(Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
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d Coleman, and they surely hope that each aging vet has some juice left in the tank. Bobby McCray and Will Smith will resume their spots as the teams defensive ends, but the Saints will need much more production out of each of these guys as combined they were only able to register 9 sacks in 2008.Without any doubt though, the leader of the Saints defense is middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Vilma, who came over to the Saints a season ago after being acquired from the New York Jets, led the Saints in tackles with 132 in 2008.
Offensively, the Saints will basically return everyone from their #1 overall attack a season ago, the lone exception being Deuce McAllister. Drew Brees once again will be under center and he should have, for the time being anyway, a healthy Reggie Bush playing behind him.
Bush was on his way to posting career numbers across the board a season ago before injuries cut his season short. Pierre Thomas will be Reggie's main backup this year, and was the Saints leading rusher in 2008.
Brees will have plenty of weapons to get the ball to downfield, with his main targets being Marques Colston and 2008 breakout player Lance Moore. Also complementing these two targets are Devery Henderson and tight ends Billy Miller and Jeremy Shockey, who had a fairly disappointing inaugural season as a member of the Saints.
On special teams, the Saints are one of the best teams at returning punts and kicks, in large part due to No. 25.
Brees will have plenty of weapons to get the ball to downfield, with his main targets being Marques Colston and 2008 breakout player Lance Moore. Also complementing these two targets are Devery Henderson and tight ends Billy Miller and Jeremy Shockey, who had a fairly disappointing inaugural season as a member of the Saints.
On special teams, the Saints are one of the best teams at returning punts and kicks, in large part due to No. 25.
However, a major problem a season ago for the Saints was their own kicking game. In hopes of repairing this, the Saints did the rare thing and moved up to draft punter Thomas Morestead in the 5th round.
Garrett Hartley will be the teams kicker to start 2009, after being the third such player brought on by New Orleans a year ago. In 2008, Hartley finally cured the Saints woes at place kicker by going a perfect 13 for 13, but it may have been too late on the grander scale as the Saints lost two crucial games early in the season due to last second field goal shanks.
2009 Schedule:
| Sun 9/13 | Detroit |
| Sun 9/20 | at Philadelphia |
| Sun 9/27 | at Buffalo |
| Sun 10/4 | NY Jets |
| bye | |
| Sun 10/18 | NY Giants |
| Sun 10/25 | at Miami |
| Mon 11/2 | Atlanta |
| Sun 11/8 | Carolina |
| Sun 11/15 | at St. Louis |
| Sun 11/22 | at Tampa Bay |
| Mon 11/30 | New England |
| Sun 12/6 | at Washington |
| Sun 12/13 | at Atlanta |
| Sat 12/19 | Dallas |
| Sun 12/27 | Tampa Bay |
| Sun 1/3 | at Carolina |
2009 Prediction:
Luck was not on the Saints side in 2009, as they played in the most competitive division in the NFC a season ago, and were unable to make the playoffs despite getting a 5000 passing effort from their quarterback and leading the league in points scored and total yardage.
The primary reason for the Saints disappointing 8-8 finish was in large part due to the Saints defense and special teams constantly letting down the Saints offense in the waning moments of the game, and as stated earlier, the games the Saints won came via a shootout and the games the Saints lost came when a pivotal mistake came at the wrong time.
In an effort to repair this, the Saints made an array of moves in the 2009 offseason, and a lot of them are very risky. Gregg Williams was extremely disappointing as defensive coordinator in Jacksonville a season ago, and Darren Sharper is not the same player he once was. The Saints first round selection of Malcolm Jenkins appears to be a good one, but many questions surround Jenkins ability to play corner, and whether or not he is really meant to be a safety at the next level.
However, for all the problems the Saints defense and special teams unit gave its own offense a year ago, the fixes may not have to be as great as they would have to normally be on another team for the simple reason its offense is one of the best in football.
And of course, finishing last in the NFC South seems to have its benefits the following season.
As I expect it will this year.
Predicted Finish: 10-6, 1st place NFC South
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Hassellbeck - VSN Writer
www.virtualsportsnetwork.com
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