Sean Payton: 5 Reasons New Orleans Saints Can Make Playoffs Without Coach

The New Orleans Saints felt a heavy blow Wednesday afternoon, losing their head coach Sean Payton to a one-year suspension. Commissioner Roger Goodell also suspended former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely, and handed down a six-game ban to assistant coach Joe Vitt.

It's tough to win football games in the NFL without a strong coach. Payton is no exception. The Saints won the Super Bowl in 2009 partly because of Payton's shrewd play-calling and ability to take risks and let his team play to win.

The Saints will now have to either promote from within until Payton is allowed back for the 2013, find an outside hire temporarily or even choose to go in a different direction entirely.

All of that aside, New Orleans has a good football team and will be able to stem the tide in 2012. Here's five reasons why they can still make the playoffs in the NFC South without their head coach patrolling the sidelines.

Solid Replacement Candidates

If the Saints do look in house for Sean Payton's replacement, there are several qualified guys to handle the responsibilities of being an NFL coach.

Former St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo has been hired as the defensive coordinator, and before his dismal 2-14 season in 2011, he had the Rams looking like a legitimate football team.

Elsewhere, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael and O-line coach Aaron Kramer are also two names that might come up for full-time duties.

Carmichael led the offensive play-calling after Payton went down with the torn MCL, still managing to win the NFC South and making it to the NFC divisional round before losing to the San Fransisco 49ers.

Each of these candidates has a coaching pedigree and knows that the Saints are a franchise that now pride themselves on competing for a Super Bowl every season, so the level of expectation and commitment will not decrease should any of these guys take the reigns.

Payton's Injury Last Season

While he wasn't away from the team or lost by any capacity, Payton's injury during week six against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wasn't one that made his job any easier.

After tearing an MCL in his left leg, Payton was unable to resume sideline duties for a majority of the season. The Saints went on to a 13-3 record without him, and under the offensive guile of coach Pete Carmichael, the offense didn't really miss a beat.

That's not to say this season won't be affected by the complete loss of the man New Orleans players respect, listen to and follow onto the field each Sunday. Practice and scheming won't be the same for anyone involved in the preparation for each week.

But the sting of this might hurt a bit less, due to his departure from full-time in-game duties last season.

Talented Receiving Corp

The Saints receiving group is one of the best in the NFL. They have to be, because under the pass-heavy, no-favorite offense QB Drew Brees and Payton implore, depth and talent have to be spread evenly across the scope of what they want to accomplish when they have the ball.

Marques Colston re-signed with the team at the start of free agency. They still have stud TE Jimmy Graham, who was becoming dang near uncoverable towards the end of the regular season in 2011. Throw in Lance Moore and Devery Henderson, and the Saints will continue to sling it around with the best of them.

Although they lost Robert Meachem, who is taking on more responsibility and more money after joining the San Diego Chargers, this team always seems to find a way to plug the gaps. Include running back Darren Sproles, and the passing game is dangerous on all levels.

The running backs are also an important part of the offense. Sproles, Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas all bring something different to the table. But the receiving game is what makes the engine run in New Orleans, and it will do so again in 2012.

Drew Brees

Not many can argue that Drew Brees means more to this franchise than any other player ever has. Since coming from San Diego, all he's done is lead the city to its first Super Bowl victory, be active in community and outreach programs and lead this team wherever they go, good or bad.

Although Brees is unhappy with the franchise tag placed upon him before the start of free agency, he's also the consummate pro. He'll be ready to lead this team from training camp on into the regular season, and if the Saints don't get his contract situation worked out before then, then we'll be having an entirely different discussion on why they won't lock up one of the top five QBs in football long-term.

Brees still has his receiving corp. He's formed a very nice relationship with TE Jimmy Graham in the form of long touchdown passes and he'll likely be leaned on for more leadership since Sean Payton will not be in charge.

If anyone can handle that kind of pressure, it's Drew Brees.

New Orleans Saints Pride

The city of New Orleans has come too far, too long and too high out of the abyss to watch this suspension derail their hopes of being a perennial playoff contender vanish.

This suspension is one that shouldn't be tolerated in any aspect of football. Much like scandals at SMU in the 1980s, it's more about the timing than it is about everyone that was participating in the activity.

But that's beside the point. New Orleans is a passionate city. They will rally around the team, whoever takes the head coaching position and they will also do their best to support the results and cheer their heads off.

It's not as if this franchise will turn into a loser overnight because of this scandal. Relatively speaking, this is not as bad as it could have been. No players were implicated in the decision, and while the loss of two second-round picks is big, it's not as if they are using the draft to completely rebuild.

New Orleans will rise from this. They always do. They have the foundation and tools to do so, and it won't be surprising when they are playing the first week after the end of the regular season in 2012.