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Now that’s it’s been a year since Bree’s’ retirement and Payton retired for now, it’s time to really look into this sixteen year run.
Where does this run rank? Personally, I’d put it a step above the Bud Grant led 70s Vikings and I’m not saying that because it’s another excuse to degrade the Vikings. Payton and Grant have a similar run. Grant has five more wins in eighteen years but Payton has a higher winning percentage than Grant and has the all important Super Bowl to his name. Grant has four losses.
There is no question the Saints have been the most successful in the NFCS. They are tied with Tampa with one Super Bowl apiece during this time frame, but they overwhelming own the head to head record vs every division opponent during this time. Ron Rivera’s Panthers we’re really the only team that had given the Saints any trouble.
Also during this time, the Saints won the third most division titles behind the Patriots and Packers.
The Saints also had a few HOF players. Everyone mentions Brees, but I think Evans, Jordan, and Payton have made a case for their place in Canton. Kamara is not far behind in my opinion.
Not to mention, this era did raise the standards of the franchise and does look like there’ll always be a definite Before Payton and After Payton similar to how there’s Before Noll and After Noll with Pittsburgh and Before Walsh and After Walsh with San Francisco. Both notoriously bad franchises before those coaches changed the culture of their respective franchises forever.
Where does this run rank? Personally, I’d put it a step above the Bud Grant led 70s Vikings and I’m not saying that because it’s another excuse to degrade the Vikings. Payton and Grant have a similar run. Grant has five more wins in eighteen years but Payton has a higher winning percentage than Grant and has the all important Super Bowl to his name. Grant has four losses.
There is no question the Saints have been the most successful in the NFCS. They are tied with Tampa with one Super Bowl apiece during this time frame, but they overwhelming own the head to head record vs every division opponent during this time. Ron Rivera’s Panthers we’re really the only team that had given the Saints any trouble.
Also during this time, the Saints won the third most division titles behind the Patriots and Packers.
The Saints also had a few HOF players. Everyone mentions Brees, but I think Evans, Jordan, and Payton have made a case for their place in Canton. Kamara is not far behind in my opinion.
Not to mention, this era did raise the standards of the franchise and does look like there’ll always be a definite Before Payton and After Payton similar to how there’s Before Noll and After Noll with Pittsburgh and Before Walsh and After Walsh with San Francisco. Both notoriously bad franchises before those coaches changed the culture of their respective franchises forever.