The NFC South is already getting the familiar offseason treatment, and once again the Saints are the team being pushed to the front of the line.
This time, the latest pick came from Ben Solak of ESPN, who projected New Orleans to win the division in his recent set of season predictions. For Buccaneers fans, it’s another round of the same song: plenty of outside noise, plenty of Saints buzz, and plenty of reasons to roll their eyes.
Solak’s case for New Orleans centered on a few specific things. He pointed to the way Brandon Staley’s defense played in the back half of the season, and he also highlighted what then-rookie quarterback Tyler Shough showed.
The biggest swing factor, though, came in the run game. Solak noted the Saints’ additions of Travis Etienne and offensive guard David Edwards, arguing those moves could change the shape of the offense.
“The Saints look like an ascendant team to me. They have a young quarterback good enough to win with, sharp coaches on both sides of the ball, good offensive line play and enough young bets at the skill positions for this offense to be more than just Olave.
They're a few blue-chip players away from true contention, but in the measly NFC South with a fourth-place schedule? A divisional title is achievable.”
It’s easy enough to understand why some outsiders are drawn to New Orleans. The Saints haven’t been a consistent winner in years, and Shough has been their best quarterback since the Bucs sent Drew Brees straight into retirement.
Still, Tampa Bay has earned a lot more trust in this division than the Saints have lately. The Buccaneers have owned the NFC South more often than not in recent years, and even last season’s stumble was close - they barely missed out on a fifth straight division title. That’s why the Bucs should still be treated like the team to beat, even if the offseason conversation keeps trying to hand the crown to New Orleans.
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