The Saints Are Coming - Madden 13 Franchise

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2012 Season Preview

What an offseason for our New Orleans Saints. Unless you've been living under a nice cosy rock for the last six months, you've heard the misery that has befallen the Saints in that span. In the off chance you have, welcome back! Sadly, we have bad news for you.

]Coach Sean Payton and linebacker Jonathan Vilma will miss the entire season due to suspensions handed out related to the Bountygate scandal by dictator...er, NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell. The Saints are also without a second rounder this year for the exact same reason. Joy. Assistant coach Joe Vitt has been named the interim coach...but he's also suspended the first few weeks of the season. Oy vey. Offensive line coach Aaron Kromer is the interim-interim coach in that span, so let's hope the NFL doesn't suspend him too.

But that's not all! Due to Drew Brees's mega contract extension and seemingly everyone else being free agents, the Saints have had to say goodbye to some damn good players, among them receiver Robert Meachem, guard Carl Nicks, and corner Tracy Porter.

Nevertheless, this iteration of the Saints is still a far cry from the stiffs that were trotted out in front of us for four decades. Drew Brees is still one of the best there is right now, and he's still got Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham to throw to and Darren Sproles to hand off to. Lineman Jermon Bushrod and Jahri Evans are also still present to make sure Breesus doesn't get another scar on his face.

On the other side of the ball, "Fresh Prince" Will Smith will have to anchor a defensive line that isn't exactly star studded. New additions Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne will help cushion the blow of losing Jonathan Vilma and improve a defense that was, quite literally, one of the worst of all time last year. Jabari Greer remains the only corner who can cover reliably. No one's mistaking Malcolm Jenkins or Roman Harper for Darren Sharper, but they're competent at the very least.

The Saints boast a somewhat easier schedule than last year...though not in terms of QBs. RG3, Cam, Rodgers, Rivers, Matty Ice, Peyton, Eli, Romo, Vick...let's just say if the defense plays like it did last year, we're in for a long season.

Our prediction? 11-5. No city that has ever hosted a Super Bowl has seen their team make it that very same year. If anyone can do it, it's the Saints.

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Difficulty: All Madden
Quarter Length: 12 minutes

[YoSoyFiesta]

(Author's note: I'm simming all preseason games.)

TRANSACTIONS

You're looking at your newest Saint. On Monday, the Saints completed a trade with the Ravens that sent Chris Ivory to Baltimore and Cary Williams to NOLA. The Saints needed bodies at corner, and while Williams is an impending free agent, he comes on the cheap. Ivory is a good runner, but its unlikely he would've played, being buried behind Sproles, Thomas, and Ingram on the depth chart.

The Saints also traded veteran Scott Shanle to the Browns for a 5th rounder in the upcoming draft. Shanle, a 10 year veteran, graded out as one of the worst linebackers in the league last year. He'll join former Saint Scott Fujita in the Factory of Sadness.

[Gronk4M13]

Following. Cary Williams is good, I'd recommend signing him to a contract.

[YoSoyFiesta]

New Orleans Saints Depth Chart - 2012
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Marques Colston	Devery Henderson	Nick Toon (R)
TE	Jimmy Graham	David Thomas	Michael Higgins
LT	Jermon Bushrod	Charles Brown	Marcel Jones (R)
LG	Ben Grubbs	Eric Olsen
C	Brian De La Puente
RG	Jahri Evans	Andrew Tiller (R)	Ricky Henry
RT	Zach Strief	William Robinson
WR	Lance Moore	Joseph Morgan
QB	Drew Brees	Chase Daniel
FB	Jed Collins
HB	Darren Sproles	Pierre Thomas	Mark Ingram	Travaris Cadet
Base 4-3 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Cameron Jordan	Junior Galette	Greg Romeus
LDT	Brodrick Bunkley	Akiem Hicks (R)
RDT	Sedrick Ellis	Tom Johnson
RDE	Will Smith	Martez Wilson
WLB	David Hawthorne	Will Herring
MLB	Curtis Lofton	Ramon Humber
SLB	Chris Chamberlain	Jonathan Casillas
CB	Jabari Greer	Patrick Robinson	Johnny Patrick
SS	Roman Harper	Isa Abdul-Quddus
FS	Malcolm Jenkins	Rafael Bush	Jerico Nelson
CB	Cary Williams	Elbert Mack
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Garrett Hartley
P	Thomas Morstead
H	Chase Daniel
PR	Darren Sproles
KR	Darren Sproles
LS	Jahri Evans

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Matchup Preview *|* September 9, 2012
	@
Washington Redskins (0-0, 0-0 Away)		New Orleans Saints (0-0, 0-0 Home)
Injury Report Adam Carriker (Torn Achilles) Out For Season Jonathan Vilma (Suspension) Out For Season Roy Helu (Torn Tricep) Out For Season Brian Orakpo (Torn Tricep) Out For Season Game Notes Week 1 has finally arrived. The Saints are coming off a 13-3 season where they fell just short of a second ring after losing an all-time classic game against the 49ers in the divisional. The Redskins are coming off a 5-11 season which after they traded up in the draft to nab Heisman-winning QB Robert Griffin III. Today also marks RG3's NFL debut. Aaron Kromer will be calling the plays for the Saints today due to Joe Vitt and Sean Payton's suspensions.