New Orleans Saints: Flashback to the 2006 Season

As I sit back and wonder what we should do in the draft, I took my time to look back at the 2006 season to see what we did right that year to make it to 10-6 .

This is the year we became a respected team and made it all the way to the New Orleans Saints' first NFC Championship game . Yes , we fell short , and took a bad  whooping to the Chicago Bears, 39-14.

In the 2006 season, the Saints had the No. 1 offense in the NFL. The Saints were ranked the No. 1 passing offense but we were ranked 19th in rushing.

Now we will talk about the other side of the ball which has been struggling lately for the Saints. That year, we had the 11th-ranked defense. We were third against the pass but ranked 23rd against the run .

Seems to be flipped around now. The Saints were ranked 12th in sacks and just 28th in interceptions.

If you take a look at these stats, you will see that we have improved in some areas on defense. Mostly just the interceptions: we were tied for 11th in the league last year and the run stopping ranked just 17th , but we fell off completely against the pass.

The reason I feel we fell off completely against the ball was simply because we had no type of pass rush that we had in the 2006 season. The better the pass rush, the more of a chance of a ball coming out and not being thrown on time.

Many people think the Saints run game has fell off the map but truthfully we were not ranked in the top half in the run in the 2006 just ranked 19th.

The Saints offense is only ranked 23rd in the run but that is mostly because Sean Payton hasn't called the run as much. We work a lot of pass plays that are simply extended handoffs to our running backs in Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush.

If you're somebody who thinks the Saints should draft a Knowshon Moreno or a Chris "Beanie" Wells, just take your time to consider the way the Saints run their offense . We are not a run first team we are a pass first team.

Look at how badly the Saints defense has fallen off in so many categories but improved in some as well.

I bring this up in regards of the 2009 NFL draft we are a team  with many holes in our defense but not as many in our offense. Truthfully, we need help in the Linebacker Positions and the Corner back/Safety positions.

With the running back situation, I am pretty sure the Saints are comfortable in drafting in the later rounds some of the best running backs come out of the later rounds. My favorite big back Marion Barber came out of the fourth, Brandon Jacobs the fifth, Michael Turner the sixth rounder.

Truthfully I have narrowed down my two favorite players in the 2009 NFL Draft that the Saints should consider two players that are very versatile and can help address More than just one position.

The players I have narrowed it down to are Brian Cushing and Malcolm Jenkins. Please take your time to see the upside of both these players before pulling out the negatives in each.

Brian Cushing is projected to be one of the top OLB in the 2009 Draft. Many people have said that the Saints are in love with this kid, which I would not blame them.

Yes, he hasn't played third down in college, but the Saints veteran linebackers could help him improve on that. The thing that Brian Cushing brings to the table for the Saints is someone who can get after the pass rusher.

This is someone we can line up on the line to play defensive end if Charles Grant and Will Smith are suspended. He certainly has the size to be a linebacker. The versatile linebacker brings help to the OLB positions and the DE if we have suspensions.

Malcolm Jenkins was projected a possible top 5 pick before the NFL Combine. Many had him going fifth to the Cleveland Browns but ever since the 40 time at the combine his stock has fallen off.

He is still rated the No. 1 cornerback in my eyes because he can address more than just one position. He can come in and play safety if he does not work out at the CB position and can not play at the next level.

He has very solid hands and can make plays on the ball when needed. His tackling has improved and will continue to improve. He is very effective when asked to blitz. He could very well make a huge impact and be and immediate starter on the Saints defense in 2009.