Overtime

Any way you slice it, the Saints season was a resounding success.

Jameis Winston started seven games. When he departed, the Saints were on their way to a fifth victory.

The Saints lost running back Alvin Kamara for four games. New Orleans lost all four.

Offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk, two of the best at their position in the NFL, started a total of 18 games.
Four Saints quarterbacks started at least one game.

The Saints used four placekickers.

Wide receiver Michael Thomas, who set an NFL single season receptions record in 2019, didn’t play a down in the 2021 season.

Defensive tackle David Onyemata, the club’s best interior pass rusher, was suspended the first six games of the season.

Running back Latavius Murray, who refused to take a pay cut, was waived. He then signed with Baltimore, and rushed for 501 yards, six touchdowns, and averaged 4.2 yards per carry.

The Saints got a minor contribution from first round pick Payton Turner, who had one sack. His season ended in early November with an injury against the Falcons.

And, in December, the Saints had so few players available for a game against Miami due to COVID-19, they had only one inactive, Terron Armstead, for the game.

Yet, it took the second largest comeback in the 2021 season, by the 49ers against the Rams, to knock the Saints out of the playoffs.
So, you would assume that if the Saints have better luck with injuries, they will once again be not only a playoff contender, but a playoff factor?

Maybe so.

What the Saints 2021 season showed us all, is that despite a rash of bad luck, New Orleans has a talented roster.

Especially on defense.

All the Saints need to do now is get some help at wide receiver, and trade for quarterback Russell Wilson.

If that means the Saints send the Seahawks a first round pick and more, then I say, so be it.

Jameis Winston, before he got hurt, completed 59 percent of his passes.

Taysom Hill, in 12 games, completed 58.2 percent of his passes.

We have, and so does Sean Payton, a large enough sample of their abilities.

By the way, in his last five years as a Saint, Drew Brees completed at least 70 percent of his passes, and was at 74.4 in 2018.

So, there’s a huge gap between average and excellent.

Wilson doesn’t celebrate his 34th until November of 2022.

Which means he has at least five more years of top shelf football, maybe more, ahead of him.

The Seahawks need to rebuild.

The Saints need to win now.

Make that deal, and a year later, we aren’t writing in January, about the Saints season ending.

Because it will still be, in progress.