Imagine if BountyGate never happened?

the Saints had a legit shot to host it that season.

No, they didn't.

The defense already wasn't particularly great..........and the offense had essentially zero chance of repeating what it did in 2011.

Can't believe there are people out there who think Roger Goodell had this intense fear of a team who had never up to that point even won a road playoff game going to such extremes to ruin their season........when all he had to do was allow their defense to take the field a few times. The guy is a useless commish and generally not a likable guy, but I strongly suspect some people overestimate the amount of thought he previously put / currently puts into the Saints.