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New Orleans Saints: Sean Payton’s case as Coach of the Year

By Rebecca Mills

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 07: Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints reacts during the first half of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Carolina Panthers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 7, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 07: Head coach Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints reacts during the first half of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Carolina Panthers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 7, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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The New Orleans Saints had one of their best seasons in years, mostly in part to Sean Payton, and the head coach deserves consideration as Coach of the Year.

2017 was a huge year for a lot of New Orleans Saints players. Not a lot of people have talked about the coaches, though. Last season, Sean Payton coached the team to an 11-5 record and two playoffs games. While it might not have been what they imagined, Payton should still be considered as the NFL’s Coach of the Year.

In recent years, the Coach of the Year has gone to some great coaches. From coaches who took their team from nothing to coaches who took them to a Super Bowl, it’s hard to pinpoint who will get the honor. There are obviously some other great nominees like Doug Pederson, Mike Zimmer and Doug Marrone.

What sets Payton apart goes beyond coaching, though. He did do a great job of coaching, even though that last play that ended the season was questionable. Regardless, he helped set the team up for a great season, worked with a somewhat bare roster at times and defeated some of the best teams in the game right now.

Considering how talented their draft class was, Payton had to work hard to develop the rookies and get them ready for the season. Obviously, Payton didn’t do this single-handedly, but it’s a huge part of being a coach. He has to supervise what everyone else is doing and make sure everyone is ready to go when the time comes.

Unfortunately, this season was marred by injury for the Saints, too. It didn’t hurt the team too bad as they were able to fill in the gaps when necessary and make the proper changes. The backups might not have been as good, but they did the job. Part of the credit has to go to Payton’s coaching and how he dealt with the adversity of losing impact players.

A coach’s record is a huge part of their success. This season, Payton helped the team become one of the best in the NFC. With only five losses to the Falcons, Rams, Buccaneers, Patriots and Vikings, the Saints had an incredible season.

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After going 7-9 for back-to-back seasons, the Saints really needed Payton to step up and show he was serious about winning. That’s exactly what he did and it should be rewarded. Payton deserves to at least be considered for the NFL’s Coach of the Year. Even if he doesn’t win, it’s clear his hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

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