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Saints News, 5/13/15: Saints, Falcons Projected to Tie for NFC South title?

From Mike Triplett at ESPN.com: Football Outsiders provided some good news and bad news for the New Orleans Saints in their 2015 projections . After crunching the data, they have the Saints bouncing back to 10-6 after last year’s 7-9 collapse. However, they have the Saints (9.7 mean wins) projected slightly below the rival Atlanta Falcons (10.2). Two things benefit both teams in these projections: A favorable strength of schedule and the fact that history suggests both of their defenses will bounce back after ranking among the worst in the NFL last year. As FO’s Aaron Schatz points out, offense tends to be more consistent from year to year than defense. And both New Orleans and Atlanta still boasted strong offenses last year.

By David "Satch" Kelly
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Tweets

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The NFL&#39;s Super Bowl invitation to Tom Brady is now rich with irony. (<a href="https://twitter.com/jaybusbee">@JayBusbee</a>) <a href="http://t.co/zjrdfccNYN">http://t.co/zjrdfccNYN</a> <a href="http://t.co/rY5FnbMLxe">pic.twitter.com/rY5FnbMLxe</a></p>&mdash; Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooSports/status/598492196665450496">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Will Rob Ryan be the next Pelicans coach? <a href="https://t.co/tTmjp5ElUo">https://t.co/tTmjp5ElUo</a></p>&mdash; Larry Holder (@LarryHolder) <a href="https://twitter.com/LarryHolder/status/598491092871421952">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Exactly. Save a buck or two. <a href="https://t.co/GICDm35rUE">https://t.co/GICDm35rUE</a></p>&mdash; Larry Holder (@LarryHolder) <a href="https://twitter.com/LarryHolder/status/598492080386744320">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Aaron Rodgers beat a freaking astronaut on Jeopardy. The guy has the whole life thing down pretty cold.</p>&mdash; Frank Schwab (@YahooSchwab) <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooSchwab/status/598487193317806080">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Amtrak188?src=hash">#Amtrak188</a>. We salute the first responders who heroically saved many lives last night.</p>&mdash; Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eagles/status/598486103214182400">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Packers QB Aaron Rodgers won his episode of Celebrity Jeopardy. <a href="http://t.co/J4BbdtncVm">http://t.co/J4BbdtncVm</a> <a href="http://t.co/vbf4876iE7">pic.twitter.com/vbf4876iE7</a></p>&mdash; Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooSports/status/598480939119943681">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Avery Johnson: &quot;I&#39;m not going to New Orleans. All the Crimson Tide fans can calm down.&quot;</p>&mdash; Marc Torrence (@marctorrence) <a href="https://twitter.com/marctorrence/status/598475560684285952">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">R.I.P. SEAN TAYLOR. I was fortunate to have called him my teammate <a href="http://t.co/wVTaXNtfuI">pic.twitter.com/wVTaXNtfuI</a></p>&mdash; Jonathan Vilma (@JonVilma51) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonVilma51/status/598467025321734144">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Strong opinion by <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmySmith504">@JimmySmith504</a>: Pelicans&#39; firing of Monty Williams unjustified, unexplained <a href="http://t.co/IwBGudFh3b">http://t.co/IwBGudFh3b</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/NOLAnews">@nolanews</a></p>&mdash; Larry Holder (@LarryHolder) <a href="https://twitter.com/LarryHolder/status/598329895018745856">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">(1/3) Archie Manning best story. In Bum Phillips 1st season he got up and gave a moving "David and Goliath" type pre-game speech</p>&mdash; Bodhisattva (@TheToddNewberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheToddNewberg/status/598315070255271937">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">(2/3) told the team, you go out there and hit those Falcons hard, hit those Falcons right in between the eyes. Let em know we’re here!</p>&mdash; Bodhisattva (@TheToddNewberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheToddNewberg/status/598315122092744704">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">(3/3) and with that Bum hit the door and ran into the tunnel chased by his assistant who yelled, "coach! we’re playing the Buccaneers!"</p>&mdash; Bodhisattva (@TheToddNewberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheToddNewberg/status/598315203030192128">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote>

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Saints News

New Orleans Saints, Falcons projected to tie for NFC South title - New Orleans Saints Blog - ESPN
Football Outsiders have the New Orleans Saints bouncing back to 10-6 after last year's 7-9 collapse.

Trio of Saints veterans could be on the clock - NFL Nation - ESPN
ESPN Saints reporter Mike Triplett says Zach Strief, David Hawthorne and Stanley Jean-Baptiste may eventually face challenges from this year’s incoming rookies.

Not much New Orleans Saints reaction to Patriots punishments - NFL Nation - ESPN
How did Tom Brady and the Patriots' punishment for Deflategate compare to penalties paid by the New Orleans Saints for the bounty scandal?

Saints sign LB Stephone Anthony and CB P.J. Williams to four-year deals
Mickey Loomis announced the moves Tuesday

31 new faces to appear at New Orleans Saints rookie minicamp
The New Orleans Saints will be showcasing 31 new faces at rookie minicamp, which is scheduled to run May 15-17.

Saints sign first-round pick Stephone Anthony | ProFootballTalk
As is becoming customary around the NFL, another club has quickly wrapped up a contract with a first-round pick. The Saints have signed Clemson linebacker Stephone Anthony, the No. 31 overall selection, to a four-year contract, the team said Tuesday.

Intel on Stephone Anthony from @Maniebeingmanie | The Saints Nation

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NFL News

Exoneration of Belichick suggests Payton shouldn’t have been punished, either | ProFootballTalk
The full-season suspension of Saints coach Sean Payton in 2012 suggests that Patriots coach Bill Belichick should have been disciplined in some way for his role in #DeflateGate.

New Jersey billboards throw shade on Tom Brady | ProFootballTalk
The billboard-buying segment of the Jets fanbase doesn't have John Idzik to kick around any more, so they found another target. According to the New York Daily News, 12 billboards have been placed alongside roads in New Jersey mocking Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for his Deflategate suspension...

Brady will use Kessler for appeal of suspension | ProFootballTalk
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady should have used the NFL Players Association in connection with the Ted Wells report. Brady didn't. But he apparently won't make the same mistake twice.

After further review, a theory on how #DeflateGate initially unfolded | ProFootballTalk
The problem with the real-time news cycles is that anyone who presses pause on the generation of content to process information, to gather more information, and to carefully consider the situation fails to serve the audience -- and in turn loses money.

John Elway agrees with the punishments for the Patriots | ProFootballTalk
Broncos General Manager John Elway says NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell did the right thing by suspending Tom Brady and docking the Patriots $1 million and two draft picks as a result of Deflategate. "The integrity of the game is No. 1," Elway said. "I support the commissioner 100 percent.

The Patriots' War Against The NFL Has Spilled Online
The Patriots’ social media team is circling the wagons. Shortly before noon, the team’s official Facebook page changed its profile photo to the back of Tom Brady’s jersey. The Twitter account promptly followed suit. (Maybe Google+ too, but no one would ever know.)

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