NFL media outlet drops the hammer on New Orleans Saints in latest 2024 power rankings
The New Orleans Saints are accustomed to doubters. In fact, some of the doubt is deserved after the past two seasons without a playoff berth. That being said, there's a bold prediction, and then there's taking that prediction a bit too far. The latest example of that concept came from Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk. His […]
The New Orleans Saints are accustomed to doubters. In fact, some of the doubt is deserved after the past two seasons without a playoff berth. That being said, there's a bold prediction, and then there's taking that prediction a bit too far.
The latest example of that concept came from Mike Florio at ProFootballTalk. His 2024 NFL power rankings before training camp are a bit of a head scratcher for the black and gold.
ProFootballTalk ranks Saints 24th in latest NFL power rankings
The Saints won nine games a season ago. Albeit in a weak NFC South, they were quite close to a playoff berth.
With an expected improvement at offensive play caller and greater depth in the front seven on defense, PFT believes they will take a major step back in 2024. Many expect the Saints to float again around that .500 mark.
Florio's rankings predict they'll be in contention for a top ten pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, instead.
That just does not line up with how the Saints attacked their offseason. They addressed a major need with rookie first-round pick Taliese Fuaga at left tackle.
Chase Young is a veteran addition to the defensive line, who possesses intriguing upside. Willie Gay Jr. is a great option as a third linebacker behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner.
Not to mention, the Saints are adopting a more modern style of offense that lends itself on the type of plays that Derek Carr has seen the most success during his NFL career. There will be m ore play action deep shots and motion out of the backfield with some of the Saints' best talent like Alvin Kamara, Taysom Hill, Chris Olave, and Rashid Shaheed.
The 2024 schedule is set up pretty well for the Saints, too
The first month is tough, but overall, it should be manageable. As far as winning percentage from last season, the Saints have the second-easiest schedule in football. The Atlanta Falcons are the only team with an easier slate from that metric.
Instead of ranking strength of schedule by last year's records, Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis bases his rankings on Vegas' projected win totals for the upcoming season. This methodology allows for a more accurate projection of how good teams are expected to be for the season.
He has the Saints' SOS as the fifth-easiest. Only the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears, and New York Jets have easier schedules, as pictured below:
All in all, predicting that the Saints will finish third in the NFC South, just barely recording a better record than teams like the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants just does not seem like a great assessment.
We will see which way the pendulum swings for New Orleans in 2024.
Derek Carr continues off-the-field duties by protecting youth in local community
A big help for a high school.
