Mickles: Saints get some good news early
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We won’t know for sure if the New Orleans Saints’ dismal 0-4 start and 7-9 finish a year ago was a fluke until late December when the 2008 season closes.
That’s when, after all of the wins and losses are added up, 12 teams will head into the postseason to begin the chase for Super Bowl XLIII.
The Saints, naturally, hope to be one of them after coming oh-so-close to advancing to their first Super Bowl the year before.
But if you can’t wait more than five months to find out how it’s going to turn out for the Saints, who begin their third season under Sean Payton when they report for training camp Wednesday afternoon, you can stroll down the magazine aisle at your favorite store — and get all the answers, sort of.
Then again, there’s good news and bad news for Saints fans. The good news is four major publications are going with the Saints to win the NFC South. The bad news is the Saints were also the fashionable pick to claim the division title last summer — with three magazines selecting them to advance to Super Bowl XLII.
There was just one problem: By the first weekend of October, those predictions had more holes in them than Swiss cheese. Still, the magazines aren’t shy about going with the Saints again.
Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Lindy’s and Pro Football Weekly have picked the Saints to win the division with the Tampa Bay Bucs (Athlon and Sporting News) and Carolina Panthers (Pro Football Weekly and Lindy’s) playing second fiddle. The Atlanta Falcons are a unanimous pick for last.
“The additions of Jonathan Vilma and Sedrick Ellis will improve their defense,” The Sporting News said of the Saints. “Drew Brees directs the short passing game as well as any quarterback. The Saints march back into the postseason.”
In its power ratings, Pro Football Weekly says, “The bon temps might roll again, but those defensive additions must prove worth the price.”
Athlon says, “The Big Easy faithful hope to be partying in February,” while Lindy’s says the Saints are “maybe the best of a medio-cre lot” in the NFC South.
A survey of the four magazines shows the Saints are one of five teams seen as unanimous division winners. Joining them are Seattle (NFC West), New England (AFC East), Indianapolis (AFC South) and San Diego (AFC West).
While all four see the Saints returning to the top of the division, that’s as far as they expect them to go.
When it comes to the NFC Championship game, Athlon and Lindy’s pick a Dallas-Seattle matchup, while The Sporting News likes Dallas to face Green Bay. Pro Football Weekly doesn’t project an NFC title game matchup.
All four have the Cowboys rebounding from their NFC divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants last season to reach the Super Bowl.
But only Athlon, has Dallas winning it all — over San Diego. The others have New England (Pro Football Weekly), San Diego (The Sporting News) and Indianapolis (Lindy’s) beating the Cowboys.
That’s when, after all of the wins and losses are added up, 12 teams will head into the postseason to begin the chase for Super Bowl XLIII.
The Saints, naturally, hope to be one of them after coming oh-so-close to advancing to their first Super Bowl the year before.
But if you can’t wait more than five months to find out how it’s going to turn out for the Saints, who begin their third season under Sean Payton when they report for training camp Wednesday afternoon, you can stroll down the magazine aisle at your favorite store — and get all the answers, sort of.
Then again, there’s good news and bad news for Saints fans. The good news is four major publications are going with the Saints to win the NFC South. The bad news is the Saints were also the fashionable pick to claim the division title last summer — with three magazines selecting them to advance to Super Bowl XLII.
There was just one problem: By the first weekend of October, those predictions had more holes in them than Swiss cheese. Still, the magazines aren’t shy about going with the Saints again.
Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Lindy’s and Pro Football Weekly have picked the Saints to win the division with the Tampa Bay Bucs (Athlon and Sporting News) and Carolina Panthers (Pro Football Weekly and Lindy’s) playing second fiddle. The Atlanta Falcons are a unanimous pick for last.
“The additions of Jonathan Vilma and Sedrick Ellis will improve their defense,” The Sporting News said of the Saints. “Drew Brees directs the short passing game as well as any quarterback. The Saints march back into the postseason.”
In its power ratings, Pro Football Weekly says, “The bon temps might roll again, but those defensive additions must prove worth the price.”
Athlon says, “The Big Easy faithful hope to be partying in February,” while Lindy’s says the Saints are “maybe the best of a medio-cre lot” in the NFC South.
A survey of the four magazines shows the Saints are one of five teams seen as unanimous division winners. Joining them are Seattle (NFC West), New England (AFC East), Indianapolis (AFC South) and San Diego (AFC West).
While all four see the Saints returning to the top of the division, that’s as far as they expect them to go.
When it comes to the NFC Championship game, Athlon and Lindy’s pick a Dallas-Seattle matchup, while The Sporting News likes Dallas to face Green Bay. Pro Football Weekly doesn’t project an NFC title game matchup.
All four have the Cowboys rebounding from their NFC divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants last season to reach the Super Bowl.
But only Athlon, has Dallas winning it all — over San Diego. The others have New England (Pro Football Weekly), San Diego (The Sporting News) and Indianapolis (Lindy’s) beating the Cowboys.
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