| The New Orleans Saints enter the 2010 season | | | | 2009, but they made up for it by making one big |
| trying to join the short list of teams that have | | | | play after another. New Orleans ranked No. 3 in |
| won back-to-back Super Bowl titles. Last year, | | | | the NFL in interceptions (26), and it returned five |
| the NFL's No. 1 ranked offense led them to | | | | of its picks for scores. It also tied for fifth in |
| Lombardi, and that unit should be every bit as | | | | fumble recoveries (13), returning three of those |
| good this season. However, it's hard to imagine | | | | for touchdowns. |
| that the defense can be as opportunistic as it | | | | Safety Darren Sharper was the among the top |
| was a season ago when it picked off 26 passes | | | | playmakers in the entire NFL last season. He |
| and recovered 13 fumbles. If the Saints are going | | | | picked off a career-high nine passes, and he |
| to win another Super Bowl, a unit that ranked No. | | | | returned three of those for touchdowns. |
| 25 in total defense must improve. | | | | It's hard to imagine that the Saints can be as |
| Offense: New Orleans ranked No. 1 in the NFL in | | | | opportunistic this season, but they'll have to be |
| both total and scoring offense in 2009, averaging | | | | unless the defense can improve. And that may be |
| 402.8 yards and 31.9 points per game | | | | easier said that done after saying goodbye to |
| respectively. Finishing in the top six in both rushing | | | | Scott Fujita and Charles Grant. |
| and passing offense, the Saints were one of the | | | | Jonathan Vilma and Scott Shanle are back to |
| most balanced teams in football. | | | | keep the linebacker unit solid, but the Saints will |
| Quarterback Drew Brees is the leader of the | | | | miss Fujita's tenacity. |
| NFL's most prolific offense. Brees threw for | | | | Alex Brown has been brought in from Chicago to |
| nearly 700 less yards than he did in 2008, but he | | | | replace Grant. He could end up being an upgrade, |
| was more efficient. He completed 70.6 percent of | | | | but he has never recorded more than seven |
| his passes for 4,388 yards and led the NFL in | | | | sacks in a season in his career. Regardless, the |
| touchdowns (34) and quarterback rating (109.6). | | | | Saints will be counting on another big season from |
| New Orleans was finally able to mount a running | | | | Will Smith, who recorded 13 sacks last year. |
| attack to take some of the pressure off of its | | | | If big Sedrick Ellis can finally play like the All-Pro he |
| Pro Bowl passer. Pierre Thomas, who rushed for | | | | was expected to be when he came out of USC, |
| nearly 800 yards and six scores, anchored a solid | | | | it will go a long way toward helping the Saints |
| running back unit. The Saints won't have Mike Bell | | | | improve against the run. |
| this season, but Reggie Bush appears ready for a | | | | Prediction: 1st NFC South - Since division |
| breakout season. I was really impressed by the | | | | realignment in 2002, the NFC South is the only |
| way he finished his runs in the playoffs. Ladell | | | | league that hasn't seen a team win back-to-back |
| Betts has also been brought in to give the Saints | | | | titles. The Saints have an opportunity to change |
| added depth. | | | | that this season, and I like their chances. Carolina |
| It's really easy to throw the football when the | | | | and Atlanta are both good football teams, but |
| running game is working, just ask Marques | | | | neither of those squads have a Drew Brees. The |
| Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and | | | | NFL is a quarterbacks league. Look around and |
| Jeremy Shockey, who owned defensive backs | | | | you'll see that the teams with the best signal |
| that were cheating up in run support. These four | | | | callers win the most games. NFL lines makers |
| anchor a deep and talented receiving corps. | | | | have listed the Saints as the -150 favorite to win |
| Defense: The Saints ranked in the bottom half of | | | | the NFC South. |
| the league in both scoring and total defense in | | | | |
