The Saints?

Splat · 09-26-2006, 09:21 AM

I don't think there are going to the SB or anything but I think they will fight for a wildcard.

Basileus777 · 09-26-2006, 09:26 AM

The Saints are improved, but I don't see them making the playoffs with this schedule. The offense is for real, but I am not sold yet on the defense.

http://sports-att.espn.go.com/nfl/te...=nor&year=2006

Thats a pretty brutual schedule, especially in December. I can't see them going better than 8-8 at best.

therock6000 · 09-26-2006, 09:27 AM

I think the saints are much improved...but best case scenario is 8-8...which is looking competitive in the nfc south. they won't win the wild card...they'll have to win the division to make the postseason. To answer the question, they aren't "for real", but they are a lot more real than recent years.

Splat · 09-26-2006, 09:34 AM

Tampa Bay has been sucking and they don't have a QB now Carolina is so up and down you never know which team will show up I know Smith has been hurt if he goes down for a few more games they are SOL.

drowe · 09-26-2006, 09:36 AM

i dunno..Drew Brees is playing well. Reggie Bush adds a new dimension to the offense. Marques Colston is a stud. The Defense looked amazing against a dynamic Atlanta offense. And they're 3-0. I don't see any reason to NOT believe they're for real at this point.

RyanLeaf#1 · 09-26-2006, 09:38 AM

Carolina is going to blow them out next week.

giant73zuma · 09-26-2006, 09:46 AM

Are they real?
No, not this year, not yet.
But I can defiantely see them being contenders next year, especially with a good draft and maybe a couple of freea agent pick ups.

bearsfan_51 · 09-26-2006, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drowe

i dunno..Drew Brees is playing well. Reggie Bush adds a new dimension to the offense. Marques Colston is a stud. The Defense looked amazing against a dynamic Atlanta offense. And they're 3-0. I don't see any reason to NOT believe they're for real at this point.

I agree.

NIN1984 · 09-26-2006, 10:29 AM

The next 3 games will say a lot about the Saints but IMO I think they are for real and should make the playoffs

and plus Drew Brees is only going to get better week after week

Jughead10 · 09-26-2006, 10:34 AM

One of the biggest factors for the Saints might be the fact that Joe Horn hasn't completely lost it. I really thought after last year Joe Horn would never be a good starter in the NFL again. I thought it was just over for him.

The Unseen · 09-26-2006, 10:44 AM

They could be like the 2004 Jaguars, who went 3-0 but struggled down the stretch and ended up missing the playoffs. Of course, they are two different teams, one built on offense and the other on defense. But it's just an example.

Number 10 · 09-26-2006, 10:53 AM

I just don't see the depth on the defensive side of the ball that is needed to hinder the affect of inevitable injuries. Good start, they will be in playoff discussions but I still see them finishing around .500

DMWSackMachine · 09-26-2006, 11:09 AM

The only way that they will or can be "for real" is if some of the players that they have who are considered to be mediocre or even just plain bad emerge into quality players in a way that no one has or will foresee.

The truth is, they just don't have that good of players on their team. They are currently starting a corps of LBs that were all backups for NFC East teams last year. That's how bad they are at LB. They are also employing no names and young guys at the DT positions. McKenzie is a good player in the secondary, but outside of him they have young unproven players and mediocre vets. Hell, they are starting Roman Harper, who, though he ended up being a second round pick, was projected as no more than a 4th rounder by every draft service I ever saw.

Anyhow, I don't know what happened last night, and I don't think I will ever know. If the conspiracy theorists are right, this kind of thing is their best evidence, because that Atlanta team sure looked like they were trying to throw that game. Every single player on that team looked bad. DeAngelo Hall got flat out embarrassed all night long. I mean, at what point do you realize that the other team is NOT going to throw deep and start covering up the short stuff better, but NO was constantly completing digs and short outs to his man. And he's just an example. Every other player on that team was doing the same thing. It was just uncanny.

datchapin · 09-26-2006, 11:09 AM

Someone please explain to me how they are the 5th best ranked defense. I'm loosing my mind over this here.

Jughead10 · 09-26-2006, 11:13 AM

Roman Harper is a player. They was a great pick by New Orleans whether it was in the second round or not.

09-26-2006, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMWSackMachine

Anyhow, I don't know what happened last night, and I don't think I will ever know. If the conspiracy theorists are right, this kind of thing is their best evidence, because that Atlanta team sure looked like they were trying to throw that game. Every single player on that team looked bad. DeAngelo Hall got flat out embarrassed all night long. I mean, at what point do you realize that the other team is NOT going to throw deep and start covering up the short stuff better, but NO was constantly completing digs and short outs to his man. And he's just an example. Every other player on that team was doing the same thing. It was just uncanny.

:roll:

Just shut up.

The Unseen · 09-26-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

The only way that they will or can be "for real" is if some of the players that they have who are considered to be mediocre or even just plain bad emerge into quality players in a way that no one has or will foresee.

The truth is, they just don't have that good of players on their team. They are currently starting a corps of LBs that were all backups for NFC East teams last year. That's how bad they are at LB. They are also employing no names and young guys at the DT positions. McKenzie is a good player in the secondary, but outside of him they have young unproven players and mediocre vets. Hell, they are starting Roman Harper, who, though he ended up being a second round pick, was projected as no more than a 4th rounder by every draft service I ever saw.

Anyhow, I don't know what happened last night, and I don't think I will ever know. If the conspiracy theorists are right, this kind of thing is their best evidence, because that Atlanta team sure looked like they were trying to throw that game. Every single player on that team looked bad. DeAngelo Hall got flat out embarrassed all night long. I mean, at what point do you realize that the other team is NOT going to throw deep and start covering up the short stuff better, but NO was constantly completing digs and short outs to his man. And he's just an example. Every other player on that team was doing the same thing. It was just uncanny.

