Quote:
Originally Posted by albionmoonlight
Defense, defense, defense. New Orleans Saints Team Encyclopedia | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Look at that 7-9 stretch from 2012-2016. The Saints ranked 27th, 31st, 31st, and 32nd in defense during that stretch. And they went 7-9 each year. The one year they ranked above 27th, they went 11-5. In 2012, they set a record--teams averaged 440 yards/game against them.
It is, in my mind, what keeps Sean Payton from being among the greatest NFL coaches. For all he can coach an offense, he's always outsourced the defense, generally with bad results. (I'm fascinated to see how McVay handles it when Wade Phillips retires and he no longer has a top 3-DC to compliment his offense). |
I agree with what you're saying. Brees doesn't get enough credit for making the Saints competitive despite horrendous defenses.
Should add though that when you make a boatload of money as the franchise QB, it means there is less to go around for a solid defense. It's why winning a championship with a QB on a rookie scale deal is still one of the best ways to go.