Let’s face it, Saints head coach Sean Payton will go down in history as an all-time great head coach. No other coach has had the fortune of turning around a franchise that had a losing culture like the New Orleans Saints did before he arrived. Coach Payton was also responsible for reviving one of the best signal callers of this generation in quarterback Drew Brees.
During Sean Payton’s tenure in New Orleans, he has guided the Saints to a Super Bowl title, five division titles, and seven playoff appearances. I believe that Payton’s resume is Hall of Fame worthy right now. With that being said, Saints Discussions list the five best teams of the Sean Payton Era in New Orleans.
1. 09 Saints (13-3)
Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated
The 2009 New Orleans Saints should be a no brainer when it comes to the five best teams of the Sean Payton Era in New Orleans. The 2009 Saints won the first-ever Super Bowl title in franchise history. From a historical perspective, the 2009 Saints set the record for the longest undefeated season opening (13–0) by an NFC team since the AFL–NFL merger. The team’s formula for winning so many games that season was easy.
Their “bend but don’t break” defense was number one in turnovers and scoring defense. When a ball club is capable of turning the football over at the ratio the Saints did in 2009 and have Drew Brees as a starting quarterback; they will win a lot of football games, plain and simple.
2. 18 Saints (13-3)
Photo Courtesy of Al.Com
By far, the 2018 New Orleans Saints was the most complete squad Sean Payton has had since 2009. Similar to the 2009 ball club, the 2018 Saints defense was capable of causing turnovers that allowed the team to remain competitive in ball games. When the offense struggled late in the season, it was the defense that kept them alive in ball games. Having a strong defense is very rare during Sean Payton’s tenure in New Orleans. The team secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since 2009. They were on their way to a second Super Bowl until the most significant no calls in modern sports history occurred.
3. 17 Saints (11-5)
Photo Courtesy of Nola.Com
The groundwork for the Saints to go on their deep playoff run in 2018 started in 2017. The Saints returned to dominance in the NFL after a three-year absence from the postseason. The Saints also won their first NFC South title since 2011. The duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara became the first pair of running back teammates in NFL history to both reach 1,500 yards from scrimmage. After defeating the Carolina Panthers for the third consecutive time in 2017, they were eliminated in the playoffs by the Minnesota Vikings the following week. The game ended against the Vikings on an unexpected turn of events.
4. 11 Saints (13-3)
Photo Courtesy of Canal Street Chronicles
Depending on who you talk to, Saints beat writers consider the 2011 team to be the second best squad that Sean Payton has had under his watch in New Orleans. At Saints Discussions, they are ranked at no.4 on the list. They were not as balanced as the previous two ball clubs mentioned on the list. Aside from that, the 2011 Saints were on a different level when it comes to scoring points on offense. Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s record for most passing yards in a season with 5,476 through the air in 2011.
Running back Darren Sproles broke the record for all-purpose yards, with 2,696. In regards to the team breaking records, the Saints broke the record for offensive yards from scrimmage with 7,474. If former defensive coordinator Greg Williams would have set the defense up for success late in the fourth quarter against the 49ers the Saints would have taken over home-field throughout the postseason. The Giants would not have beaten the Saints in the 2011 NFC Championship game.
5. 06 Saints (10-6)
The 2006 season is where it all begins for Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. In his first season as head coach, the Saints won the NFC South title along with becoming the second seed in the NFC Playoff picture. The team also advanced to the NFC Championship game for the first time in team history. Talent wise the 2006 Saints were not Sean Payton’s best squad, but the team had a few young guys on the roster that would go on to become all-time greats in Saints history. The players that I am referring to are Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Zach Strief, Reggie Bush, and the late Will Smith. The Steve Gleason blocked punt explains it all in regards to how special the 2006 season was.
