(By Quin):
Wow, do I have egg on my face!
After last week so confidently predicting the New Orleans Saints would find a way to make the playoffs, I probably should just stay in my nest and hope nobody notices.
Speaking of eggs, I never, ever, ever thought that Drew Brees and the Saints offense as a whole could possible “lay an egg” (and eggs quite so rotten!) as they laid in back to back weeks, thus making my prediction look as scrambled as Humpty after his fall.
Three interceptions and no touchdowns for Brees — two weeks in a row?!?! Really???
What sort of crazy world is this?
Anyway, obviously, I was wrong. So after scoring just 11 points and losing to the Bucs, the Saints are effectively dead for the season.
Still, I see much more talent, and talent moving in the right direction, now than I did in either of the two prior, mediocre years.
Counting players expected to come back from injuries (such as cornerbacks P.J. Williams and Damian Swann, and perhaps edge rusher Hau’oli Kikaha), the Saints have more talent and quality depth heading into the off-season than they have had in half a decade. They basically need three new players — VERY good players, to be sure, but just three of them — to really strike fear in opposing teams next year.
They need a superb defensive end to serve as a bookend for Cameron Jordan.
They need a superb, youngish player for the right side of their O-line (plus improvement from Andrus Peat, so far at best fair-to-middling, at left guard). And they need one more superb cornerback.
Everywhere else, the Saints look to be in good shape, with more young players getting better than older players losing their edge.
So, although it’s the most frustrating phrase in team sports, “Wait ’til next year.” The Saints will go marching in.
