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2002 Saints season most disappointing?
Posted on 7/18/22 at 9:43 pm
Posted on 7/18/22 at 9:43 pm
As a longtime Saints fan (20+ years now) I have seen many heartbreaking moments with the Saints, as many of you also have. When it comes to looking at a season as a whole, when I think of disappointment, the 2002 season comes to mind quickly.
Through the first 9 games of that season, the Saints were 7-2. They seemed well on their way to the playoffs. The team was playing well, and winning football games. Then, the wheels fell off. Through the remaining 7 games, they went 2-5. I can clearly remember the scenario. All the Saints had to do was win 1 game in their final 3 games to make the playoffs. Their final 3 games were against the Vikings, Bengals, and Panthers (none of whom made the playoffs that year). They proceeded to lose all 3 games and miss the playoffs. The damn Dirty Birds got the wild card spot that year, adding insult to injury.
It just makes you wonder what could have been. Most impressive that year was the fact that the Saints beat the eventual champion Buccaneers in both regular season meetings. Aaron Brooks had possibly his best season as a Saint, same with Deuce McAllister and Joe Horn. I feel like they could have gone far in the playoffs, maybe even made it all the way, but we’ll never know. Other than Jim Haslett’s first season, this was his best season with the team, at their strongest. Others have mentioned this, but it feels like the Saints showed up for the big games against the best opponents, but played down to the level of the not so good teams and lost games they should have won. That was the hallmark of the Haslett era. Inconsistency.
If you don’t think this season is the most disappointing, which one would you say was more disappointing to you?
Through the first 9 games of that season, the Saints were 7-2. They seemed well on their way to the playoffs. The team was playing well, and winning football games. Then, the wheels fell off. Through the remaining 7 games, they went 2-5. I can clearly remember the scenario. All the Saints had to do was win 1 game in their final 3 games to make the playoffs. Their final 3 games were against the Vikings, Bengals, and Panthers (none of whom made the playoffs that year). They proceeded to lose all 3 games and miss the playoffs. The damn Dirty Birds got the wild card spot that year, adding insult to injury.
It just makes you wonder what could have been. Most impressive that year was the fact that the Saints beat the eventual champion Buccaneers in both regular season meetings. Aaron Brooks had possibly his best season as a Saint, same with Deuce McAllister and Joe Horn. I feel like they could have gone far in the playoffs, maybe even made it all the way, but we’ll never know. Other than Jim Haslett’s first season, this was his best season with the team, at their strongest. Others have mentioned this, but it feels like the Saints showed up for the big games against the best opponents, but played down to the level of the not so good teams and lost games they should have won. That was the hallmark of the Haslett era. Inconsistency.
If you don’t think this season is the most disappointing, which one would you say was more disappointing to you?
13
Posted on 7/18/22 at 11:55 pm to SaintlyTiger88
I think about that season often. Started 6-1 and went 3-6 the remainder of the year. Somehow found a way to lose to some of the easiest teams on the schedule, including a horrible Bengals team.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 12:17 am to SaintlyTiger88
The 1993 Saints started out 5-0 and 7-2.
Went 1-6 the rest of the way to finish 8-8 and miss playoffs.
Beginning of the end for Mora and the 1st year of a disastrous 13 year stretch (1993-2005) where the Saints only made the playoffs ONCE.
Mora pretty much gave up his last few years, Ditka sucked, and Jim Haslett was an idiot.
Went 1-6 the rest of the way to finish 8-8 and miss playoffs.
Beginning of the end for Mora and the 1st year of a disastrous 13 year stretch (1993-2005) where the Saints only made the playoffs ONCE.
Mora pretty much gave up his last few years, Ditka sucked, and Jim Haslett was an idiot.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 6:48 am to Atlas_Shrugged
quote:
When Drew Brees got on his knees and sucked the big BLM dick!!
Indeed he did
But the amount of good/joy he brought to a single city is incredible. Don’t let one thing he did completely ruin the good he has done for New Orleans and the saints. Really the state of Louisiana
Posted on 7/19/22 at 7:49 am to SaintlyTiger88
quote:
Aaron Brooks had possibly his best season as a Saint
Brooks had a hurt shoulder and Haslett's dumb arse refused to put Jake Delhomme in for one of those three "win and your'e in" games
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:05 am to SaintlyTiger88
That bengals loss crushed me that year.
The bengals were terrible and all we had to do was win and we laid an egg.
bullshite.
The bengals were terrible and all we had to do was win and we laid an egg.
bullshite.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:20 am to CBandits82
that was also the year brooks had a fricked shoulder the last 4 games and haslett refused to put in jake when it was clear as day brooks was fricking done. frick that whole season
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:22 am to geauxtigers87
that Grady Jackson signing was a backfire if I ever saw one.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:25 am to LooseCannon22282
he was supposed to replace la'roy glover right? ooof
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:42 am to geauxtigers87
That's right.
