The latest NFL power rankings from Touchdown Wire’s Jarrett Bailey are not exactly impressed by the New Orleans Saints’ 2-0 start to the season, essentially writing them off as phonies right out of the gate. Bailey did move the Saints up two spots from their ranking a week ago, but they’re still a team in the doldrums to hear him tell it.
Here’s what Bailey had to say in ranking the Saints at No. 20 overall, going into Week 3:
“Yawn. The Saints are 2-0, and nobody cares. Nor should they. They’ve beaten two bad teams, and neither game was convincing in the slightest. To quote AEW World Champion MJF, the Saints are MID. I apologize for being cranky, but I turned off Batman: The Animated Series to watch the Saints and Panthers exchange punts and field goals for three quarters and I’m a little annoyed.”
Sounds like someone doesn’t appreciate strong defensive play. But the Saints offense does deserve some criticism. Derek Carr didn’t make as many positive plays as we saw a week earlier, and the offensive line as a whole got pushed around far too often on Monday night. For a team boasting so much skills position talent they haven’t put many points on the board. Carr needs to get more out of his receivers and other big-play threats like tight end Juwan Johnson. Hopefully Alvin Kamara’s return after this Sunday’s game can uncork some of that potential.
What about the rest of the NFC South? The Saints knocked the Carolina Panthers down to 0-2 and No. 26 in these power rankings (last week, they were ranked above New Orleans). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 2-0, just like the Saints, but Bailey slots them in a couple spaces behind New Orleans at No. 22. Meanwhile, the obviously flawed Atlanta Falcons idle at No. 18. The NFC South is looking more competitive than many expected but all four teams are still ranked in the NFL’s bottom half.
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