The Season is far from over, and normally I would reserve something like this for the halfway point in the season. However, in this particular case I not only feel confident drawing some conclusions about this team as it stands now, but also making some predictions going into the future. The Saints are a 2-4 football team, and while they’re likely a handful of plays away from being above five hundred, they’re also incredibly close to being 1-5 so don’t expect this to all be sunshine and puppy dog tails. There are still ten games to go and a lot can happen in that time, but while a great deal is yet to be determined I personally find the season is a lot more bearable when I have something to look forward to. I doubt it will be the playoffs this year, but it could very well be the emergence of a ‘new core’ for the team going into the future.
That is what I would love to find out over the next ten games, but here are the things I think we know right now:
1: THE SAINTS QUIETLY HAD A KILLER OFF-SEASON.
There might not be a more controversial claim that I could make than that one. After all the Saints traded away a top 10 offensive weapon for a Center who has yet to make a significant impact (or has he?) and a draft pick. The team also had to deal with the reality that they gave a big contract to a nut case and they had to bite the bullet and cut him. The money being spent on Graham and Gallete this year would be much better served filling out the rest of the roster…on players who actually play for the team. There’s no question of that. BUT, if you look beyond the headlines and see all the changes between last year’s team and this one you begin to notice something. The Saints aren’t a much better team by record this year than they were last, but they are a heck of a lot better TEAM than they were. That is speaking from both a youth perspective going into the future as well as from the interpersonal point of view. The fact is that last year’s locker room was a caustic cesspool filled with big ego’s, brash personalities, and a whole lot of ‘me guys’. Say what you want about this year’s team, but they play for each other. That change alone would make the off-season a win.
It doesn’t end there though, that is only where things begin. The cleaning up of the locker room was incredibly important in both the short and the long term, but the actual acquisition of talent during this off-season doesn’t get the praise it deserves. The Saints traded an inconsistent wr with a bad attitude for a linebacker who (when healthy) has the ability to be a dynamic difference maker in Dannel Ellerbe. Simply looking at his performance this last Thursday where he seemed to be wherever the ball was should be enough to demonstrate that. They also resigned their best defensive player from last year (yes he actually was) to a long term contract and ensured the defense has a piece to build around going into the future. The team also added a veteran corner in Brandon Browner, and while he has struggled at times, he still brings value to the team (and with the return of Byrd has been much more successful). The one player who they brought in who has yet to really make a major impact (outside of …y’know…that one play) is C.J Spiller. I still believe it will be sooner rather than later when Payton is able to unleash the full might of an offense that features Spiller as its key chess piece, but constant injuries all along the line have significantly impacted both play calling and execution. The bottom line though is that Spiller is signed for the next 4 years, and provided he doesn’t suffer a major injury they WILL find ways to take advantage of his abilities.
The final component the Rookies will be covered in the next segment.
2: THE SAINTS HAVE A KILLER ROOKIE CLASS.
I can firmly establish that statement with 3 names alone: Hau’oli Kikaha, Stephone Anthony, Delvin Breaux. If all we got out of this years class of rookies was those 3 players I would call it a success. Kikaha is going to be a fan favorite for a long time in New Orleans with his endless motor and hustle, and ability to make plays (4 forced fumbles already). Stephone Anthony has shown continuous and steady improvement as the Saints middle linebacker of the future, but its the flashes of greatness that he gives us that has me so excited. Anthony has a truly rare combination of physical gifts and while he still has a lot to learn to master his craft as an NFL linebacker, he’s already made it abundantly clear that when he makes his reads right he makes plays. As the game continues to slow down for him and his instincts improve with expereience the games where he gets victimized at times will become few and far between…and the big plays will only become more frequent.
It is only in the interest of brevity (a miracle that is oh so very rare on the podcast as i’m sure you all know) that I have decided not to give Delvin Breaux his own section on here. Frankly I could write an entire article telling you all just how incredibly impressed I am by this young man’s performance so far this year. The whispers began in training camp, that he was special he had it and could become a top corner. Then we saw him early in the season and while he flashed ability, he needed to clean things up. However, with each passing weak Breaux continues to become more and more comfortable with the NFL game, and also seems to be garnering more and more confidence in his coaches. This last Thursday’s game against Atlanta was his biggest test to date; Breaux spent much of that game matched up 1v1 with one of the best receivers in the game today: Julio Jones. Breaux gave up 2 catches for 20 yards when matched up 1v1 with 2 pass breakups and came within inches of a pick. calling it incredibly impressive would be a massive understatement. Breaux isn’t just a great pick up..he’s a future star.
