Could the Saints make serious gains behind Jameis Winston? New Orleans QB will be a crucial playoff factor
By Jason La Canfora | CBS Sports
I'm not entirely sure what to make of the New Orleans Saints. Sure, Drew Brees is gone, but Brees has been on the decline for a while and in some instances seemed to perhaps be holding the scope of the offense back.
But, then again, it's Drew bleepin' Brees and he is one of the most accomplished and prolific passers in NFL history and he won't be in that huddle anymore. That requires a unique transition and the loss of such a profound leader can be difficult to overcome. … Then you watch some film of Jameis Winston and that big arm, and recall how ever-so-willing he is to push the ball downfield (to a fault). And, Winston did have a year to marinate in this offense and take it all in and grow from that experience. And the dude did lead the league in passing two years ago.
How do you size all of this up?
The Saints have too much talent to be lumped in with the clearly rebuilding franchises, to say nothing of their recent playoff pedigree. They have game-changers, still very much in their prime, on both sides of the ball and one of the most innovative head coaches in the league in Sean Payton. The 2006 NFL Coach of the Year has already displayed that he can implement multiple offenses and concepts at the same time and toggle between the skillset of his quarterbacks, as he did increasingly with Taysom Hill as injuries caught up with Brees in recent years.
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