7 Reasons to Take New Orleans Saints Seriously as a Super Bowl Contender

Even though the New Orleans Saints are coming off of a devastating loss to a Sam Bradford-less St. Louis Rams team, the Saints are still one of the best teams in the league.  

Better yet, the Saints are as dangerous of a team as they’ve ever been, and if you overlook this team, you’re nothing short of being foolish.  

I know, I know. You’re reading this sitting in your chair right now and thinking, "Is this guy really trying to sell me that the team that just lost to a winless Rams team is honestly a Super Bowl contender?" Yes, I am, and more importantly, I have good reason to think so.  

These are the seven reasons that the Saints are still a premiere team in the NFL and are as dangerous of a threat to capturing that Lombardi Trophy as any team in the league.

Brees is still one of the best quarterbacks

He may have 10 interceptions already this season, but don’t get it twisted: Drew Brees is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league.  

While some of his interceptions are due to him making bad reads, a lot of his interceptions have come off of deflected passes and pressure caused by the defensive front.  

For those who say Brees' best days are behind him and say he isn’t the same quarterback he once was, get out of here.

Look at his numbers this year. He’s completed 70.6 percent of his passes, thrown 19 touchdowns, owns an NFL-best 133.7 quarterback rating on third down, thrown a touchdown pass in 35 straight games and set an NFL record four straight games with 350-plus passing yards this season.

For those doubters out there, quit your babbling and quit your worrying. Brees is still the man.

Darren Sproles provides Versatility

Even though I sometimes hate to admit it, Reggie Bush played a big factor in the Saints winning the Super Bowl in 2009.  

When the Saints would struggle on offense, head coach Sean Payton would call on Bush to take advantage of a mismatch and fire up the team after a couple of shifty moves and athletic plays.

For example, there is the touchdown leap against the Miami Dolphins, catching the ball out of the backfield to gash the defense over the middle and his electrifying punt returns.  

With the absence of Bush, the Saints have looked to Darren Sproles provide that spark and much more on a consistent basis.

He leads the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1,331. Sproles is second in the league in receptions, is averaging 6.8 yards per carry and has five total touchdowns for the Saints.  

More importantly, Payton uses Sproles the same way he used Bush in 2009, a formula that proved to be successful en route to a world championship.

Jimmy Graham Mismatch

After watching the touching story ESPN did on Jimmy Graham and watching the progressions he’s made as a football player, how can you not love this guy?  

He overcame being abandoned by his mother when he was young, and now, in my opinion, he is the best tight end that the NFL has to offer.  

Graham’s size, speed and athleticism gives him the advantage to find openings in a zone defense and cause mismatches with linebackers and defensive backs.

Because of the mismatch Graham possesses, he leads the team in receiving yards with 713 and in touchdowns with five.  

As great as Jeremy Shockey was for the Saints in 2009, Graham has produced above and beyond for the Saints this season.

Solid Special Teams

It’s the most overlooked aspect of football, but special teams is just as important as offense and defense.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a team lose a game on special teams (am I right, San Diego Chargers fans?), and yet it still gets overlooked.  

With Sproles returning kicks, the Saints are always a couple of missed tackles away from taking a kick back to the house. Punter Thomas Morstead always helps the Saints in the field position department.

Follow that up with a good coverage team and a veteran kicker in John Kasay, and you’ve got one solid group on special teams.

Roman Harper Doing It Big

Pro Bowler Roman Harper is playing like a man possessed.

Harper is flying around this season and making one big play after another, and in my eyes, he’s elevated himself as one of the best safeties in the league.

He leads the team in tackles with 47 and is tied with Will Smith in most sacks on the team with 4.5.  

He’s no Troy Polamalu or Ed Reed, but Harper is undoubtedly one of the best safeties in the NFC. 

The Rise of Malcolm Jenkins and Patrick Robinson

A year ago, Malcolm Jenkins played outstanding for the Saints, and he’s continued that trend this season. The only difference this season is his fellow defensive back, 2010 first-round draft pick cornerback Patrick Robinson, has elevated his game as well.  

Robinson had a rough go-around last season and a rough first couple of games this season, but he has improved each and every week.

It’s starting to become a common sight to find Robinson breaking up passes on defense, and he leads the team in interceptions with two.  

As for Jenkins, he’s second on the team in tackles and has continued to lay the boom on receivers coming across the middle.  

Jenkins and Robinson’s steady growth as football players is giving defensive coordinator Greg Williams more and more confidence to leave the secondary one-on-one with wide receivers on the outside, and that is going to pay off for the Saints in the future.

New Team, New Year, Original Parts

The biggest reason this team should still be considered as a legit threat for another world championship is the fact that all the same faces are in place.  

From Drew Brees throwing the football to Sean Payton remaining the head coach to Greg Williams calling the defensive plays, this Saints team isn’t that much different than the 2009 squad.  

Besides upgrading with Jimmy Graham and Darren Sproles, the receivers are that same core group of Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem.  

With a few replacements on the defensive line, linebacker position and offensive line, the Saints still have most of the core group of the 2009 team.  

Not to mention, they still have Tracey Porter in the secondary, who picked-six his way into the heart of every Saints’ fan around the world during the Super Bowl.  

Yeah, this team did just lose to the Rams, but if you’re not giving this team a shot at winning this year’s Super Bowl, you’re either blind or naive.