Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

All started when we got rid of our veterans on defense after the 2013 season.
Smith
Harper
Jenkins
Vilma
Greer
(Haralson too)

Now granted, it's likely most if not all of these players would have been back ups or role players, but you get rid of that many leaders in 1 season it's going to take time get that back.

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

Agree. And on top of that you teplace them with the likes of Junior Galette. What a trainwreck that was.

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Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

While you may be open to it, you are not the one that makes those type of decisions. No matter what you think, Payton isn't going anywhere as long as Benson, or his wife, and Loomis are in charge. And what Payton gets paid should be of no concern of yours at all. It is a drop in a billionaire's bucket.

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

For the last couple of years several people around here were screaming for a rebuild. Guess what? That's what happened. Those guys were all veterans that were getting paid like veterans. You can't have a roster full of backups getting paid like starters. You can't have it both ways. 2014 and 2015 saw the result of that missing leadership on the defensive side of the ball. 2016 saw the emergence of new young leadership, but also experienced crushing losses of the talent to the IR.

I have pointed all of this out before. Yes, the records were the same, but the 7-9 of 2016 was completely different. It comes with renewed hope for those willing to look at it objectively.

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

When Galette was racking up 12 sacks in 2013 everyone thought he was the next great Saint. It turned out, to everyone's surprise, he was damaged goods. It was too late to reverse field. The Saints could either keep him and his salary on board, complete with his ever growing locker room cancer and ever shrinking public image. The Saints did all that they could do by cutting him and eating the dead cap.

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

If they lose the first 2 games again next year, we'll know it's over in September. In fact, we'll know if it's over or not in early October, no matter what. If you can't string together more than two back-to-back wins in the NFL, you're not doing anything. I may be wrong, but I don't think they've won more than 3 straight in a row since October 2013.

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

Does it matter who those first two games are against? Would you put the same weighting upon at Atlanta and hosting New England as you would hosting the Jets and the Bears?

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

Sean Payton needs a handler! He needs a real football GM not a bean counter. The personnel decisions are on Payton and that means it is squarely on Mickey Loomis to have reigned in Payton's willingness to gamble on high risk/high reward type of players. Along with an inability to draft well except for the players we spent multiple picks on players who are above average......but not exceptional and we throw away draft picks like discards in five card draw.

We need a real GM who can help Ireland spot talent. Oh, and we need a fresh perspective from our Pro Scouts who have produced less than stellar results. Shake it up baby!

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

No at this point, it doesn't matter. Look at the history. There has never been a successful year where the Sean Payton era Saints have dug themselves out of a hole, once they are in one. Like I said, if you can't string together more than three games in a row in the NFL, your record will speak for itself, and will likely be 7-9, 8-8.... mediocre....exactly what we've been getting.

You're welcome to keep on enjoying a 7-9 team that's losing games every week by less than 7 points, with close finishes, implosions at the end, mistake laden football, and piles of passing yards in the second half....be my guest....you would probably enjoy a 7-9 season just as much as 13-3. But the 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013 seasons all have something in common... in all those years, the team started strong right out the gate, in the first three or four games.

Re: Saints explain why they think this 7-9 finish was different from past two
 

that's total bs, if he keeps losing he's done