NFL: 5 most likely teams to reach the NFC Championship game
By John Buhler
New Orleans Saints. 4. player. 15. Scouting Report. NFC. South. Pick Analysis
Does this core have a Super Bowl run left in them or are they also-ran?
This is the year the New Orleans Saints must get it done. They’re simply running out of time. This will very likely be the last season Drew Brees plays quarterback for them. He may have signed a two-year deal with the Saints this offseason, but he does have another gig lined up with NBC Sports as soon as he retires. If New Orleans gets back to the Super Bowl, he might call it a career.
On paper, the Saints should be one of the better teams in the NFC this season. Some might see them as the favorite to get to Tampa, while others doubt they’ll even make the playoffs. It really comes down to how much you believe Brees has left in the tank and if he can play a full season. If you think Taysom Hill is leading this team to the promised land, you’re only lying to yourself.
The Saints should have an excellent defense and have a strong roster built around Brees. New Orleans will be well-coached by head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. One could even argue how battle-tested this team will be after playing the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers twice this fall in divisional play. The No. 1 seed is not out of the question.
What is another issue for the Saints is they have won one road playoff game in their 50-plus years as an NFL franchise. If the Saints get the No. 1 seed, have that precious first-round bye and get a good Divisional Round matchup, they can absolutely get to the NFC Championship game. But should they have to be road warriors, what in their history suggest they’re capable of being that?