He didn't stick around long.
He didn't stick around long.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:49 am to SaintlyTiger88
That 2002 season was so frustrating. Don’t forget the Vikings game late in the season at home where they came back to score a TD with a few seconds left to be down by 1 & instead of kicking the XP to tie they went for 2 because the Vikings season was already over. Dante Culpepper took the snap & fumbled it & he somehow picked it back up & the ran into the end zone for the 2 point conversion to win it. Just unreal.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:49 am to LooseCannon22282
idk how true this is but the guy who told me this is a no bs type dude who was buddies with sammy knight. when they played at carolina in 2002, idk if yall remember jake came in to throw a hail mary bomb into the end zone on the last play of the 1st half. everyone thought it was weird but brooks came out and started the 2nd half and everyone forgot about it.
supposedly, what really happened is haslett told brooks to throw the bomb, brooks said no because he didn't want to mess his stats up. haslett said frick you you're done go sit on the bench and jake went in and threw the bomb.
but then haslett let brooks start the 2nd half. And again, take this with a grain of salt, that's when haslett lost the team and it spiraled the rest of the season and eventually culminated with the katrina season.
supposedly, what really happened is haslett told brooks to throw the bomb, brooks said no because he didn't want to mess his stats up. haslett said frick you you're done go sit on the bench and jake went in and threw the bomb.
but then haslett let brooks start the 2nd half. And again, take this with a grain of salt, that's when haslett lost the team and it spiraled the rest of the season and eventually culminated with the katrina season.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 9:00 am to geauxtigers87
87, I have heard the exact same thing from people who were on the inside that I trust from back then. Brooks told Haslett he didn’t want to risk an INT on his stats by throwing a Hail Mary so Jake went in to throw it going into the half. It pissed off the team when Brooks was allowed to start & play the 2nd half.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 9:32 am to SaintlyTiger88
Haslett was too pig headed to put in Delhomme over an injured Aaron Brooks.. Haslett clearly blew that season..
All they had to do was win one game in the final four. Brooks sucked so bad, at one game he almost got Joe Horn killed by a defensive back.
Sure enough, two weeks after the season, Brooks goes in for shoulder surgery.
All they had to do was win one game in the final four. Brooks sucked so bad, at one game he almost got Joe Horn killed by a defensive back.
Sure enough, two weeks after the season, Brooks goes in for shoulder surgery.
This post was edited on 7/19/22 at 9:36 am
Posted on 7/19/22 at 9:35 am to SaintlyTiger88
1988. I watched the Saints whip the Broncos in the Dome, 42-0. Denver was coming off playing in the Super Bowl, and the Saints scored on every offensive possession and shut out Elway. Hebert went something like 21-24 4 TDs, and Mel Gray returned a punt for a TD. Unbelievable game.
That win left the Saints 9-3, the 49ers and Rams were both 7-5, with 4 games to go.
The Saints lost a crazy game the following week on SNF against the Giants. (I still think they missed the game-winning FG.)
Ultimately the Saints, 49ers and Rams all finished 10-6. The 49ers and Rams had the tie-breaker over the Saints and went to the playoffs.
If I remember correctly after 12 games and up two games, the Saints were actually eliminated by week 15. Unreal.
That win left the Saints 9-3, the 49ers and Rams were both 7-5, with 4 games to go.
The Saints lost a crazy game the following week on SNF against the Giants. (I still think they missed the game-winning FG.)
Ultimately the Saints, 49ers and Rams all finished 10-6. The 49ers and Rams had the tie-breaker over the Saints and went to the playoffs.
If I remember correctly after 12 games and up two games, the Saints were actually eliminated by week 15. Unreal.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 10:12 am to SaintlyTiger88
Vikings loss that year was one of the worst I had seen in the Dome.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 12:47 pm to SaintlyTiger88
Yep, Haslett continued to start an injured and flailing Aaron Brooks over a healthy Jake Delhomme. The following season, Jake led the Panthers to a super bowl.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 12:58 pm to SaintlyTiger88
We were not winning the super bowl in 2002 if we made the playoffs.
2011, Minneapolis miracle and blown call are infinitely more disappointing.
2011, Minneapolis miracle and blown call are infinitely more disappointing.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 7:10 pm to Atlas_Shrugged
I don’t think you turning a football conversation into your fantasy about guys sucking big black dick is making the point you thought you were making.
Posted on 7/19/22 at 8:49 pm to geauxtigers87
I remember when, (someone correct me if I’m wrong about the player) but I believe it was Mel Mitchell and Haslett who almost got into a fight on the sideline, during a game against Carolina, it may have been in 2002.
Definitely a sign of a coach losing his grip on the team.
Definitely a sign of a coach losing his grip on the team.
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