New Orleans Saints (Who Dat Dish)

Team MVP: Drew Brees. It's no secret that the Saints like to throw the ball and there's only two quarterbacks in the NFL who throw the ball better than Brees. With the best selection of weapons he's ever had, Brees should again put up monster numbers and be the driver of the Saints well oiled offensive machine. The chemistry between him and Sean Payton has been impeccable and now entering their third year together, it should only get better. I not only expect Drew to be the MVP of the team but to finish one spot higher in the MVP race than he did in 2006. Break-Out Player: Robert Meachem. It would be tough to draw up a worse rookie season than the one Meachem experienced last year. After being selected in the first round, the receiver showed up to rookie camp out of shape and injured his ankle. Then in minicamp, he injured his right knee and needed some surgery. He returned for training camp but could never get into a rhythm with the limp he had. He was the only first round pick last season to not see any action in a game. Robert took it all in stride and has had a great offseason. He sought the tutelage of veteran David Patten during the offseason and is now fully healthy. The combination of size, speed, and hands the team saw when they drafted has shown during training camp. Biggest Disappointment: I expect the Saints to have a huge season this year with the defensive additions and the already solid offense. So finding a disappointment is tough. But there is one player I can think of that could truly disappoint me. That is Deuce McAllister. He's had multiple knee surgeries and he is turning that unenviable age (30) for running backs this year as well. There is not one player on the team anyone would rather see succeed on the team than Deuce but maybe the pounding has taken its toll on him. Fantasy Stud: Marques Colston. No player has caught more passes in their first two seasons in the NFL than Marques. No offense throws the ball more than the Saints. This equals fantasy gold. With the addition of Jeremy Shockey taking defenders away from Marques, he should be more open than ever. Offensive Outlook: Pass, Pass, Pass. No team passed the ball more last year and with the Payton/Brees combo not going anywhere that probably won't change. The Saints love spreading defenses and throwing check-down passes. With a wide assortment of receivers with all sorts of skill sets and Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush to throw down to, the offense will be more dangerous than ever. The only concern here is if the running game can return to their 2006 form. Bush and McAllister both suffered knee injuries last season and their returns will be valuable. The possibility of a Pierre Thomas emergence may be in place if Deuce struggles. Defensive Diagnosis: Turnover. That's what happened to a solid portion of the defensive roster and that's what the defense will need to create more of. The Saints had creating turnovers last season, as well as getting to the quarterback and giving up the long pass. All three affect each other. To aide the pass rush the Saints added pass-rush specialist Bobby McCray and traded up to the seventh pick in the draft to select DT Sedrick Ellis. The team added a slew of corners to challenge last seasons struggling incumbent starter, Jason David. Also, Kevin Kaesviharn figures to get a long look to start at free safety. With the addition of middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, the Saints defense has the most talent it has had in years. The question is with all the change can all the pieces mesh together quickly, which they will need to do. "Red Letter" Game: 10/26 versus the San Diego Chargers in London. Why does this game stand out to me more than a division game? Because I think the Saints are head and shoulders above any of the other teams in the NFC South. The game verse the Chargers pins the Saints against an elite team in the NFL, which will be the measuring stick to see where they stand around the NFL. The Chargers boast a very talented team and faced the Patriots in the AFC Championship game last season. If the Saints plan to be Super Bowl contenders, they will need to display it in front of the fans at Wembley Stadium that day in London. Projected Record/Outlook: I fully expect the Saints to be right up there with the Giants and the Cowboys as the NFC challengers this year. The schedule is not very tough and those games that are tough are at home (or London) for the most part. I expect the Saints to at least duplicate their 10-6 record from 2006. The division is theirs to lose and unless a few injuries occur they should run away with it. Parting Smack: I am willing to talk smack to the Panthers knowing the consequences might include getting punched in the face by their 4 foot tall wide receiver. They're team is flat out not very good. John Fox should just look forward to next season because he won't be the coach of the Panthers anymore. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers have done very little to improve themselves this offseason. They enjoyed some success last season but the NFC South was probably at its weakest. The offense has a fair amount of older players and lacks much firepower. They need a big year out of Jeff Garcia and at the age of 38, I'm not quite sure that's possible. If they can provide any amount of offense a 9-7 season could be duplicated. Carolina Panthers: The Panthers are at some sort of crossroad. They have some very good players on that team yet they never seem to manage to make a key acquisition. The offense lacks playmakers outside of Steve Smith and they are relying heavily on two young running backs (Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams). The defense was middle of the pack last season and hasn't improved one bit. I expect this team to be what it is, middle of the pack, meaning an 8-8 season. Atlanta Falcons: Now that the circus from last year is over and behind them, the Falcons can finally move on. They drafted Matt Ryan to be the future and Michael Turner should be a good starting running back in the league. Nevertheless, this team is horrendous. They are a few years away from having a shot at contending for anything other than the number 1 pick overall. - Dashmir Keca