It’s been about five years of the New Orleans Saints entering a season with the expectation of an NFC South title and a good shot to put another another Lombardi to put next to the one from 2010.
The key word: expectation, not prediction.
The Saints organization expected it, we as fans, expected it; winning was a given. Whether we realized it or not, that consistent success was likely taken a bit for granted. What do you think the diehard Who Dats of the ’60s, ’70s and early ’80s would say to us when we came out with, “oh, 13-3 again, four straight division titles, that’s cool. But how many trophies?”
They would have asked if the NFL added another team called the Saints. Those fans didn’t have the luxury of our expectations.
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But when Drew Brees headed for the broadcast booth and a few other key players moved on, an inevitable new era became very real. That didn’t necessarily mean a turn for the worse, but it did mean a number of unknowns not seen for quite a while. We simply didn’t know what to expect from the 2021 version of the Saints.
Personally, I knew what I saw in training camp and was impressed. The ultimate question: Could that translate to winning football on Sundays? After the first taste of what we’ll see going forward, I can easily say I’m impressed. The Saints were still talked about, but usually after Tampa. The Saints, so sayeth the pundits, were in a rebuild. Saints Executive Vice President and General Manager Mickey Loomis would prefer to call it retooling. And after just one performance, it appears they picked some pretty pieces to work with.
A 38-3 destruction of the Green Bay Packers was all it took for the embattled Saints to return as the NFL’s darling team and a top contender. New Orleans wasn’t under the radar for long. Whether it’s ESPN, NFL Network, you name it, it was a “wow, what a performance” for Jameis Winston and the rest of the 2021 roster. It was a “wow, what a coaching job from Sean Payton, Dennis Allen, and Pete Carmichael Jr.” Or, more simply, just a “wow.”
I truly think the organization embraced that under-the-radar mentality this preseason. They were emboldened by how few people thought they had a real chance to win it all. It’s much easier to climb the mountain when few expect you to be on it in the first place.
It was nice spot to be in, for one game anyway. I don’t think defenses will be leaving Juwan Johnson out of their game planning any longer. I’m pretty sure some teams are wondering if they have someone to keep up with Deonte Harris — most don’t. Wait, Chris Hogan isn’t a pro lacrosse player anymore? Nope, he’s catching a touchdown pass in the season-opener.
Jameis Winston learned in live action what many have been saying all offseason: He doesn’t have to win on arm talent alone. All he needs to do is run the system/offense and make the right decisions. The underrated Saints defense and impressive contributions from up and down the roster will all take care of the rest — at least most of it.
Now … we know it’s not always going to look that easy, right? 16 more games. The next two will really be on the road, and without a fleur-de-lis painted at midfield.
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We’ve learned again after Hurricane Ida how important it is to take things as they come and handle what’s in front of us. The Saints have already been living this mantra for years, and they’ll continue to do it.
They just no longer have the luxury of catching anyone by surprise. Now on to Carolina.