2017 Or Bust! (1 Viewer)

[St. Anger]

Let's imagine that we are in the Saints front office Monday morning after the Falcons game. Win or loss does not matter as the playoffs are not going to happen. And let me start by saying that Payton & Brees have brought respectability to the Saints organization.

However, I think that what should happen is that the Saints brass lay down an ultimatum: 2017 will see the Saints back in the playoffs or 2018 will look much differently than today.

The Baltimore Ravens are a team like that. Harbaugh may be gone in seven days because Bushotti (sp?) is a playoffs or bust kind of owner. The Saints can live off of the "character " mantra & their 2009 Super Bowl win for only so long.

The time to win is now. Anything less is unacceptable.

 

[El Caliente]

I think the majority of us are in that boat. We all feel positive that barring a catastrophic injury to one key player, with the growth of our young guys, and the cap space we will have, we should be back in the playoffs next season. If we don't make the playoffs then that would give us 4 straight losing seasons, and ain't nobody got time for that.

So yes, make the playoffs or start updating that resume.

And if the Ravens fire Harbaugh after this season they are stupid. I can understand they aren't making the playoffs, and this is their second losing season in as many years, but if they let him go that would be the biggest bonehead move they could make.

 

[Pa.Saint]

The time to win is now. Anything less is unacceptable

We've been saying this for at least 3 yrs now, still wind up with the same record

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

We may or may not make the playoffs next year (still have huge holes to fill all over the roster) but I doubt Benson makes a move unless its a 2-14 level disaster, which seems unlikely unless Drew gets hurt.

Maybe 20 years ago he would've laid down that ultimatum, but I dont think Benson's got the stomach for starting over with a new front office/coaching staff, especially given his very public support for Loomis and Payton.

Change will only occur after Benson passes.

Sucks

 

[bobad]

Yes, I think next year will be a "prove it" year for Payton. He has spent the last 2 years rebuilding, so he was sort of insulated from the hot seat. I think 6 losses and improving are the very maximum next year, and losing to bad teams should count double.

I suspect Payton knows this, but hope he doesn't panic and over reach on FA's again. We can't afford any more Byrd-type mistakes, we need that cap money to lock up our best OL and DL.

 

[crawfish2010]

They're blowing it up if the Saints don't make the playoffs next season. There are no excuses, you can't live off of 2009 forever. Payton is officially on the hot seat.

 

[GasBag]

For another serious SB run, I see the Saints 2-3 players away. We might be there now, but man have we had some injury bugs.

OL
DL
CB depth

 

[neworleanshoo]

I don't think that's fair to Benson. Just because he's old it doesn't mean he's unwilling to make a change. Ultimately I think it just comes down to those he turns to for guidance. If Dennis Lauscha advises him that a coaching & GM change is best for the franchise, it'll happen.

But I do agree that Brees adds an important wrinkle. The next 5 years are all about how best to maximize Drew's productivity. If he goes to bat for Sean, it would probably have a considerable impact.

We may or may not make the playoffs next year (still have huge holes to fill all over the roster) but I doubt Benson makes a move unless its a 2-14 level disaster, which seems unlikely unless Drew gets hurt.

Maybe 20 years ago he would've laid down that ultimatum, but I dont think Benson's got the stomach for starting over with a new front office/coaching staff, especially given his very public support for Loomis and Payton.

Change will only occur after Benson passes.

Sucks

 

[guillermo]

I think playoffs or bust is a dangerous and erroneous way to approach the game.

You have to plan and set goals in short, medium and long terms.

We need to understand this is the third year of a rebuilding process, we should expect better results but certainly you can't demand a Super Bowl team after an 8-8 season.

 

[St. Anger]

I think playoffs or bust is a dangerous and erroneous way to approach the game.

You have to plan and set goals in short, medium and long terms.

We need to understand this is the third year of a rebuilding process, we should expect better results but certainly you can't demand a Super Bowl team after an 8-8 season.

No but I expect a much better team after a third consecutive 7-9 season.......

 

[CTSaint]

..And if the Ravens fire Harbaugh after this season they are stupid. I can understand they aren't making the playoffs, and this is their second losing season in as many years, but if they let him go that would be the biggest bonehead move they could make.

Man, if Sean P & co. go 7-9 again next year, and Harbaugh doesn't make the playoffs next year, he'll be the best coach to bring down in NOLA! Defense wins [emoji471]

Just fantasizing, but P. Carmichael running the O & Harbaugh the D [emoji7]

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

 

[St. Anger]

Man, if Sean P & co. go 7-9 again next year, and Harbaugh doesn't make the playoffs next year, he'll be the best coach to bring down in NOLA! Defense wins [emoji471]

Just fantasizing, but P. Carmichael running the O & Harbaugh the D [emoji7]

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

I can tell you by living in Maryland, talk of John Harbaugh being let go is intensifying. The Ravens have missed the playoffs the last three out of four seasons and that does not bode well in Raventown. The Ravens and Saints are very similar in that respect although the Saints haven't been to the playoffs, now, the last four years.

The difference is that Saints fans LOVE Drew. Ravens fans LOATHE Joe Flacco. I've never seen a fan base despise their successful quarterback more than Baltimore fans. If the Ravens win, the team won. If they lose, it's because Flacco screwed up again. It's unreal.

I think that the Saints and Ravens both have coaches whose seats are warm and will be red hot if they miss the playoffs in 2017.

 

[crawfish2010]

Man, if Sean P & co. go 7-9 again next year, and Harbaugh doesn't make the playoffs next year, he'll be the best coach to bring down in NOLA! Defense wins [emoji471]

Just fantasizing, but P. Carmichael running the O & Harbaugh the D [emoji7]

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

Perennial winning franchises don't accept mediocrity and aren't afraid to make a change. We Saints fans are comparing Payton to Bum Phillips, Mike Diktia and Jim Mora. However, his peers are Mike McCarthy, John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin.

Bryan Billick was fired 7 seasons after winning the Superbowl. Did the Ravens say "no we can't fire him because he won a Superbowl"... NO, they went out and hired John Harbaugh who was a special teams coach in Philly. Harbaugh was hired the same year as Payton and has been a more succesfull coach. Harbaugh is on the hotseat too--that's how things work in the NFL. It's a whathaveyoudoneforme lately business.

The Saints with Brees should never be rebuilding. This division is weak and they should be competing for a playoff spot every season.

 

[SweetT]

Let's face it, SP, Drew, and co know that 2017 will be a boom or bust season. We should be able to add some nice pieces via FA and we should be able to draft some good talent (fingers crossed). I honestly hope, with all of the "boom or bust" talk, that our team don't fall to the pressure of having to be successful (in essentially a make or break year).

 

[Domeination]

Baltimore is not going to find a better coach than Harbaugh. That's the trouble with ultimatums. I think it's really important for the Saints to get back to the playoffs next year because I miss them being in the playoffs. I actually think they will b/c the defense is finally headed in the right direction and the offense is actually better than last year. I just have to trust that Payton will finally get the ST straightened out. I think they've already fixed the trajectory issue with Lutz and appear to be set at K now, so that's another reason for looking up. I can't say that our last two 7-9 teams were better than their record, but this team is. In fact, I can't think of another season with so many close, almost inexplicable losses. Things have a way of evening out in sports, so next year should be our year. Who dat!