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Few teams have enjoyed as much success than the New Orleans Saints in recent years — at least in the regular season. The Saints have won 13 games in back-to-back campaigns for the first time in franchise history, setting up 2020 to be the year when they finally carry over their winning ways into the playoffs (hopefully).
While the team does have some flaws, For The Win’s Steven Ruiz fully expects them to make a deep push this year. He ranked New Orleans third-best in his updated NFL power rankings:
The Saints have the deepest roster in the NFL. There isn’t really a weakness on the depth chart. Drew Brees is older and his arm isn’t as strong as it once was, but until that precision starts to go, he’ll continue to be one of the better quarterbacks in the league. The defense looks better on paper after the Malcolm Jenkins signing tied the secondary together. Injuries and a reversal of turnover luck are the only way this team isn’t at the top of the NFC standings come December.
Ruiz used a few key stats to inform his analysis — pointing out that the Saints ranked second-best in turnover margin while leading the NFL in fumbles recovered last year, which aren’t sure things to repeat in 2020. Turnovers are a high-variance stat, especially on defense, so it’s possible the Saints won’t have as many breaks go their way (or as many interceptions from Jameis Winston, who was picked off four times in one game by Saints defenders).
Additionally, the Saints largely enjoyed good health last year. While starters like Drew Brees, Andrus Peat, Marcus Davenport, Sheldon Rankins, Kiko Alonso, and Alex Anzalone were in and out of the lineup with injuries, the depth chart wasn’t struck hard from top to bottom, or at least to the extent of some teams. Pro Football Outsiders gauged the Saints as having had the eighth-fewest adjusted games lost to injuries in 2019. That’s a trend that could definitely swing the other way at a moment’s notice.
But for now, the Saints are in a great spot to set the pace for the NFC. They’re ranked ahead of the San Francisco 49ers (who Ruiz noted experienced even more lucky breaks than the Saints, and many other teams around the league) and every other contender in the conference, trailing only two other squads — and they both play in the AFC. While the Saints will host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs late down the stretch, the only way they’ll see Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens is if both teams reach the Supr Bowl. That just might be in the cards.
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