The Saints won their final game of the regular season Sunday by beating the Falcons on the road. The Falcons finished their season with an 8-8 record while the Saints finished 7-9. It was the second straight losing season for the Saints and the third in the last four years going back to bounty gate season of 2012.
Although going out with a win in the final game is positive, it serves as no indication how the team will respond next year or beyond. This writer still feels the Saints are in trouble because there has been no real progress in the last 4 seasons where their combined record is 32-32. Throw in the playoff loss to Seattle in 2013 and it is 32-33.
This year Brees continues to set individual records but real leadership is not there, the won-loss record speaks for itself. Payton's leadership since bounty gate has collapsed and his handling of the Rob Ryan issue was unprofessional. I believe Payton knows very well he screwed up with bounty gate and wants out. There is no way he can recover with the Saints and the last 4 years are a good example why. My feeling is Payton should go, one way or another. Brees value to the future of the Saints should be questionable. Sure, he may still be able to set or break future individual records, but will that help the team win all of a sudden where the Saints can compete again for the championship.
The New Orleans sports writers will spin and hype a lot of stories this off season about the Saint's future but will offer no original thought. One sports writer has already said the Saints could do without Payton but not Brees. Maybe Brees has convinced him he will really still be playing when he is 45. The consequence of bounty gate is still very much present four years later.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
