bitter-iron-ny wrote:Well, your defense kind of sucks
You also don't have nearly the same talent at the skill positions that you used to, so harder to run that offense efficiently.
Your division has gotten a lot tougher. Carolina is an elite team. Tampa on the upswing.and you're pretty much a par with Atlanta. Schedule not exactly friendly for you this year either with some difficult road games @ KC, Arizona, NYG and San Diego - all teams you'd have a much better shot against in the Dome than outdoors.
I do agree with all of that and I do think this season will be a tough one and will come too soon for a play off push
BUT...
Rob Ryan was useless, completely useless and was deservedly sacked last year. We now have Dennis Allen and there was a noticeable tactical and visual improvement in the way our defence set up and played, with a full pre season and the team learning his philosophy our defence can only improve.
We also got rid of Brandon Browner – he of the most penalties committed in the NFL last year.
We also have a good young core in players like Cam Jordan, Delvin Breaux, Stephone Anthony, Kenny Vaccaro, Andrus Peat & Hau’oli Kikaha add to those Sheldon Rankins, Vonn Bell & David Onyemata from this year’s draft and hopefully some of the UDFA’s like Landon Turner who was expected to go in rounds 4 or 5 in the draft
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/ ... id=2555139" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
add in the older experienced players and it has to be better than last year.
As for divisional games, I think Carolina are going to miss Josh Norman and remember they only narrowly beat us last year with our second QB and divisional games are like London derbies, every team raises their game so you never know. Hey I’m a West Ham fan as well – an eternal optimist.
Geaux Saints!