Overtime

Sports

Saints have a deep, talented roster in 2020

Overtime

Ed Daniels

In the season opener, a 34-23 win over the Bucs, the New Orleans Saints gave their fans, all watching on TV, a glimpse of what they are in 2020.

The Saints won a game, by double digits, despite gaining only 271 total yards.

New Orleans won with outstanding defense, and opportunistic special teams.

A favorite coaching cliche’ is that a team must be good in all three phases of the game.

And, that will likely be true in 2020 if the Saints are to seriously contend for a Super Bowl championship.

The Saints can no longer ride an offense that just outscores the opposition.

And, that’s the philosophy that the Saints have been trending since 2015.

Head coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis have invested heavily in the offensive line.

And, they have done so successfully.

Since 2015, the Saints have either invested a 1st round pick or made an offensive lineman their first pick in four of the last six drafts.

The Saints are no longer going to ask Drew Brees to throw for 400 yards and four TD’s in a game to win.

If it happens, great.

If not, the Saints are willing to run the football, mix in some safe passes, play great defense and win the battle of field position with a quality kicking game.

Assistant general manager Jeff Ireland deserves a lion’s share of the credit for assembling a quality roster.

The 2019 4th round pick, defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson led the Saints in tackles against Tampa Bay with 10.

The 2017 3rd round pick, defensive end Trey Hendrickson, is playing his best football.

Hendrickson had four tackles, a sack, and two quarterback hurries against the Bucs.

Three free agent pickups, linebacker Demario Davis, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, and safety Malcolm Jenkins are part of a secondary that intercepted Tom Brady twice, and held the Bucs to 239 yards passing.

In New England, Brady was superb. But, one of the keys to the Patriots success was their depth.

Another team might be as good, in players one through 10, but New England was better than everyone else in players 15 through 40 on the roster.

The Saints have built such a team.

In 2019, Drew Brees did not have a 400 yard passing game.

But, the Saints still won 13 games.

The Saints were unbeaten in four games when Brees threw for less than 300 yards.

New Orleans used to be a team with a Hall of Fame quarterback and good players around him.

The Saints are now a team with a deep and talented roster, with a Hall of Fame quarterback, in the twilight of his career. BC

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