New Orleans Saints: Despite disappointment, there is still hope

While things didn’t go as planned for the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs, there is still a lot of hope for the future.

To say that the New Orleans Saints‘ season ended too early would be a huge understatement. The team was poised for a lengthy playoff run and, eventually, Miami. Unfortunately, they fell in the first round, crushing both the team and fans. Looking back at the game, there was a lot that went wrong but the team was still in it all the way until the end of overtime.

Despite the devasting loss, there is still a lot to be thankful for especially in terms of the 2019 regular season. When Drew Brees went down, we all thought that the Saints were falling from grace.

Rather, it was the exact opposite as the Saints banded together. In particular, Teddy Bridgewater played far better than any of us hoped. Considering the career Bridgewater has had and the devastating injury he’s made his way back from, it was heartwarming for both Bridgewater and the fans.

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In addition to Bridgewater being a savior, the defense played arguably their best football in the last few years. They stepped up and put a hurt on opposing offenses. The team finished the regular season with 13 interceptions, over 900 tackles and 51 sacks.

Even with the Saints making trades, signing guys midseason and subbing in rookies, the team still managed to put together an impressive season. Defensively, the team still has some work to do but they’re among one of the best units in the league.

As for the offense, no one was better than Michael Thomas. If Lamar Jackson wasn’t already a shoo-in for MVP, Thomas would be. Thomas had a career year in which he finished with the most receptions ever in a single season. Considering that Brees was out for several weeks of the season, it’s particularly impressive. He also notched his fourth straight 1,000-yard season and tied his own personal record for most touchdowns.

Then there’s Brees. Despite missing multiple weeks with a hand injury, Brees came back better than ever. With only two regular-season losses under his belt, Brees showed that at 40 years old, he’s still as impressive.

Brees finished the season with only four interceptions to a whopping 27 touchdowns, including five against the San Fransisco 49ers in that late-season thriller. While he made some missteps against the Vikings, it still doesn’t take away from his greatness.

Despite everything that happened, losing in the Wild Card Round did sting. As Saints fans, we all know the feeling as early exits also happened the past two years. However, there is still some hope for the future. Though he’s a free agent, it stands to reason Brees will return to try and get another ring. The last time the Saints won was in 2010 and 10 years later, they’re still on the hunt.

As much as we all thought 2019 would be their year, it wasn’t. It’s sad and heartbreaking, but there is always 2020. The Saints played so well in 2019 but still have room for improvement. If they make those few changes, then the Saints should be golden.