The 2011 season is upon us and I, like you, couldn’t be more excited. If you’re not excited about tonight’s game and you’re a Saints fan I question whether you have a pulse. Below I’ve got 3 things that should make you really excited for the game tonight as well as the season, and 3 things that should make you a little nervous. I figure there’s no better way to set up this game than by giving you the strengths of the Saints, as well as being honest about the weaknesses they have.
Things to be excited about:
1. The running backs
Yay for healthy runners! If the four headed monster of Mark Ingram, Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles and Joique Bell can stay relatively healthy this year, I’m super excited about the potential that backfield brings. Don’t forget Chris Ivory comes off the PUP list for week 7, presumably healthy, so that’ll be a nice midseason boost as well. I truly feel this is the best depth the Saints have ever had at that position.
2. Team experience
At this point the Saints are a proven winner. They’ve been to the NFC Championship, the playoffs, and they’ve won a Super Bowl. In the Sean Payton era the Saints have established themselves as an upper echelon team that compete every year for a title. The core the team has assembled allows them to be competitive going into any game. Much like the Steelers, Patriots, Colts and a few others, people now expect the Saints to be relevant year in year out. As a fan, having a team that’s built for consistent success is the ultimate. The overall roster is very strong and what more could you ask for as a fan?
3. A serious offseason
The Saints did an amazing job retaining a number of crucial elements, but they also added Cameron Jordan and Mark Ingram both in the 1st round of the NFL draft. They also landed Olin Kreutz, Darren Sproles, Will Herring, Turk McBride, Shaun Rogers and Aubrayo Franklin among others. Despite a strong roster they were able to go out and improve both their depth and their starting lineup. The coaching staff and management are playing to win NOW. Again, as a fan, what more can you ask for?
bonus – I easily could have put this as a 4th thing, but I just want to mention Jimmy Graham. How can you not be excited about his potential this year? I think he’s going to blow up as a superstar this year.
Things to be nervous about:
1. The front 7
Will Smith is suspended for 2 weeks, so the starting defensive ends are Jeff Charleston and Turk McBride. If that doesn’t make you nervous, you’re in denial. Yes Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette are both very promising young ends that will rotate in and contribute, but at this point I don’t think that’s an elite level rotation. In fact, it’s mediocre at best. At linebacker, a youngster has yet to emerge so the outside linebackers are Herring and Scott Shanle. To me it’s a huge cause for concern that Shanle keeps beating out the competition the Saints throw at him. Can this team tackle consistently and can they get pressure on the quarterback? Not obvious.
2. The kicking situation
John Kasay makes me really nervous. Any questions I had about him before have been blown up tenfold after he missed an extra point and a short field goal in that final preseason game. He looked horrible. I don’t know how long Garrett Hartley is out, but hopefully it’s just another 10 minutes. Seriously, I don’t feel good about Kasay as a suitable replacement and the longer this lasts the more the Saints’ kicking game becomes a glaring weakness. I’m already having nightmares from that Olindo Mare, Taylor Melhaff, Martin Grammatica musical chairs game. Hopefully Hartley can get right in a hurry.
3. The offensive tackle position
Gone is Jon Stinchcomb, so the starters are Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief. Bushrod was already the weak link on the line and I wasn’t entirely comfortable with him as a starter, and now right tackle is potentially a cause for concern as well. Behind them, the Saints essentially have no one, as Charles Brown has clearly shown he’s not ready. The Saints cannot afford any injuries at this position, and frankly the starters they have are spotty enough. The good news is Bushrod and Strief are both old enough to have had experience as veterans, but young enough to still be improving players. Let’s hope they can both take their games to new levels this season.
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