SmashMouth

Will this year be different? Does it really make a difference?

AsylumGuido

I think it will be different. Does it matter? Usually I would say no, but given the depth of the squad our third string should be able to handle the Browns. If they can't then it does mean something.

ChrisXVI

We also went 7-9 both years so I'd say something needs to change and it should start with setting the tone early and winning in the preseason.

Beastmode

I think it matters but only in things which can't be measured; morale, confidence, trusting others. Have we won all of them before and had a horrible season? Yes we have. I remember a few years ago one player was making 90% of the tackles in the last preseason game which to me said a lot about the defensive tea leaves. If we are losing like that then yeah, it matters.

dam1953

Other than seeing how a few of the rookies with high exceptions work out, I don't think the first preseason game means too much. I do think the Saints need to show some level of dominance on D against the Texans' and Ravens' #1 offenses if we want to avoid another 7-9 season.

K Major

^^^^^^^^^^^. Building confidence and implant a sense of winning. A relatively young team (on both sides of the ball) need to develop trust & belief. We cannot let Osweiler slang the ball up and down the field on us.

Circle back to that magical 2009 pre season ... We were dominating teams in pre season. I agree, this team needs to win early, even in pre season.

Euphoria

Yeah I think winning starts in Pre-season. I don't expect a 4-0 but I do expect a 2-2. Go in to win a couple and get some reps and player development things going but you need to set the tone in pre-season.

I want them to run the ball a lot in these pre-season games. You don't show up and expect to run the ball in the regular season. You have to comit to running the ball in the off season.

Utah_Saint

I was at a preseason game against the Cowboys in Shreveport in 2006. It was miserable. At halftime the sky let loose with a downpour, one of those storms where the rain hits the ground and bounces back up a foot or two. The Cowboys destroyed the Saints and the Cowboy fans in the stands were brutal. The Saints looked like a JV team. They were disorganized, outta place and pushed around. They whooped us in all three facets of the game. One of the Cowboy coaches even made fun of the Saints on the radio after the game. (cause the boys are classy like that)

Well, we all know how that season turned out. Best season the Saints had ever had up to that point. And they even got their revenge when they humiliated the Cowboys by taking a knee to end a blow out in their own stadium later that year.

I guess my point to all that is, even if the Saints lose, and I hope they don't, they can turn it into a lesson and figure out what they're doing wrong. Just the other day I heard someone say about football, you either win or you learn. With all the new blood on the team this season, a loss could end up being more of a positive than a win. That said, for my own morale, I hope they dominate Thursday.

Who Dat!!

dizzle88

I think everyone knew we had something special when preseason was started in 09, even Chris Reis was forcing fumbles.

We had lost multiple times to the Texans previously and dominated them in 09 preseason, that's when I could tell something was diifferent.

rezburna

Exactly. Preseason shows me plenty.