2010 RECORD: 11-5-0
(2nd in NFC South)
HEAD COACH: Sean Payton
Offense: After a memorable 2009 season complete with a Super Bowl championship, quarterback Drew Brees put up some big numbers again last season, including 33 touchdown passes and 4,620 yards. But he also threw 22 interceptions, which was a problem.
Brees became just the second quarterback in NFL history (joining Hall-of-Famer Dan Marino) to pass for over 4,000 yards and throw 30 or more touchdown passes for the third straight season.
Wow!
The running game for 2011 will have Pierre Thomas back again after going through an injury plagued season that saw him get just 83 carries for 269 yards. Chris Ivory (716 yards, 5.2 ypc average and five rushing TD) filled in well last season and will be back as well, along with rookie Mark Ingram (Alabama) to give the Saints a three-headed monster in the backfield.
Add in Darren Sproles, a third down back and return specialist who had 267 yards rushing and 59 receptions for 520 yards for San Diego last year and teams no longer can take the Saints' offense for granted.
The wide receivers are pretty good too.
Marques Colston (84 catches, 1,023 yards and seven TD), Lance Moore (66, 763, eight TD), Robert Meachem (44, 638, five TD) and Devery Henderson (34, 464, one TD), along with tight ends Jimmy Graham (31 receptions, 356 yards, five TD) and David Thomas (30, 219, two TD) give Brees plenty of targets to throw to.
The offensive line is one of the better ones in the entire league, allowing just 26 quarterback sacks last year.
The center is newcomer Olin Kreutz, who comes over from the Bears after a contract dispute allowed him to become a free agent.
Kreutz is a six-time Pro Bowl lineman who will solidify the O-line, along with guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks and tackles Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief.
Defense: New Orleans ranked fourth overall in total defense last season, allowing 306 yards per game, including just 194 passing yards per game (4th in NFL). The run defense was average, giving up 112 yards on the ground each week.
Up front in the Saints 4-3 scheme are tackles Shaun Rogers and Aubrayo Franklin, who were both signed as free agents. The ends are Will Smith and Alex Brown.
Smith had 5.5 QB sacks last year and DT Sedrick Ellis (six sacks) to lead the way in that category, which produced just 33 sacks for the season.
The linebacking corps has Jonathan Vilma in the middle along with outside backers Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Scott Shanle.
The secondary include Tracy Porter and Jabrari Greer on the corners and safeties Roman Harper and Malcolm Jenkins, along with free agent Fabian Washington to provide depth.
The Saints must improve the pass rush and get better at ball hawking, evidenced by just nine interceptions last season.
OUTLOOK: After finishing 11-5 in the regular season, the Saints were humiliated by the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Playoffs Wild Card Round.
The offense once again should be one of the best in the NFL with Brees leading the attack.
The passing game put up 277 yards per game in 2010, good for third overall in the league. The running game, which averaged just 95 yards per game and ranked 28th overall, should be bolstered with Ingram and Sproles added to the mix along with Ivory and a healthy Pierre Thomas.
The defense is solid, but does have a tendency to let up at times, which cost the Saints against Arizona and Cleveland last season as well as in the playoff debacle against the Seahawks.
Not having the target of Super Bowl champions on their collective backs will ease some of the pressure this year, but playing in a strong division with Atlanta and Tampa Bay won't be easy and the Saints know that opposing defenses gear up for their high powered attack.
Head Coach Sean Payton is a brilliant strategist who knows how to dissect opposing defenses and make the right play calls on a regular basis.
Look for the Saints to challenge Atlanta for the NFC South division title in 2011, finishing with a 11-5 record and possibly winning the division. The worst case scenario for the Saints should be a wild card playoff berth. How far they go in the post-season will depend on the defense, because the offense will do their part.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- at Green Bay
Week 2- vs. Chicago
Week 3- vs. Houston
Week 4- at Jacksonville
Week 5- at Carolina
Week 6- at Tampa Bay
Week 7- vs. Indianapolis
Week 8- at St. Louis
Week 9- vs. Tampa Bay
Week 10- at Atlanta
Week 11- BYE WEEK
Week 12- vs. NY Giants
Week 13- vs. Detroit
Week 14- at Tennessee
Week 15- at Minnesota
Week 16- vs. Atlanta
Week 17- vs. Carolina
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