The New Orleans Saints lost a heart-breaker to the Minnesota Vikings in overtime in the first round of the playoffs.
“It certainly didn't end how you wanted it to end,” Zach Strief, the Voice of the Saints, said. “The reality is, in the NFL, 31 teams don't have it end the way they want it to end. Generally, if you're in this building or a player, it's the worst day of the year.”
It was still a good season, however. There were a number of challenges thrown their way. They lost their starting quarterback, a future Hall-of-Famer, for five games. They had numerous other injuries. The Saints season could have ended much earlier than it did, but the team responded to those challenges. They battled through thick and thin.
“The [Saints] building did such a good job of creating depth and giving this team a chance,” Strief said. “When they did get hit with injuries, this group stayed together and kept playing. It's hard to win 13 games in an NFL season, and to do it two years in a row is impressive. And yet the end goal is to always win a championship. When you don't, it's disappointing.”
The Saints were close to pulling out the victory against the Vikings and preventing that disappointing end, but things just didn't seem to be fully clicking. Especially in the first half, they just could not develop a rhythm.
“I think that's right,” Strief agreed. “Offensively and defensively, that first half was disappointing. But this team fought, and they got back in the game, when it didn't look like they were going to be able to. They gave themselves a chance to win, and ultimately, they didn't make enough plays to do that.”
With the 2019 season over for the Saints, the single biggest question is about the future of Drew Brees. He is an unrestricted free agent, and he'll be turning 41 later this month.
“I really do believe Drew when he says it's a year-to-year thing,” Strief said. “So much of it is going to be how his body responds and if he can still play at the level he wants to play at. I think Drew's biggest fear is coming back one year too many and having his body become a liability and not a reason why the Saints are successful.”
“It's hard to look at this season and say that has begun,” Strief continued. “Drew Brees was phenomenal after he came back from the thumb injury. He finished the year the second highest rated quarterback in the NFL. He obviously broke some career records, but he was also playing at one of the highest levels you'll ever see an NFL quarterback play at.”
Despite still playing at an elite level, there are, of course, other considerations.
“It would be hard to imagine him feeling like this is going to be the last year,” Strief said. “Yet there's also that mental side of it. Your kids get older, and you want to be around more. Obviously his family is important to him. He has to make all those decisions for himself, and I think he's earned the right to make that decision, when he feels comfortable making it."
