But this Saints team has the makings of something different.

I've compared this Saints team to the 2006 squad, Payton's first in his 12-year tenure. That wasn't the most talented Saints team, but it might have been the toughest. And it certainly was one of the most balanced. The 2006 Saints weren't nearly as explosive offensively as the 2009 or 2011 teams, but they could run the ball and play sound defense. They won a lot of close games.