New Orleans Saints: Losing Jameis Winston is no death sentence

The New Orleans Saints have lost some impactful players already this season, but losing Winston isn’t a death sentence as some might think.

Losing a player is never easy for an NFL team. For the New Orleans Saints, this year has been particularly unlucky. Not only did the team have to start for the first time in years without Drew Brees but they’re also missing the magic of Michael Thomas. In addition, to kick off Week 8, the Saints are now without starting quarterback Jameis Winston.

Thus far this season, Winston has been fine. While the Saints record isn’t amazing, Winston managed games and made plays when he had to. No doubt the team is going to miss him in the upcoming weeks and possibly the upcoming season. At this point, it’s unclear how serious Winston’s injury really is.

Nevertheless, many might see this as an absolute barn-burner for the New Orleans Saints. In a lot of ways, it could be but this new-look Saints team seems to have an entirely different attitude than in previous years. With a record of 5-2, the team isn’t atop the league but it’s not exactly time to count them out either.

Throughout the last few years, the Saints have proven that adversity is the perfect motivation for them and the loss of Winston might not be as big of a deal as some might predict. In particular, it could end up being a much-needed break for Winston which isn’t always bad.

The New Orleans Saints might be in better shape than some believe

Offensively, it’s never easy to lose the quarterback. Thankfully, that’s something the Saints have a lot of experience with. Last year, the team was without Drew Brees for weeks due to injury and the team managed. While the backups would eventually take his place, the Saints now have someone who could end up being more similar to Brees than either of his former backups turned starters.

Trevor Siemian is not exactly the guy people think of when it comes to saving a team from despair but his performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers proves otherwise. Then again, most of us probably didn’t even realize the Saints picked him up. It was back-and-forth, but no doubt the Saints are lucky they kept him as he started off his debut with a touchdown and gave them a commanding lead over the Bucs.

While Siemian isn’t the answer for the future, he’s the answer for right now and that’s what the Saints are worried about. Winston’s injury could be season-ending and if it is, Siemian is the perfect guy to step into his shoes. Not only does he know the playbook but he has a lot of experience as a journeyman in the NFL. Having someone with as much experience as Siemian is priceless and exactly what the Saints need right now.

Additionally, the Saints have an excellent defense. The Saints’ defense is arguably what’s been helping them win games this season. When the offense is slacking, the defense makes sure to shut the door on the other team especially guys like Demario Davis and Cameron Jordan.

The Saints defense always manages to step it up when the rest of the team needs them to and that’s the true mark of an excellent roster. Plus the last-minute pick-six helped to shut the door on a comeback and showed the defense’s ability to perform under pressure.

Mostly though, the New Orleans Saints have faced a lot of adversity within the last few years and even this year with Hurricane Ida. Nevertheless, the team and the city have managed to band together to get it done. No doubt the team is going to keep the same energy and try to bring the Lombardi Trophy to the Big Easy. Even if that’s not in the cards this year, there is no reason to press the panic button on the Saints just yet.