• By LES EAST
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Jan 8, 2009 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — The Saints fired defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs on Wednesday in the wake of a second consecutive season in which the team failed to make the playoffs despite having one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses.

The Saints finished this season 8-8 despite leading the NFL in scoring, total yards, and passing yards. The defense, which was hampered by an inordinate number of injuries to starters, finished 26th in scoring defense, 23rd in total defense, and was susceptible to big plays, finishing 26th in pass defense.

Saints coach Sean Payton made the announcement in a late-afternoon news release, calling the decision “very difficult.” “Gary Gibbs is a fine man and football coach who has worked diligently during his tenure with the Saints,” Payton continued. “I thank him for the many contributions that he has made to this team and wish for continued success in his career.”

Gibbs, who was defensive coordinator at LSU in 2001, followed Payton from Dallas to New Orleans before the 2006 season and the pair helped the Saints have their most successful season ever.

Payton, who had worked with the Cowboys’ quarterbacks, passing game, and been coordinator during his three seasons, installed an offense in New Orleans that led the NFL in yards and was fifth in points.

Gibbs, who was Cowboys linebackers coach for four seasons, installed a defense that complemented Payton’s offense by finishing 11th in yards allowed and 13th in points allowed as the Saints yielded 76 fewer points than they had the previous season.

New Orleans won the NFC South and advanced to the NFC Championship for the first time.

But in 2007 the defense plummeted to 26th, and the Saints, though still ranked fourth in total offense, finished a disappointing season with a 7-9 record after an 0-4 start.

The organization, which previously had invested more than $60 million each in re-signing defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith to long-term deals, made a series of moves to upgrade the defense before the 2008 season.

It traded two draft choices to the New York Jets to acquire linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who solidified the middle of the defense and led the team in tackles. It signed veterans in defensive end Bobby McCray and cornerbacks Randall Gay (of Brusly and LSU) and Aaron Glenn to add depth.

It traded up to the seventh position in the first round of the draft to select USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, who showed promise as a rookie, but missed four games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

New Orleans used its second-round draft choice on Port Allen native Tracy Porter, who earned a starting spot at cornerback with an impressive training camp but was lost for the final 11 games of the season after dislocating a wrist.

Porter was joined on the sideline by several other key defenders who were injured, including cornerbacks Mike McKenzie and Glenn, safety Kevin Kaesviharn, Grant, and defensive tackle Brian Young.