Those three players alone would be enough to make this a good class, but what makes it a ‘killer’ class are all of the other guys. Fifth round pick Damian Swann has shown himself to be a kid with a lot of attitude (in the good way) who doesn’t back down and could be an excellent slot corner for the Saints for years to come. Tyeler Davison another fifth round pick will likely never be a star, but has shown flashes of an ability to become a solid rotational defensive lineman for the Saints. Another defensive lineman in UDFA Bobby Richardson has burst onto the scene and played so well through 6 games that he gave Sean Payton the confidence to trade away (former) starting DE/DT Akiem Hicks to the Patriots. Richardson is a high effort player who never takes a snap off and has just enough ability to make enough plays to have an impact on a game. He’ll never be a star, but he’s a keeper for sure in my mind.
The draft is all about the future though, and the Saints got 3 player’s in addition to those already mentioned who could well have a positive impact on the team for years to come. PJ Williams might be on IR this year (SP redshirt anyone?), but I firmly believe he was the second best corner in last year’s draft and if he is healthy going into next year he will find a way to make an impact for the Saints sooner rather than later. Davis Tull is a bit of a wild card, but the few plays we did get to see of him before he also went to IR showed the same crazy first step that made the Saints take a shot at him in the first place. He has to find a way to stay healthy and needs to add a little more bulk, but Tull could be a very nice situational pass rusher for the team as early as next season.
The last player on the list is ironically the first player the Saints drafted: Andrus Peat. He’s been a bit of a mixed bag, but in the few snaps I’ve gotten to see from him I am confident saying that between Terron Armstead and Andrus Peat the Saints have secured themselves a top level tandem of tackles in the league for the foreseeable future. Peat needs some more seasoning and another year in an NFL training program, but all the tools are there for him to be a dominant right tackle for the Saints. That is good because I don’t think Zach Strief will play another year in New Orleans. At least not as the starter.
3: SEAN PAYTON STILL HAS IT.
Has the play calling always been 100% perfect in hindsight? no. Has Payton at times made some questionable decisions or failed to make adjustments? yes. But going beyond that Sean Payton still clearly has his gift as an offensive guru/game planner/play caller. Let us not forget that Sean Payton THIS YEAR dragged a near perfect performance out of Luke McCown on the road against a great Panthers defense…a performance that was one sub-par pass away from winning the Saints the game (also a HECK of a play by a Panther’s defender). More recently the suddenly resuscitated remains of Ben Watson turned in a 10 catch 120+ yard performance with a TD against the previously unbeaten Falcons. Neither of those is something any run of the mill coach can pull off.
It’s more than that though. Payton has his team playing hard every week, and nothing could have shown me has still has his teams full attention more than the way they played this last week. The Saints loss against the Eagles was simply embarrassing, and it was a reasonable expectation to think this team was going to fold (last year’s team did after they got screwed against the 49ers). That isn’t what happened though, instead of folding or putting in LESS effort the team put out their best performance of the year and put in even MORE effort than before. That is a sign of a team with strong character as a group, but also a sign of a coach whose team still trusts him and who still believe in him. This is a young team now, there will be mistakes, but effort has never been the issue this year. Execution has been and some of that falls on the players. It is also true that Payton has at times fallen into old habits, trying to get production from players, and in ways, that this roster simply isn’t geared for.
But before we start thinking about replacing him, or as some seem to think is a grand idea trading him away (you only do that if he demands it folks), lets look at the reality of his situation. Payton’s offense is one of the most complex in league history, and when it has all the necessary pieces it is almost unstoppoable. But this year’s team simply doesn’t have those pieces. The line is still clearly a work in progress and the team desperately needs 2 starting caliber Guards. But more than that the rapid and devastating decline of the once great Marques Colston has had a debilitating effect on the offense as a whole. Without having someone who can reliably work the middle of the field and help dictate coverages/match ups Payton’s offense is far less effective. As much as we miss the big play ability of a Devery Henderson, what the Saints offense has always truly thrived on was Colston’s ability to make tough catches in the middle that really allowed the rest of the offense to function as it should. The biggest issue with the Saints offense isn’t that Sean Payton has lost it…the biggest issue that that they have lost Colston (and the Pilot).
If the Saints are able to fix their offensive line in the off-season and can draft a true #1 type wr who has the physical attributes needed to attack the middle of the field like they once could, then get ready for a show. It may not look like it, but the Saints offense is so very, very, close to being deadly. The unfortunate thing is that they are a few key pieces short of being able to live up to that potential, but the position of Head Coach/Offensive play caller is NOT one of them.
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