The New Orleans Saints haven’t won the NFC South since 2020, the last time Drew Brees took a snap in the NFL. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have taken the division every year since Brees retired, but this season could be different, according to vegasinsider.com. The Atlanta Falcons are the favorite to win the division and the Saints have the third-worst odds.
Saints Have Roster To Win Division
One thing the Saints have going for them is their defense. They are projected to be one of the better units in the league. The defense isn’t the issue with the Saints. The questions revolve around whether Saints Quarterback Derek Carr can lead the team to a division title and a playoff spot.
The Saints were close last season with a 9 – 8 record and split the head-to-head series with the Bucs. The Saints also finished strong down the stretch winning four of their last five but fell just short of the title after tying with the Bucs in the division record but one game short in overall conference record.
New Orleans Needs To Get Rushing Attack Going
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In 2023 Carr finished the year with 3,878 yards, 25 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions. It’s a solid stat line by any standard, so where did the Saints falter last season? Their running game was not what it’s been in years past with Alvin Kamara and as a team in 2023, they averaged a paltry 3.6 yards per carry. The Saints had four players with over 40 carries in the running game and only Taysom Hill averaged over 4.0 yards a carry.
Kamara and Jamaal Williams are 29 years old and had less than impressive 2023 campaigns, both sporting less than 4.0 yards per carry, and Williams was below 3.0. Can these two carry the Saints’ rushing attack this season? What about second-year running back Kendre Miller, who has struggled with injuries in his young career? There are hopes for him, but he has to get and stay healthy if he is to contribute in any way. At this point, some think he might not even make the Saints roster.
The Saints should be solid in the passing game; however, they didn’t add anyone of note to the offensive roster. They did sign Wide Receivers Stanley Morgan from the Bengals and Cedric Wilson Jr from the Dolphins. Wilson has a chance to be a little more than an average contributor, and Morgan can be a nice addition to special teams. Chris Olave is a year wiser and expects to be one of the top wideouts in the NFL and tight ends Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson are solid. Carr should once again approach similar numbers with this group.
The Saints Will Be Carried By Defense
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At the end of the day, it’s the Saints defense that will carry this team. The offense will be decent, but they won’t be lighting up the opponent every week. The defense will be the strength of this team and should be more than up to the challenge. Free agent newcomers Chase Young and Willie Gay are excellent additions and should provide an immediate impact on game days. Look for the Saints’ defense to finish in the top ten in 2024.
The NFC South will be better from top to bottom, but the Saints are more than capable of winning the division title. The Atlanta Falcons got much better this offseason, but are unproven. Will the addition of Kirk Cousins stabilize an offense that is loaded with talent at every position?
The Buccaneers are the three-time division champs and still have one of the best duos at wide receiver in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Then there are the Panthers, which should be two wins for every team in the division. While the Falcons might be the favorite, the division will once again come down to the final weeks of the season and you can expect the Saints to be right there.
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