re: Toughest division in the NFL this year?

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It's not like he's our only running back.

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You didn't think your rb situation last year would lead to the point that it did either, did you?

They need more depth...much more. This a 2-back minimum league now...and the Saints are stuck in the back of the pack.

Drew can help the backs with his arm. But the predictability of the Saints reared its ugly head last year with the interceptions.

I think the Saints get 10 or 11 wins, push the Falcons for the division title, even maybe make a run at the conference title. But until they prove they can be more physical with the running game and with the defense, I am not ready to anoint them as champs.

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They need more depth...much more. This a 2-back minimum league now...and the Saints are stuck in the back of the pack.

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The saints have one of the best 4 deep group of running backs in the NFL.

Thank you!!

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Ivory

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really?

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Ingram

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he has done less in the NFL than Jamarcus Russell...just saying.

As for the other two...if healthy, sure. But I need something proven to go off of.

I am a skeptic...

in that division they will be fine...the Panthers are still a gimme, and like I said, I think Tampa slides a bit. But who all pegged them to go down in Seattle? They were exposed a bit.

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really?

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really? did you even watch him play?

Oh and I kinda had a feeling that the seattle game was a dangerous one. any game is when you're playing on the road with a banged up defense and starting Julius Jones is a formula for disaster

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We were injured as frick and we have addressed the other issues.

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Then crown em'...division champs? Conference champs?

Some people on here called me nuts when I said they wouldn't even get to the conference title game last year.

"But they have all the pieces returning from the SB!"

"Their defense is stacked!"

"Gregg Williams...!"

I am sticking to it...10 or 11 wins, maybe a run to the NFC CG...

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NFC North because their 4th team is better than the South's.

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so by this logic, the NFC South was the worst division in FB last year,

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so by this logic, the NFC South was the worst division in FB last year

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no. the argument is the NFC North and South are neck and neck through the top 3. CAR loses the tiebreaker against MIN.

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We have a very good chance to be both of those. Can you explain the huge problems the Saints are going to have this year?

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Fair enough, here are my concerns:

The Saints were 28th in the league in rushing with 94.9 ypg.

That is a HUGE problem. Adding Sproles is nice, but he's a versatile back, not a true runner in the sense of the word.

Sproles most rushing yards in a season? 343. Most average carries per game? 5.8. This isn't the guy you give the ball to 10-15 times a game. He's not that durable. He is a receiving threat, but that's not plugging the hole.

Ingram is an excellent draft pick...but rookie running backs have a rough go at it more often than they burst onto the scene with a 700-800 yard season. He is also coming off an injury.

The exception is Ivory...I liked what he did last year. He lowered the head/shoulders and went at it. My gut tells me this physical kid steps back this year. Going from a college schedule to an NFL schedule is tough...and countless times we see a guy surprise us right away, and then have a drawback his second season. And yes, while he is a nice back, he was a part of the group that was 28th in the league...and he was a part because of Pierre's injury.

Having Pierre Thomas healthy would be a HUGE plus. However, if he is healthy, then what happens to Ivory? When does Sproles play? When does Ingram get his touches?

The Saints are still a throwing team. It's not the amount of carries that needs to increase so much as the quality of carries.

However, with healthy running backs this team will be less predictable, hopefully meaning Brees improves on the 22 interceptions he threw, which was 2nd worst in the league to Eli Manning.

The guy threw 658 times, 2nd most in the league. He has shown his durability, but the jury was out on the Saints. They throw to open up the run. With the running game in shambles last year, the Saints were like the San Antonio Spurs...cruising to a nice regular season, but not 'tough' enough in he playoffs.

The defense:

Much imrpoved yardage-wise, but not in the turnover department. They won the Super Bowl because of the turnovers plugging a porous defense...and this past season was just the opposite. They had the fewest interceptions in the league.

When I mentioned the importance of turnovers prior to last year, I was ridiculed.

All I am saying is they aren't tough...going back to the point of the thread. They are a solid team, a Super Bowl contender...but not some lock pick like some people are thinking.

Philadelphia, Green Bay, Chicago, New York all seem 'tough'. Hell, Tampa Bay played that way. I would bet a huge sum of cash on the Saints going to the postseason again, and the division championship will be settled in their two games against Atlanta fot sure.

I just think this team is missing some sparks to become the NFC frontrunner. They seem soft...

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And I'm sorry...The Saints are currently not in the same stratosphere as GB. That doesn't mean that the Saints aren't elite...GB is probably the best team in football.

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Do you always talk out your arse?
Elite teams in the NFL aren't "stratospheres" away. Green Bay will be a 4 or 5 point favorite at home on opening day. That means they are 2 points better at a neutral site. Almost a push.