Prior to Week 13, Saints’ Super Bowl odds second-best in NFL

The New Orleans Saints have strung together eight straight victories after a 1-2 start to the season, giving their fanbase Super Bowl aspirations.

It’s been a wild ride for the New Orleans Saints.

After the first three weeks of the season, it seemed like this team was bound for mediocrity. Drew Brees didn’t look great, and Michael Thomas was having injury issues, hurting the offense’s production as a whole.

The team started 1-2, but it’s now Week 13 and they still only have two losses. The Saints have won eight straight and now have a 9-2 record with a marquee 38-3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Even with Taysom Hill starting while Brees is on injured reserve, this organization is rolling in the right direction. He’s 2-0 and has shown an ability to captain the team to victory despite showing some flaws as a passer.

With the Eagles, Vikings and Chiefs still on the schedule, the Saints will be tested, and they’ll have to prove that they belong among the top-tier teams in the league. According to FiveThirtyEight.com, they are one of the best teams in the NFL.

Their projections have New Orleans with the second-best odds tow in the Super Bowl. However, it’s not the undefeated Steelers that sit atop the pack; it’s the reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs.

The reasoning behind the odds is likely that the Steelers and Chiefs reside in the same conference, so if the Chiefs make the Super Bowl, the Steelers cannot. That said, the Saints have a 24 percent chance to make the Super Bowl according to the site known for their analytics.

While the Saints do have weaknesses that are obvious, they also have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Having given up 12 points in the last two weeks combined, the Saints have vaulted into the top spot for overall defense.

They’re stacked all over the defensive side of the ball, and they’ll continue to thrive on both sides of the ball as Drew Brees is set to return in just a few weeks.