NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints are on track to win 50 regular-season games over a 4-year span. Do you know how unique that is to do in NFL history?
Since 1980 only four teams have managed it; The 1985-1988 Chicago Bears, the 1987-1990 San Francisco 49ers, the 2003-2010 New England Patriots who won a ridiculous 100 games in 8 seasons and the 2006-2009 Indianapolis Colts.
To put 50 wins in perspective, from 1993-2000 the Saints won 50 games, and that included a 10-win season in 2000. For the Saints to get 50 wins they need to go 4-1 in their final 5 games to win 13 games for the third consecutive season.
Yes — the Saints haven't gotten to or won a Super Bowl during these 4 years, but that doesn't make accomplishing something only 4 teams have done the last 40 years any less incredible; this is a monumental achievement if the Saints pull it off.
They're on path to doing it while going 7-0 in games Drew Brees didn't start. In 2017-2018 no NFL team placed more players on injured reserve than the Saints, and yet, they still won 34 games those 2 years.
I like to joke about how Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton built a tank and nothing has slowed it down the last 4 regular seasons. Massive injuries at the offensive line and linebacker didn't stop the Saints in 2017 and 2018 until the playoffs — and even then, only barely.
*cough no-call against the Rams cough robbery*
The thing is the 2020 Saints might be the deepest and most complete team of the last 4 years. The Saints solidified their only weak spot at the trade deadline by acquiring linebacker Kwon Alexander, and the free-agent addition of Malcolm Jenkins at safety has given the defense the ability to erase tight ends in a way we've never seen under Sean Payton.
The Saints added veterans James Hurst to the offensive line this year and Nick Easton last offseason, and in 2020 because of an injury to Andrus Peat and Terron Armstead contracting COVID they've needed them both to play. All the Saints did with both starting was run for 229 yards on the road in Denver while starting a backup quarterback.
Injury to corner Marshon Lattimore? No worries, Patrick Robinson can hold it down for a week against the Atlanta Falcons.
Marcus Davenport has to miss significant time early in the season? Trey Hendrickson blossoms into a defensive end with 9.5 sacks through 11 games.
Alvin Kamara has a minor foot issue and the Saints would like to manage his workload? Just give Latavius Murray more carries, and let him run for 119 yards and 2 scores.
The Saints have been fortunate to win a lot of close games the last 4 seasons, but they've also managed their roster almost flawlessly to build incredible depth. Whenever we try and predict a team's season, we never ask questions like, "Who do they have at backup offensive tackle, and who's their 5th corner?"
The Saints made sure the answer to questions like those are, "A player that can do the job."
It's always baffled me that despite the success the Saints have had an organization only Ryan Pace and Doug Marrone have gotten general manager and coaching opportunities.
You'd think NFL teams would be flocking to interview people in the Saints organization to learn how they built a team that's dominated the NFC South and is on the verge of a quad-peat of division titles. I hope other teams stay stupid.
What we've witnessed the last 4 years isn't just the best ever stretch of Saints football, it's something few fan bases get to experience.
Saints Fan Mood and Meditation Music: Walk All Over You — AC/DC
I like AC/DC and I know every song of theirs is almost identical, but I never realized every AC/DC song was 3 chords and a Marge Simpson voice until I saw this video.
You'll never listen to AC/DC the same way again!
It's time to walk all over the Falcons, even without Drew Brees. 2020 wouldn't be complete without the complete humiliation of Tom Brady and the Falcons franchise. Go trample some birds Saints.
The Games
Last Week:2-3
Season: 25-25
New Orleans (-3) at Atlanta: The Falcons get their second shot at Taysom Hill in 3 weeks. Hill struggled in Denver, looked tentative, and was so afraid of making a mistake he couldn't even pull the trigger fast enough on a beautifully set up screen for Alvin Kamara.
I expect a different Taysom against the Falcons. He will be more confident, and with the Saints throwing more, he will find a rhythm like he did against Atlanta in the first game.
Taysom's job is to avoid mistakes, make some plays, and ride the best defense in the NFL to victory. That's right, the Saints are the #1 defense in the NFL by yards allowed.
Don't listen to all those stat nerds telling us yards allowed isn't a good measure of defense in 2020.
We've been waiting 15 years for Sean Payton to have a great defense. If there's a measure that says the Saints have the best defense, I shall believe it.
The Saints might not sack Matt Ryan 8 times again, but they'll create enough mayhem to throw the Falcons offense into the ditch. Taysom is going to have his best game yet, and the Saints will make it 9 straight wins.
Saints 38-13
Seattle (-10) vs. New York Giants: The Seahawks have a soft remaining schedule, and their defense isn't a burning trash pile anymore — don't count them out for NFC's #1 seed.
34-13
Green Bay (-9.5) vs Philadelphia: Carson Wentz is the Dollar Tree version of Taysom Hill.
Packers 28-7
Arizona (+3) vs Los Angeles Rams: The Rams have the defense to give the Saints fits in the playoffs, but Jared Goff can still be awful and sink them.
Cardinals 26-17
Baltimore vs Dallas: There's no line because half the Ravens roster is drenched in confirmed positive COVID tests as their season from hell continues. Baltimore probably isn't making the playoffs.
Ravens 23-10