The rest of your post seems to indicate that you have a hard time realizing that this might in fact be true.

Your comment about NFC East back-up linebackers also makes me think you have trouble realizing that the NFC East might not be all it's hyped up to be, which again is a hard time realizing that what is thought to be true is false.

bearsfan_51 · 09-26-2006, 11:32 AM

So if the Saints go 9-7 they aren't "for real"? What does for real mean? Hell if the Saints go 8-8 that would be an amazing season for them. Anyone expecting them to go 12-4 is an idiot.

But they could finish the season 6-7 and sneak into the playoffs. I don't see why not.

Windy · 09-26-2006, 11:34 AM

the saints will make the playoffs and beat dallas in the first round. the crowd will go wild and sean payton will be hurled into the air.

Basileus777 · 09-26-2006, 11:54 AM

4 Sun, Oct 1 at Carolina
5 Sun, Oct 8 Tampa Bay
6 Sun, Oct 15 Philadelphia
7 BYE WEEK
8 Sun, Oct 29 Baltimore
9 Sun, Nov 5 at Tampa Bay
10 Sun, Nov 12 at Pittsburgh
11 Sun, Nov 19 Cincinnati
12 Sun, Nov 26 at Atlanta
13 Sun, Dec 3 San Francisco
14 Sun, Dec 10 at Dallas
15 Sun, Dec 17 Washington
16 Sun, Dec 24 at NY Giants
17 Sun, Dec 31 Carolina

The Saints are playing pretty good, but making the playoffs? Which 6 of these games are the Saints going to win (assuming 9-7 gets them in)? I don't see more than 4 or 5 wins here.

GermanSaint · 09-26-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basileus777

4 Sun, Oct 1 at Carolina
5 Sun, Oct 8 Tampa Bay
6 Sun, Oct 15 Philadelphia
7 BYE WEEK
8 Sun, Oct 29 Baltimore
9 Sun, Nov 5 at Tampa Bay
10 Sun, Nov 12 at Pittsburgh
11 Sun, Nov 19 Cincinnati
12 Sun, Nov 26 at Atlanta
13 Sun, Dec 3 San Francisco
14 Sun, Dec 10 at Dallas
15 Sun, Dec 17 Washington
16 Sun, Dec 24 at NY Giants
17 Sun, Dec 31 Carolina

The Saints are playing pretty good, but making the playoffs? Which 6 of these games are the Saints going to win (assuming 9-7 gets them in)? I don't see more than 4 or 5 wins here.

hmm 2 times tampa , 2 times carolina , makes 4
SF , 5
maybe one or two nfc east upsets

and iam not sold on the steelers yet.

its very hard but it isnt like walking on water.

P-L · 09-26-2006, 12:10 PM

Reggie Bush was the offensive MVP last night. I don't care what the stats showed. When Reggie was on the field, all eyes were on him. It seemed to me that the Falcon's biggest priority was to stop him. I felt like a big reason why the Saints won was because they gave too much respect to Bush, and not enough to Brees.

Number 10 · 09-26-2006, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GermanSaint

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basileus777

4 Sun, Oct 1 at Carolina
5 Sun, Oct 8 Tampa Bay
6 Sun, Oct 15 Philadelphia
7 BYE WEEK
8 Sun, Oct 29 Baltimore
9 Sun, Nov 5 at Tampa Bay
10 Sun, Nov 12 at Pittsburgh
11 Sun, Nov 19 Cincinnati
12 Sun, Nov 26 at Atlanta
13 Sun, Dec 3 San Francisco
14 Sun, Dec 10 at Dallas
15 Sun, Dec 17 Washington
16 Sun, Dec 24 at NY Giants
17 Sun, Dec 31 Carolina

The Saints are playing pretty good, but making the playoffs? Which 6 of these games are the Saints going to win (assuming 9-7 gets them in)? I don't see more than 4 or 5 wins here.

hmm 2 times tampa , 2 times carolina , makes 4
SF , 5
maybe one or two nfc east upsets

and iam not sold on the steelers yet.

its very hard but it isnt like walking on water.

I'll be suprised if you beat the Panthers once, let alone twice.

You will beat the Bucs twice-You will probably lose to 3 of the 4 NFC East teams-And you will probably upset one of the AFC North teams-leaving you with 4 more, maybe 5 more wins.

09-26-2006, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basileus777

4 Sun, Oct 1 at Carolina
5 Sun, Oct 8 Tampa Bay
6 Sun, Oct 15 Philadelphia
7 BYE WEEK
8 Sun, Oct 29 Baltimore
9 Sun, Nov 5 at Tampa Bay
10 Sun, Nov 12 at Pittsburgh
11 Sun, Nov 19 Cincinnati
12 Sun, Nov 26 at Atlanta
13 Sun, Dec 3 San Francisco
14 Sun, Dec 10 at Dallas
15 Sun, Dec 17 Washington
16 Sun, Dec 24 at NY Giants
17 Sun, Dec 31 Carolina

The Saints are playing pretty good, but making the playoffs? Which 6 of these games are the Saints going to win (assuming 9-7 gets them in)? I don't see more than 4 or 5 wins here.

They'll win:

1 - one of the Carolina games
2 & 3 - both Tampa Bay games
4 - either Philadelphia or Baltimore @ home
5 - San Francisco
6 - Washington

9-7

Flyboy · 09-26-2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanLeaf#1

Carolina is going to blow them out next week.

Just like all the experts had Atlanta blowing us out last night. *yawns* I prefer it when people sleep on us. Keep it up.