NFL Record Predictions: Where do the Redskins end up in the pack?
By Ian Cummings
New Orleans Saints
Is it fair to say that people are sleeping on the Saints? A team that’s widely expected to return to the playoffs? I think it is, and so I’ll say it. People are sleeping on the Saints.
They were already one of the league’s most talented teams last season, and this year, they experienced a net gain in talent. They lost stalwart center Max Unger on the offensive line, but rookie Erik McCoy has the athleticism and the motor to fill that hole. The rest of the unit is very good, and it’ll help facilitate another seamless offensive campaign by Drew Brees and Co.
On defense, the Saints are excellent on the second and third levels, and while their front four sorely misses Sheldon Rankins, who’s recovering from an Achilles tear, they hope to get him back sometime during the season, to pair him with Cameron Jordan, Marcus Davenport, and Malcolm Brown.
The Saints are solid all-around, and they’re only going to get better. Sean Payton will have a chip on his shoulder after losing his Super Bowl bid to a controversial pass interference call. His well-oiled machine will remain just that, and they’ll reign supreme not just in the NFC South, but in the entire conference.