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SEATTLE -- The New Orleans Saints were in the playoffs Saturday, and once again pigs grew wings and Satan was forced into an igloo as football history was made.



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Michael DeMocker, The Times-Picayune MICHAEL DeMOCKER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) tries to get rid of the ball as he is tackled by Seattle Seahawks safety Lawyer Milloy (36) in the third quarter during the wild card playoff game between the New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, January 8, 2010.

New Orleans Saints vs. Seatte Seahawks Playoff Game gallery (81 photos)


But there will be no party with the Lombardi in Who Dat Land this time.

Instead, the Saints will have a long offseason searching for cures to the shortcomings exposed when the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks, the first losing team to make the playoffs in a nonstrike season, humbled the 11-5 defending Super Bowl champs, 41-36.

And anyone who followed this team knows there's a lot of work to do.

That gaudy 11-5 record included only three victories against winning teams (Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay) and losses against two losers (Cleveland and Arizona), as well as life-and-death struggles against three more losers (San Francisco, Dallas and Cincinnati). All that capped off with this thorough spanking by Seattle, which still has a losing mark at 8-9.

So instead of rolling on in the playoffs and keeping the Two Dat dream alive, the Saints go home wondering how it went bad.

I have some ideas.

Don't rest on your laurels.

The Saints' front office spent last offseason like the Lombardi Trophy meant they were the most talented team in the NFL. It doesn't; it means you won the Super Bowl.

Sure, they were restricted in free agency by that trophy, but they seemed more than content to stay with what they had, an arrogance no team should show, especially one with such a porous defense.

Get a pass rush.

The reason Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck expressed confidence coming into Saturday's game: In their regular-season meeting, he completed 32 of 44 passes for 366 yards without a sack. Saturday, he saw the same limpid pass rush for most of the day and was 22-of-35 for 272 yards with four touchdowns, one interception -- and just one sack.

The Saints need to trade or draft for a speed rusher, especially if they continue to play a blitz-happy defense that leaves their corners in single coverage.

Find an elite deep threat.

The Saints have a corps of excellent pass-catchers in short to medium-range routes, but they don't have the type of serious deep threat that can stretch the field.

Often this season, and especially Saturday, Drew Brees looked deep, then checked down, or tried to force the ball deep into double coverage, or had to hold onto the ball too long waiting for a receiver to become open.

Opponents also seemed much more willing to blitz Brees this season, a chance defenses don't often take against an elite quarterback if it means leaving an elite wide receiver facing single coverage.

Find more running backs

Your ground game hasn't struck fear into opposing defenses for the past year and a half. Don't spend the offseason counting on any of your backs to be a consistent threat next season, because all have been too fragile to make it through 16 games.

Overhaul your return and coverage teams.

As every coach knows, special teams are one-third of any game, and the Saints usually lost that phase. Their returners didn't pose much of a threat, and their coverage teams were usually a high point -- for the other team.

As NFL coaches know, losing your last game makes for a long offseason, even longer if the loss comes in the playoffs.

At least the Saints have a lot to keep busy if they ever expect to make those pigs fly again.

Bob Marshall can be reached at bmarshall@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3539.

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