knock Brees out of 2016, we will be
the worst team in football.

Re: Playoff contenders
 

Yes, ask me a few games in when the starting offense has actually played in meaningful games. That's what I have been trying to point out. None of us truly have a clue of exactly what we are going to see.Projecting gloom and doom is counterproductive and simply brings on ulcers. Lighten up and spend less time expecting the bad. Enough bad comes our way anyway in life without worrying about something which we have no power over at all.

Re: Playoff contenders
 

Washington has done no better than 2-2 against an AFC opponent dating back to 2002. They usually go 2-2, with 1-3 and 0-4 thrown in occasionally. Washhington should beat Cleveland one of Pittsburgh at home or at Baltimore. If we do not go 3-1 against AFC we will not even go 9-7 unless we go 3-1 against NFC West(meaning beating both Seattle and @SF) or win in NJ. I believe we will go 2-2 again against the other NFC division as we have gone 2-2 or 3-1 since 2005. Still it's best to get 3 wins or more against the AFC to have a chance and that means having to win 10 games.

Yes Washington can crap the bed as they have done so after every playoff season. But we'll see. It would take a Couins injury for it to happen.