NFC playoff picture: Saints #1

Posted on 11/16/17 at 6:22 am

Posted by liquid rabbit

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Member since Mar 2006

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Posted on 11/16/17 at 6:22 am

quote:
Winter is coming -- and they're fine with that

1) New Orleans Saints: It goes beyond last Sunday's titanic blasting of the Buffalo Bills, although that contest displayed exactly why New Orleans (7-2) sits atop this list. Winners of seven straight, Sean Payton's band of rowdies has morphed into a mirror opposite of Saints teams past. For years, they hung around with a high-flying Drew Brees-led air attack that angled to mask endless incarnations of terrible defense. Not this time. Mark Ingram and rookie Alvin Kamara have become the league's most dazzling thunder-and-lightning ground duo, while Brees and Payton have made perfect use of assets like Ted Ginn in the passing game. Not unlike the 2014 Cowboys with Tony Romo, the Saints are blistering teams with the run -- they carried the ball 24 straight times against Buffalo -- and effectively asking Brees to do less. Add a surging defense to the mix, and the Saints are built for January and beyond.

Everyone is eating the cheese now. Click icon below for link.

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Posted by liquid rabbit

Boxtard BPB®© emeritus

Member since Mar 2006

60268 posts

Posted on 11/16/17 at 6:27 am to liquid rabbit

Another article ranking the divisions. We know who's #1 here:

quote:
1) NFC South

Combined records: 22-15 overall; 18-11 outside of division. Combined point differential: plus-119.

The Saints just rolled to their seventh straight win. The Panthers are up and down but join New Orleans as one of the two credible Super Bowl contenders in this division. The Falcons haven't played great, but they're a threat to flip the switch down the stretch. The offenses of New Orleans (second), Carolina (16th), Atlanta (eighth) and Tampa (14th) are all in the top 16; on defense, everyone but Tampa is ranked in the top eight. (The Panthers are first, the Falcons are seventh and the Saints are eighth, while the Bucs are 27th.) Plus, with Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan, this group is loaded with quarterback talent, Jameis Winston's shoulder injury aside.

Not sure how Carolina has the #1 defense. Click the dancing Saint for link.