Yep, you read it right. I'm afraid its true. It seems as we get closer and closer to the season and as sources start making their 2008 predictions, the Saints are looking pretty darn good.
I refer you to SB Nation's own Mocking the Draft. Matt Miller and company over there think that the New Orleans Saints are going to finish the regular season at 14-2, giving us first place in the NFC. Unfortunately, we lose to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game after beating the Giants in the Divisional round.
1. New Orleans Saints (14-2): NFC South Champs; head-to-head victory over Vikings
2. Minnesota Vikings (14-2): NFC North Champs
3. Philadelphia Eagles (12-4): NFC East Champs by virtue of better division record than Cowboys
4. Seattle Seahawks (11-5): NFC West Champs
5. Dallas Cowboys (12-4): 2nd place, NFC East; top NFC Wild Card
6. New York Giants (9-7): 3rd place, NFC East; lower wild card
Divisional Round:
New Orleans Saints (1) defeat New York Giants (6): The Saints improved defense is enough to take the Giants out of the playoffs. In what would feature two of the best running back tandems in the game, McCallister-Bush and Jacobs-Bradshaw, the edge goes to the offensive firepower of the Drew Brees-led Saints.
NFC Championship Game:
New Orleans Saints (1) lose to Dallas Cowboys (5): This would be an exciting playoff game featuring two of the best quarterbacks in the game in Romo and Brees. They both lead awesome aerial attacks that are supplemented by strong running games. The Cowboys, however, have the ability to apply pressure to the quarterback and have valuable, talented depth in the secondary. In an offensive onslaught, the Cowboys make it back to the Super Bowl.
No, no, no, no, NO! Deuce is done! Reggie is a bust! Drew will be injured in week 3! Our secondary has more holes than swiss cheese! We haven't fixed anything this offseason! This is a 4-12 team at best! What the heck are you saying guys!? Your screwing this up for everyone!
But it's not just them. There seem to be other Saints believers as well. See also Stujo4's FanPost about what Lindy's magazine had to say. There are other rumblings on the net as well.
I thought for sure after last season that everyone would forget about us. Even with our defensive upgrades I figured there were two many question marks to actually think the Saints would go deep this year. I was hoping we could slip in under the radar again as we did in 2006. But it turns out they are still on to us, and they still have faith in our team. Idiots? Probably. But does this bode well for our team? Could this actually the year everyone is right and the Saints actually live up to expectations? Or has this just cursed us yet again and ruined another Saints season before it even started? Personally, I think we are okay until Sports Illustrated starts heaping praise on us. Regardless, we mustn't let this go to our heads and get our hopes up. Remember what team we are talking about here.