NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
2022 Record - 7-10
Head Coach - Dennis Allen
Offensive Rank - 19th (334 YPG); Scoring - 22nd (19.4 PPG)
Defensive Rank - 5th (315 YPG); Scoring - 9th (20.3 PPG)
Derek Carr comes over from the Las Vegas Raiders and he will be the Saints starting quarterback this year. Carr passed for 3,522 yards with 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2022. Jameis Winston (858 passing yards, four TD, five INT) will be the backup. The running backs include Alvin Kamara (once he completes a three-game suspension mandated by NFL), who ran for 897 yards a year ago (4.0 YPC average) and scored two touchdowns along with making 57 receptions for 490 yards and two scores. Jamaal Williams comes over from Detroit and he rushed for 1,066 yards (4.1 YPC) and had 17 rushing touchdowns. Rookie Kendre Miller (TCU) will be on hand to spell the veterans. The wide receivers are led by Chris Olave (72, 1,042, four TD), Michael Thomas (coming off an injury filled season again) and Rashid Shaheed (28, 488, two TD) along with tight ends Juwan Johnson (42, 508, seven TD) and Taysom Hill, who doubles up as a running back and rushed for 575 yards (6.0 YPC) and scored seven touchdowns.
Defensive end Cameron Jordan (8 1/2 QB sacks) leads the front line and Carl Granderson and rookies Bryan Bresee (Clemson) and Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame) will bolster the front seven as well. The linebackers include Demario Davis (team leading 109 tackles), D'Marco Jackson and Zack Baun. In the secondary, Tyrann Mathieu (three interceptions and 91 tackles) is the free safety and is paired with free safety Marcus Maye and corners Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo.
OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The Saints offense was stuck in low gear last season while the defense did the heavy lifting to keep them in contention for a playoff spot until the final two weeks. Head Coach Dennis Allen knows the offense must improve this season and is counting on Carr to provide that spark to the passing game. Once Kamara gets back into the mix and if WR Michael Thomas can stay healthy and contribute along with a plethora of weapons, the Saints could rebound from a so-so season on offense, when they averaged under 20 points per game.
The defense was solid in 2022 and should be once again this year, barring injuries to any key players. They need to do better against the run, but they enforce a strict hands off policy against enemy air attacks, finishing second in the NFL in that area last season. They accumulated 48 sacks, but need to pick up the numbers as far as turnovers is concerned. The Saints were a minus-11 last season in the turnover category. That needs to change if they want to win the NFC South division.
The NFC South is very winnable and after two seasons out of the NFC playoffs, the Saints want very badly to get back there. It's doable but they have to win the division games in what figures to be a tight race all the way to January.
TEAM SCHEDULE
Week One - vs. Tennessee
Week Two - at Carolina
Week Three - at Green Bay
Week Four - vs. Tampa Bay
Week Five - at New England
Week Six - at Houston
Week Seven - vs. Jacksonville
Week Eight - at Indianapolis
Week Nine - vs. Chicago
Week Ten - at Minnesota
Week Eleven - BYE
Week Twelve - at Atlanta
Week Thirteen - vs. Detroit
Week Fourteen - vs. Carolina
Week Fifteen - vs. N.Y. Giants
Week Sixteen - at L.A. Rams
Week Seventeen - at Tampa Bay
Week Eighteen - vs. Atlanta
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