The Saints are coming off of a 7-9 season and perhaps the most disappointing performance in franchise history (which is impressive in its own right). Based on that I could make the argument that EVERY single game they play next year is a must win game. However, there are certain games that I believe carry far more significance to the season as a whole. Some of them are important because its a division game, some are for revenge, and others are important because of what they mean to the teams psyche as a whole. Regardless I am going to rank the 5 games in 2015 which I believe to be absolute must win games.
Game 5: Week 12: At the Houston Texans.
This game has a lot of importance for the Saints. First and foremost it is probably the best test the offensive line will face all season, and if they can limit the impact of the best defensive player in football I have a lot more confidence of their ability to make a run in the playoffs. The bottom line is that this team will only go as far as Drew Brees is able to take it, and if they can’t keep him standing and keep him from being pressured on over a third of his drop backs (like last year), then they have no chance. The Texans have virtually no offense as of now, but their defense is legit especially with Watt.
The idea that the Saints are terrible on the road is a bit of an overplayed media myth in the same way that Brees rapid decline is one. Namely they are both seriously overblown and totally ridiculous. That said the Saints need to win their road games and while the Texans defense is the legit the fact is that their poor offense should be their undoing. They may have running back Arian Foster, but with the Texans being mostly one dimensional I expect the Saints to be able to bottle him up. If they can’t then that is a MAJOR issue, you simply can’t get beaten by a one dimensional bad team no matter how talented their star is…not if you are going to be a contender.
The final reason that this game is important is probably the simplest: its right after the team’s bye week. There is no excuse to lose to a team like Houston with two weeks to prepare for them, and if the Saints can’t come out of their bye week looking to lay waste to their opponents on their way into the postseason…then this season will probably be a disappointment as well. That’s why they must win this game.
Game 4: Week 3 at Carolina Panthers.
I certainly don’t have the long suffering history of most Saints fans simply because I have only been a football fan since 2006. Thanks to that the statement I am about to make is probably one that will not be shared by many of my more aged contemporaries…the Panthers game in the Superdome last year was the first time I have ever been truly embarrassed of my team. I have seen them lose, seen them choke, and seen them simply play poorly, but I had never seen them quit. I wasn’t there, not in the locker room or in their heads, but unless Sean Payton himself wants to call me and explain to me exactly how I’m wrong…that team flat out threw in the towel. I’m not saying I don’t understand why, but I am saying that it was on many levels one of the most painful moments for me as a fan because I could tell they simply weren’t into it. That hurt more than anything else (ok, except for 11′).
The Saints first shot at the Panthers is going to come on Sept 27 and they absolutely must win that game. I may have been embarrassed as a fan, but I can guarantee that no one was more distraught over that performance than the men who perpetrated it. The Saints want that game and I believe they need it. If for nothing more than their piece of mind the team needs to go into Carolina and remind them who has been the team to beat most of the last decade (yes the falcons won the division a couple times, but the Saints were the team to beat). It is very important to take control of the division early this year and not allow them to put themselves into the position they did last year, but the biggest reason to win this game is to prove to themselves that they are back where they belong.
The Panthers are a decent team and I won’t make any predictions for the game until I scout them the week before, however I WILL say that what WANT is a total ‘scorched earth’ beat down….I’m talking Colts in 11. I don’t think I will get it…but it would be oh so very sweet.
Game 3: Week 7 at Indianapolis Colts.
I was very tempted to put the game directly preceding this which is the Thursday night home game against Atlanta. And while that game does have significance because of the rivalry I don’t think the long term significance of the game can compare to this one. I could make a pretty strong case that the Colts are by far the best team the Saints will play this season. Don’t forget that they not only have an explosive offense, but an improving defense and that they made the AFC Championship game last year. I’m sure their fan base felt a bit deflated from that experience, but they also remember how it ended the last time the Saints were in Indianapolis. These two teams are worlds different from the ones that met in 2011 when the Saints put 60 on the Colts, while basically trying not to. The Colts are now one of the up and coming young teams in the league and a major test for the team.
The fact that it is a road game coming immediately after a Thursday night game is actually a bit of a blessing in disguise. The Saints will get a couple of extra days of preparation in order to deal with the Colts and they will need it. There is no question in my mind that the Saints offense can easily go blow for blow with the Colts high powered attack. Drew Brees may not have the youth of Andrew Luck, but he is still the better QB to me and if the game is a shootout my money is still on Drew. However, the biggest test in this game is for the unit that will define the Saints season: the Secondary. The Colts are a vertical passing team and if the Saints can bring a combination of effective pass rush and solid coverage then they will likely win. But, if the ‘new look’ Saints defense looks more like last year’s version then this is going to make the game in Dallas last year look like a kindness. The Saints need this game to prove that their defense is just as fearsome as the Offense and that it too can hang with the big boys.
Game 2: Week 4 Dallas comes to New Orleans.
Vengeance. The importance of this game can be defined as something simple as that. The Cowboys and the Saints have now flat out ‘whooped’ one another each of the last two seasons. The Saints were flat out manhandled and beaten up by the Cowboys last year and they get a chance in week 4 to prove that this year’s team is not the same sorry bunch as last year. Dallas was also a pretty good team last year so it’s an excellent chance to test themselves early in the year and build confidence for later in the season. The other reason that the Saints must win this game though, is that it is a primetime home game which they have traditionally dominated. Frankly the team was awful at home last year which is something we never imagined we would say about this team. They need to prove to themselves that they are still able to dominate at home, and more importantly they owe the home crowd which is always so incredible a show to remember. After the horrendous performances of last season to end the year this team needs to come out and make a statement at home that this is OUR HOUSE! And nobody gets to come in here and steal a win.
Game 1: Week 1 at Arizona Cardinals.
Are you surprised? I hope not. Forget revenge on ATL, or Carolina, or even Dallas, The very first thing and to me the most important one for the Saints to do this season is win their first game. The Saints went through a lot of changes this offseason and had a bit of a wakeup call last year (understatement of the year), and thanks to that this team has some demons to exercise. The Cardinals are a tough match up on both offense and defense with a (presumably) healthy Carson Palmer back behind center. Not only are they one of the best defenses in the league but they are also extremely well coached. The Cardinals would normally be a team that I would rather the Saints face around midseason when they have established themselves and built some ‘rhythm’.
In this case though it’s the best possible match up for week one. The Cardinals will give the Saints all they can handle, and I am firm believer in the idea that ‘Iron sharpens iron’. The Saints need to come out and face a team that they know they can’t beat if they don’t come out swinging with everything they have right from the get got. The Saints defense has an opportunity to erase the pathetic performance of last year’s week 1 debacle against Atlanta and the Saints offensive line has a chance to show just how greatly improved they are. Not only must the Saints win this game, but I believe that if they do it will act as a springboard for the rest of the season. Winning is the ultimate cure in sports and if there is any doubt within this organization that they are still one of the top teams in the league, the only way to cleanse that is to WIN. Starting the season off right is quite simply the single most important thing (outside of health obviously) and that is why this is the one game beyond any other that I believe they MUST WIN.
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