NEW ORLEANS SAINTS have just Football to focus on in 2013 instead of the "Bounty Scandal" and look whose back on the Sideline...Lead Man SEAN PAYTON with New D-Coordinator ROB RYAN and they have some work to do but there are pieces everywhere...A QB DRIVEN League...Is WHO DAT better than the BIRDS and BUCS in the South? #WhoDat #NOLASaints #GeauxSaints

The New Orleans Saints come in 2013 with a huge chip on their shoulder and something to prove as they fell off in 2013 for various reasons. One big reason was no Lead Man Sean Payton on the sideline to navigate them through the Offensive Playbook. Secondly the Defense was atrocious to say the least. Now Payton is back Brees is happier and New Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan is in NOLA to give Who Dat some good 'ole Voo Dat on that defensive side of the pigskin. With the Falcons (and TIP) the "King of the South" and the Buccaneers loading up in Free Agency would it be safe to say the Saints are the 3rd best in their own division?

Key Players

Offense

QB Brees
WRs Colston/Moore
OGs Grubbs/Evans
RBs Thomas, Sproles, Ingram

Defense

DT John Jenkins (2013 3rd Rd Pick)
OLB Martez Wilson
ILB C. Lofton
OLB W. Smith (converting from DE)
SS Kenny Vaccaro (2013 1st Rd Pick)
CB Keenan Lewis (2013 FA Pick Up from Steelers)
FS M. Jenkins
SS R. Harper

Offensively Brees and the Boys will put up numbers they always do but can they get a stout running game that will put them inside that Top 16. Moore and Colston will be asked to do a lot as Devery Henderson and Bobby Meachem have both departed in the last two seasons. OG Ben Grubbs of the Ravens comes over to bolster that interior of the O-Line. Watch Rookie WR Kenny Stills of Boomer Sooner as he might be that 3rd Slot WR if he can beat out Chris Givens and Courtney Roby.

Defensively this is where it actually starts and ends and I will tell you this they are switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and that takes time. The Personnel the Saints have is more suited form more 4-3 than 3-4 but they drafted huge NT John Jenkins from "Between the Hedges U" Georgia. They also took with the #15 pick in Round 1 Kenny Vaccaro the best Safety on the board. A crushing blow was losing 2013 FA Pick Up and OLB Victor Butler to an ACL as if that happened before the draft they might have taken UGA OLB Jarvis Jones with the 15th pick as he went to the Steelers at #17. Will the Saints D be better than 2012 and would venture to say yes but how much better?

Key 2013 Schedule Dates

Sep 8 vs Dirty Birds
Sep 15 @ Bucs
Oct 6 @ Da Bears
Oct 13 @ Pats
Nov 10 vs Cowboys
Nov 17 vs 49ers
Nov 21 @ Dirty Birds
Dec 2 @ Seahawks
Dec 29 vs Bucs

The Schedule is tough considering there are four games with the Falcons and Bucs combined. Then you throw in the NFC West 49ers and "Legion of Boom" along with the Cowboys, Bears, and Pats it's tough sledding in 2013 for the Saints.  

Projected 3rd in NFC South at 8-8