FINALLY! I HAVE COME BACK TO SAINTSS…NATTTIIOONN!!!…ok, ok, so I’m not The Rock; and I can feel the collective groaning and face palming even as I write this, but you gotta gimme a break I did just finish finals after all. This means that from here on out my summer will consist of counting down the minutes until the season starts and theorizing on how it’s going to turn out with all of you. With my mischief now managed I can happily get on to my predictions for the Saints season some of which I deem not only plausible, but veritable guarantees. Others are a little more farfetched and come from my brain’s ‘Who Dat lobe’, but all of these are things I truly believe are both possible and probable based on the Saints off-season.
1. The Saints will lead the league in total offense and will have two receivers with over 1000 yards.
I can’t say for sure who those receivers will be although I’m about 99% sure one of them is going to be Jimmy Graham as the only ‘flying’ he will do this season is right past confused defensive backs. My initial prediction was going to be for Brandin Cooks because he A, attended the same college as me, and B, is in the immortal words of Junior Gallete FAST. However, after looking back at some of last year’s film the guy I really seeing going over a thousand yards this year is Kenny Stills. Kenny is a fantastic route runner just like Cooks and also has 4.3 speed, however I think Kenny will actually benefit from Cook’s ability to demand coverage because of his insane explosiveness. This year’s offense will most likely be of the ‘pick your poison’ variety…and no matter who they choose they gonna get the Hamlet treatment. I wouldn’t be totally shocked if both of those guys go over, but I’m not so deluded by fan-hood that I am going to predict 3 1000 yard guys before even seeing them in pre-season.
2. New Orleans will be third in total Sacks and once again have 2 guys at/near the top 5.
Guess who? Duh. Cam Jordan is about to make the leap from mildly dorky star, to ridiculous superstar with goofy hair. The guy is the ultimate complete player this side of J.J. Watt and is still improving, and the crazy thing is he isn’t the most talented end we have. I see him get between 12-15 Sacks this year, Gallette getting the same, and between Hicks and a now healthy Butler we get another 15 combined. You probably won’t hear Ray Lewis screaming about what a MAN any of our guys is anytime soon…but trust me every offensive lineman in the league is going to be wearing an extra set of Tony Siragussa’s Man Guards or whatever they are called when they see the film on these guys. Cam and Junior are going to earn their money, and I pray at the altar of Loomis that we can keep both in the future, but this year these two guys are going to light the world on fire…Gallete just might do it literally. #bodybags
3. Khiry Robinson rushes for over a 1000 yards and ten touchdowns.
You want bold? I’ll give you bold! Sean Payton fears running twice in a row like the Bellichek fears washing his sweatshirt…they will do it but only if you force them to. Well…Khiry is going to force him to. What we have seen from this kid is only scratching the surface of what he can potentially do. He has all the tools; vision, balance, power, stamina, will, and the one thing no back we have had other than Reggie really had..BURST! (not including Sproles because he was primarily a receiver) The element of Burst is what sets him apart from our other backs because Khiry has the ability to break a 10,15,20, and even 50 yard run if he gets a good hole and except against Dallas Ingram doesn’t bring that. He is also powerful and runs with the intensity of Ivory, but isn’t made of Tin Foil. (I loved tusk’s heart but c’mon he was on IR every 14 seconds) It is a bold prediction and one that is entirely contingent on him capitalizing on his reps early in the year so Payton trusts him…but that’s what you have Atlanta for.
4. The Saints have the most productive defense in the league this year.
To be clear I am saying productive not dominant. To have a truly dominant defense it has to be the focal point of your team like it was with the 2000 Ravens or last year’s trutherbowl champion Seahawks . (nope not still bitter here folks) When I say productive what I am talking about is a unit that strikes fear into the opponent, but that does so in a way that complements the teams identity and pushes it to greater heights. Reading between the lines what that amounts to is forcing turnovers and being dominant early so that the offense can get going off of short fields. This team has consistently proven that they can grind out wins, but when they get a lead they are the best frontrunners in the league and will pour it on mercilessly. We should finally have a defense that can make big plays and force turnovers ala 2009, but still remain fundamentally sound and sane. (Gregg Williams and his idiotic 0 blitzes to no effect in 2011)
5. The supersaiyansaint is predicting some SUPER SAINTS!!!!!
Bottom line here folks is we go 13-3, get first seed, run through the NFC at home, and once again crush poor Payton’s hopes and dreams. (that would be Manning) This might feel/sound like hyperbole, but unless something goes horribly wrong the Saints are not only well positioned to make a deep run…they probably have the best top to bottom roster in the league right now. I can’t guarantee anything, but this is one of the rare times where a team is so good and appears so driven that there is no excuse NOT to win.
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