New Orleans Saints

Two seasons ago, the New Orleans Saints played in the NFC championship game. So New Orleans entered last year as the favorites to win the NFC South again, and candidates to make a run at their first-ever conference crown, slashing their NFL odds as they go.

Instead, the Saints stumbled out of the gate, losing their first four games last season and went on to post a disappointing 7-9 record. New Orleans struggled to score early last year, thanks in part to the season-ending injury suffered by RB Deuce McAllister in Week 3. In those first four games last year, going up against some decent defenses, the Saints averaged less than 13 PPG. New Orleans recovered enough to get to 4-4, and they were 7-7 with two games to go. But they lost those last two games, and are now 17-15 in their two seasons under coach Sean Payton.

The Saints, powered mainly by QB Drew Brees and the passing game, ranked fourth in the league last year in total offense at 361 YPG, but just 28^th in rushing at 92 YPG. And the defense ranked 26^th overall at 348 YPG and 13^th vs. the run at 103 YPG. New Orleans, though, also ranked a respectable ninth in average time-of-possession at +2:16 per game and 14^th in total yardage at +13 per game.

But those early-season expectations led to the Saints' 6-10 mark vs. the NFL betting lines, and their 5-8 ATS record when chalked. And the totals went 10-6 in New Orleans games last year, which averaged a healthy 48 total points per game.

Brees threw for over 4,400 yards for the second straight year last season, and WR Marques Colston remained his main target, carding his second straight season of 1,000 receiving yards. But RB Reggie Bush, also hampered by injury, averaged less than four YPC and less than six yards per reception on his 230 offensive touches.

Over the offseason the Saints tried to bolster the defense, bringing in veterans like CBs Randall Gay and Aaron Glenn and LBs Dan Morgan and Jonathan Vilma. And they used their top three draft picks on that side of the ball, including USC DT Sedrick Ellis with the seventh overall pick. The Saints also brought in TE Jeremy Shockey from the Giants, although he was still dealing in August with the leg he broke last year. But if healthy, he could catch a ton of balls from Brees, who does a very good job of spreading his throws around.

In 2006, New Orleans won seven more games than it did the season before. Then they took a three-game step back in 2007. This year, with this much talent, and playing one of the easier schedules in the league (just five games vs. playoff teams of last season), the Saints are good candidates to rebound and return to the postseason.