It appears as though the New Orleans Saints have hit a wall under Sean Payton and this could be his swan song unless he turns things around. In his first seven seasons the Saints averaged over 10 wins per, reached the playoffs five times and won a Super Bowl following the 2009 campaign. It’s been a struggle recently, though they have been consistent. New Orleans was won seven games in each of the last three seasons and with a stronger defense they could rise above that number in 2017.
New Orleans Saints Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Saints Over 8 Wins +118
Saints Under 8 Wins -142
2017 New Orleans Saints Offense Preview
Offense has never been the problem in the Big Easy since Payton and Drew Brees were united in 2006. They’ve finished among the top-six in total offense each year and led the league seven times, including last season when they amassed 426 yards of offense per game. And that’s led to scoring outbursts as well with the Saints placing second last year with 29.3 points per game.
Brees will once again lead the attack and at 38 he wants another shot at glory before hanging up his cleats, though that’s still probably a few years away. He threw for over 5,000 yards last season, the fifth time he’s done that in his career, and has weapons for another big season.
Michael Thomas is the top receiving threat after catching a team-high 92 passes last season. Willie Snead and free agent Ted Ginn are also expected to be a big part of the passing game. The Saints found some balance in their attack last season with Mark Ingram rushing for over 1,000 yards and Adrian Peterson joins the backfield this season with hopes of improving last year’s 16th-ranked rushing attack.
2017 New Orleans Saints Defense Preview
The Saints have had a championship offense the past few years, but the defense hasn’t done its part and the result was three sub-.500 seasons. Payton is known more as an offensive coach and he’s done a great job. Now it’s up to Dennis Allen and the defense to do its part.
New Orleans has invested in defenders in recent drafts and those players are ready to make an impact. Linebackers Stephone Anthony and Hau’oli Kikaha, both selected in 2015, are vying for starting jobs. Last year’s first round pick Sheldon Rankins missed a majority of the season with an injury and is now ready to be a force on the line.
The Saints grabbed Vonn Bell with their third pick in 2016 and Marshon Lattimore with their first in 2017, both are expected to start in a secondary that could be the team’s strength. A lot of pieces have to fall in place, but the defense has the potential to be vastly improved.
2017 New Orleans Saints Schedule Analysis
The NFC South is loaded with the defending conference champion Falcons, the up and coming Buccaneers and the always dangerous Panthers, so navigating six games against those foes will be tough. The Saints won just two games against their division rivals last season and need at least a split to reach their projected win total.
The remainder of the schedule offers hope, however. The Saints get the NFC North and AFC East this season with the New England matchup in the Superdome. They travel to Green Bay in the middle of a three-game stretch with the NFC North. The other six contests against those division teams are all winnable matchups. And the Saints get the rebuilding Rams and Redskins as their two “third place” games.
The Final Verdict
The schedule is favorable, the defense looks to be improved and the offense will again be one of the best in the NFL, and that should add up to at least a nine-win season. The bar has been lowered in New Orleans, but Payton and Brees feel this could be the best team since the Super Bowl winning season.
Getting their home field swagger back would be helpful. When the team was winning double-digit games and reaching the playoffs, they owned the Superdome. They haven’t had a winning home record in any of the past three seasons.
NFL Odds: New Orleans Saints Over 8 Wins
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