CHA_CHING

I agree with most of this. I never believed we were really as good as our 13-3 record implied. The one game for the year that told me we weren't good enough to reach the SB, was that 49ers game. That had all the 'classic' stuff in it from where we usually lose in the playoffs. Payton was out-coached, we were out-played and defense **** the bed in crunch time. To be fair here, the Packers also weren't as good as their 13-3 record, and Baltimore were the biggest frauds of the year at 14-2, so it wasn't just us. This was one of those wacky years that happens from time to time where the stats are inflated and the teams records are wonky due to SOS. 2011 and 2007 were similar years in DVOA.

I strangely felt relieved when we lost, cause I had this bad feeling for almost an entire month that our fate would be going into Green Bay or San Fran and getting embarrassed. I could've seen Aaron Jones becoming Beastmode 2.0 against us, or Aaron Rodgers throwing another hail mary bomb like the Case Keenum one leading to GOAT chants and had GB beaten us, it would've turned the Brees vs Rodgers debate entirely in the favor of that overrated douchebag.

As for SF, I never believed we would go into their stadium and repeat the 40+ point performance against them after Dee Ford and their other players on defense came back. Even in that 49ers game, our offense stalled and only had 2 field goals for most of the second half. They didn't wake back up until the Niners built a 2 possession lead. Payton was out-coached that day, but made some really dumb decisions with the failed 2 point conversion early, sticking with Kamara instead of feeding Murray, the ridiculous fake punt, and I remember some plays ran trying to draw PI calls and failing.

Losing to Minnesota hurts cause they're a hated rival with a history of using us as a punching bag (we are 1-4 vs them in the playoffs all time now) but it didn't hurt as bad as losing to SF again or GB would've. I felt we were out-played and out-coaching, deserving of that loss.

That's the difference between us and the Patriots, as well as the Chiefs.

The Pats were screwed with in the past over that Deflategate nonsense. They didn't let it hinder them. They went right back to the SB after Brady's suspension and forced Goodell to hand them the Lombardi trophy. People will argue that they haven't had much competition with the AFC East, but mind us, we couldn't even take advantage of the NFC South at it's weakest in 2014. Good teams are supposed to dominate the crappy opponents, and NE has been doing that for 15+ years.

KC knows they were one mistake away from being in the SB last year and they worked to fix that issue this year. They made key moves upgrading their defense to prevent it from happening again. They didn't sit around and blame refs or push for rule changes. KC's defense is mediocre and so many people picked Tennessee against them, but they managed to rise to the occasion at home.

Our team cashed their chips in for their SB run when they failed to make any trades before the deadline to improve the team. They bought into their own bull**** talking about how "we were robbed" last year and just embraced that victimhood as their identity. We needed another WR. Instead, we let the Niners get Emmanuel Sanders who proceeded to torch us when we faced them.

This coming season feels like it should be a rebuild year for the Saints. Brees needs to retire (Will be 41 years old and has already declined), they need to resign Bridgewater and then just roll the dice and see what happens. I don't expect a SB run. But going 10-6 and fighting for the NFC South would be an achievement.

K Major

But it sure as hell helps your chances when you have a QB named Pat Mahommes. Chiefs Def coordinator S Spaggs had one job to do ... bottle up D Henry and make the Titans win it with Tanneyhill under center.

Mission accomplished.

vpheughan

Mahomes and Tyreek Hill's combined salary is $1,365,000

The Punter and Back Up QB both make more.

They better win it this year. When those two get paid..........

Welcome to the Saints world

spkb25

Injuries to the same players over and over are an expectation. Rankins and anzalone havent been healthy. Davenport has shown some real glimpses he could be dominant, now he's getting injured often.

SP is having trouble motivating them. We wont win the division next year

K Major

Atlanta?

AsylumGuido

Well, hell. Why even watch if you already know the future? Of course, that special insight of yours surely comes from all the time you spend in the locker room with those unmotivated players.

K Major

Saints were a different team mainly because of injuries.

Apple, AJ Klein, Rankins, Davenport all missed a game(s) or went to IR after 2 Glove Teddy had his run.

The biggest blow was losing TWO O line injuries after we went 5-0.

Early on, the defense is damn near dominant.

This is where having solid depth in the rotation is key.

jeanpierre

AsylumGuido

It certainly isn't going to be Carolina or Tampa Bay.

vpheughan

Of course there's always this fallback

They bought into their own bull**** talking about how "we were robbed" last year and just embraced that victimhood as their identity. We needed another WR. Instead, we let the Niners get Emmanuel Sanders who proceeded to torch us when we faced them.