New Orleans Saints: Drew Brees’ final years marred by missed opportunities
The New Orleans Saints made numerous moves to go all-in on the end of Drew Brees’ career to try and win another Super Bowl but things never fully fell into place in the Big Easy.
Most fans thought the New Orleans Saints would be headed to Lambeau Field for the NFC Championship Game but, instead, it’s the Tampa Bay Buccanneers. Saints fans are surely disappointed in the outcome from the Divisional Round but nothing was more disappointing than Drew Brees, who appeared to be on an entirely different planet than the rest of the team.
A three-interceptions performance from Brees was, frankly, jarring. Even when he first returned from his rib injury, he looked better than he did on Sunday night. Yes, the New Orleans defense played their part in biffing their chances at another Super Bowl but Brees had a large hand in the shortcomings.
Fans in New Orleans and even league-wide were surely rooting for Brees to see him get another shot at a Super Bowl ring before he hung it up. It’s still uncertain if he’ll retire but things are trending decisively in that direction.
And as the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback is likely heading to the broadcast booth, it’s worth lamenting that things never fully fell into place for Brees down the home stretch of his illustrious career.
Mishandled situations and missed opportunities hang over Drew Brees’ final years with the New Orleans Saints.
Perhaps the most glaring misstep the franchise made was putting the roster in a position in which they finished 7-9 three years in a row. The defense in those years was not built to compete for championships which, in turn, essentially wasted some of the final years of Brees’ prime.
However, the Saints front office was aggressive in trying to remedy that situation. Through aggressive trades, drafting and signings in free agency, they were able to bolster the defense. Yet, their playoff luck seemed to worsen as this happened.
Whether it was the missed blatant pass interference against the Rams, being on the wrong end of the Minneapolis Miracle or just not performing in the big moments, the Saints continuously came up short in the postseason.
If Brees indeed retires after the 2020 season, no one will blame him. In fact, it’s remarkable in some ways that he’s been back at all. With the roster turnover, the shortcomings and unfortunate luck of the team, and the injuries he’s dealt with, it’s commendable that he’s consistently tried to get another title, albeit unfruitfully.
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Truthfully, it’s upsetting to see Brees’ career end on such a lackluster path. There was a clear window in which he was playing like an elite quarterback still. He’s done so much for New Orleans, the Saints and the NFL as a whole during his time. To see him possibly go out with only one Super Bowl ring is disappointing.