Predicting the outcome of the 2015 New Orleans Saints games

Before predicting anything, let me explain how and why the New Orleans Saints will be successful in 2015.  After dramatic changes to the roster in the offseason, Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis seem to have a new vision to how to build a good football team.  Following the Cowboys blueprint, the Black and Gold acquired one of the top three center in Max Unger and drafted Andrus Peat whom I project to serve as a backup swing tackle.

After resigning Mark Ingram, the Saints added C.J. Spiller to make for one intriguing duo in the backfield.  Having traded Kenny Stills and Jimmy Graham, the Saints appear to be set to become more run-heavy, thus opening up play-action passes downfield (remember the Packers game). Sean Payton seems determined to let the young guns in the receiving corps to play a significant amount of snaps.

May 28, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints free safety Jairus Byrd (31) and free safety Rafael Bush (25) during organized team activities at the New Orleans Saints Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The front office was wise enough to add competition and quality at corner.  Brandon Browner might be heavy-footed or stiff, but he is the best in the league in flat-out harassing and redirecting opposing wideouts.  Overall the pass defense will be much improved, given the safety duo Jairus Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro will be back to full health, Stephone Anthony and Dannell Ellerbe are a lot more capable in coverage than Lofton and Hawthorne last year.  We can count on an improved pass rush, despite Junior Galette’s injury and controversy, as the young hopefuls Hau’oli Kikaha, Kasim Edebali, Davis Tull and Ronald Powell will make a push to unseat veterans Parys Haralson and Anthony Spencer.

The competition among defensive backs for snaps in the nickel and dime packages will be fun to watch. Will Rafael Bush make it a three-safety set? Will the recently struggling Kyle Wilson bounce back in a different scheme? Can the rookies Damian Swann and PJ Williams rotate in? Let us not forget about hometown hero Delvin Breaux who overcame the odds to not only play the game again after suffering a broken vertebrae but to be a stud in the Canadian Football League.

Let’s get to predicting the Saints 2015 games…