2009 New Orleans Saints NFL Predictions

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saints 81109Since winning the division title and advancing to the NFC title game in 2006, it’s been back-to-back disappointing seasons for the Saints. Last season, the Saints finished last in the tough NFC South with an 8-8 mark, but they easily could have been playoff bound, losing five games by three points or less. The offense is among the best in football, but a defense which ranked 23rd in the league in 2008 has held them back.  Find out if the Saints have what it takes to climb back to the top of the NFC South in this NFL betting preview. NFL odds makers have listed the New Orleans Saints at +2000 to win Super Bowl XLIV.

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Offense – Drew Brees was Mr. Incredible for the Saints last season, throwing for 5,069 yards and 34 touchdowns. He came within 16 yards of breaking Hall of Famer Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season. I expect more of the same from one of the game’s most prolific passers in 2009. Brees will not be joined in the backfield by running back Deuce McAllister or fullback Mike Karney any longer. That means that Reggie Bush will be relied heavily on to carry the load. The Saints cannot afford to have him miss any time like he has through the first few seasons of his career. He will split carries with Pierre Thomas, who was pretty productive with 625 yards and nine touchdowns in 2008. Brees did much of his damage through the air without his favorite target Marques Colston. After two monster seasons to start his career, Colston missed five games with torn ligaments in his thumb. Tight end Jeremy Shockey was hampered by injuries as well. If these two can stay on the field, with Brees and Bush, the Saints can boast a set of skill players unmatched by nearly every other team in the NFL.

Defense – If the Saints want to make a big turnaround defensively, it’s going to have to start up front. That means ends Will Smith and Charles Grant will need bounce back seasons. Both were plagued with injuries and were only able to combine for six sacks on the season. I’m also excited to see the progress of 2008 top draft choice Sedrick Ellis, who had a nice rookie campaign. The linebacker corps got a big lift with the addition of Jonathan Vilma. He quickly became the best player on the team in the front seven and that earned him a five-year contract. With the defensive front not getting nearly enough penetration (just 22 sacks), the secondary was exposed to the tune of 221.7 passing yards per game allowed. The team hopes a nice mix or youth and experience will produce a better unit. Darren Sharper comes over from Minnesota to fill one of the safety spots. The team is also excited about youngsters Tracy Porter and Malcolm Jenkins.

Prediction: 3rd NFC South – The offense will remain top notch, but defense wins championships and I still don’t think the Saints are good enough defensively to bring home a South title.  With that said, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if New Orleans pulled this thing out. They will have to win close games this season and they will have to get out of the gate better because the Saints finish the season by playing teams with a winning record in 2008 in 10 of their final 12 games. The Saints are listed at +190 to win the NFC South.

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About the Author: Jimmy Boyd is known for his consistency. He's a proven winner in college and pro football, college and pro basketball and pro baseball. He finished as the No. 1 ranked MLB handicapper in 2007 by earning $1,000/game bettors $50,050. He also finished as the No. 1 ranked basketball handicapper in the 2008-09 season, profiting $1,000/game bettors 38,530. His basketball plays have banked $1,000/game bettors nearly $80,000 the last five years. Check out Jimmy's premium picks for tonight!
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