The truth is no one really knows, especially the sports media who lack objectivity in their reporting. Both teams have critical positions to fill with new faces. The Saints ended last season exiting the playoffs for the fourth straight year and LSU finished its season playing .500 ball after going 15-0 the previous season and a national championship.
The New Orleans Saints: The Saints will start the season with a quarterback that has no record of playing at quarterback for a full season with the team. That means the quarterback and coach Payton will have to prove they can communicate. The defense is still the same defense that plays great and at the same time plays bad too often, especially in games and against teams they can not afford to do so. The Saints are not a team who have consistently played at the top of their game and are lacking at beating teams with a winning record. (they beat only one team last year during the regular season that had a winning record)
The LSU Tigers: Last season was a disaster by any stretch after a national championship year and this year the Tigers have a new offensive and defensive co-ordinator. Regardless what the credentials have to say, they have no record of success with LSU at this time. Can they coach in the SEC with success? Those two positions are most important to any football team. What about coach O? He did not do such a good job at coaching last year and his job as the leader is most important. LSU is usually in the top 5 for recruiting so players talent is not the problem. Last years team not only did not play well, they looked poorly coached.
So this writer believes all is not well in Saintland or Tigerland this season and as a result, do not be surprised what ever takes place. If fans want to keep their sanity, do not expect too much from either team, just enjoy the moment if both teams show progress from last season and the coaching staffs show they belong. As for the Saints quarterback situation, its one of the missing links and does not look good.
Note: It appears that the LSU investigation concerning the sexual conduct of some connected to LSU is putting former coach Les Miles and former President F. King Alexander front and center and giving little information out on the LSU players that were involved. Are Miles and Alexander being made the scape goat with little attention being made about the players who were accused?
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
