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The New Orleans Saints are closing in on 60 seasons. They’ve delivered 23 playoff games, three NFC Championship game appearances, and one Super Bowl title.
But 10 earn the label of greatest Saints teams of all time. And these were teams energized by stout quarterback play and fierce defenses.
Now Tyler Shough looks ready to lead the new movement. The rookie Shough is under immense pressure as he could rise as QB1 for new head coach Kellen Moore.
The new era has their work cut out for them. The franchise remains well below .500 for wins/losses. They’re 417-480-5 overall — which includes going nearly two decades without making the playoffs.
But the fanbase celebrated euphorically on Feb. 7, 2010 as the team captured their first-ever Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Is that title-winning team the No. 1 or did they not make the top three? Meanwhile where do any of the teams led by franchise icon Archie Manning land? Time to roll out the 10 greatest teams New Orleans witnessed.
This wasn’t a playoff team. Yet why do the ’79 Saints start our list?
Because they’re the first one to finish .500. This Saints team ended a 12-season streak of losing campaigns. This group became one of the best Saints teams with Manning behind center.
Now we dive into our first Saints postseason team.
Jim Mora sparked new enthusiasm in Louisiana’s largest city. His first Saints team of 1986 improved to 7-9 in Mora’s inaugural coaching debut. The ’87 one finally gave a restless fanbase a playoff team. Unfortunately the 12-3 Saints got bounced early from the playoffs — falling 44-10 to the Minnesota Vikings.
Head coach Sean Payton delivered the league’s best offense in total yards for the ’11 season. Drew Brees is best remembered for delivering an astonishing 5,476 yards and 46 touchdowns.
The Saints were rolling too — winning nine straight before falling in the closing seconds to the San Francisco 49ers during the divisional round.
The 2011 team delivered a better 13-3 mark compared to this 10-6 bunch. But here’s why the 2000 team should be remembered.
They handed the city and franchise their first-ever playoff win. And they did it by knocking off the defending champion St. Louis Rams. Saints owner Tom Benson dancing with an umbrella inside the Rams’ venue still resonates.
Brees fired on all cylinders for this squad. But Michael Thomas put the league on notice.
The go-to wide receiver for Brees shattered the NFL mark for most single-season catches. He hauled in 149 in a 16-game season. Thomas then led the league with 1,725 yards. But N.O. fell to Minnesota in overtime to open the playoffs.
“The Dome Patrol” birthed inside the Superdome. Launching a new defensive identity in the Bayou.
New Orleans led the NFL in scoring defense plus placed second in...
