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Expectations couldn’t be higher for the New Orleans Saints ahead of their 2020 training camp. The mantra has been “Super Bowl or bust” for years now, but this might be the last time they can make that statement with Drew Brees leading them.
Fortunately, the Saints are as prepared as they’ll ever be to make a committed run at another Super Bowl title. That’s reflected in the pre-training camp NFL power rankings from Mark Schofield over at Touchdown Wire, who saw a lot to like in their draft class and free agent pickups. With Brees conducting an offense flush with weapons, he’s right to point out that the Saints “should score points in bunches,” which goes a long way in today’s NFL.
But there’s a catch: the Saints aren’t alone at the top. They ranked 4th, sure, but that’s behind both of the teams to play in the last Super Bowl (the reigning-champ Kansas City Chiefs at No. 1, Baltimore Ravens at No. 2, and the San Francisco 49ers at No. 3). Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers are climbing, listed at No. 6, but it’s anyone’s guess whether Brady and the un-retired Rob Gronkowski have enough left in the tank to challenge the Saints. The upstart Tennessee Titans, who ended Brady’s storied New England Patriots career and lost to the Saints in a 38-28 bludgeoning, are sandwiched in-between at No. 5.
Elsewhere around the NFC South: the Atlanta Falcons are wallowing down at No. 22, who are hoping to finally rebound from their stunning loss in Super Bowl LI. Look even further down the list and you’ll find the lowly Carolina Panthers at No. 29, who inked Saints backup Teddy Bridgewater to a big contract while overhauling their roster. It’s very much looking like a two-horse race for the NFC South crown.
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