Teams might not want to play the Saints in the playoffs(and it is not why you think) (1 Viewer)

[Mikezzz]

Meaningless Stat of the Week(but covid boredom is real)

Looking back at the Saints playoff history, something struck me as odd. The Saints have been in the playoffs 13 times with 1 Super Bowl win, so obviously the Saints have lost 12 playoff games. What I found odd is the fact that the teams that beat us those 12 times are 2 and 10 the following week. Only the '87 Vikings(who beat San Francisco the following week before losing to Washington in the NFC title game) and the '13 Seahawks(who beat San Francisco in the NFC title game and Denver in the Super Bowl) have won after beating us. That is only a 17% winning percentage after playing us and only a 8% success rate of winning the Super Bowl.

Questions:

Are the Saints losing to teams they shouldn't lose to as the following weeks games suggest?(likely).

Have the Saints been such a difficult out that it has been difficult for teams to respond the following week?(possible but not likely).

Is all of this meaningless?(most likely).

I did look at one other team with similar numbers. The Failclowns have 14 playoff appearances and 12 playoff losses if you don't count their 2 Super Bowl debacles(since those 2 teams did not play again that year). The record of their opponents the week after beating them is 7 and 5(58%). It should be noted that 4 of those 7 teams went on the win the Super Bowl(33%) and if you do count their 2 Super Bowls, 6 of the teams they lost to in their 14 playoff appearances won Super Bowls(43%). Only 1 of the 12 teams that beat the Saints won a Super Bowl.

Final stat that is most meaningful: The Saints are 1 and 0 in the Super Bowl(100%). The Failclowns are 0-2(0%).

 

[Zack Lee]

I don't know if I would say meaningless but I do think its mostly just odd.

Many of those early playoffs were wildcard games in a time when the NFC was just top heavy and they didn't have too good a shot anyway.

How many times were those teams favored in the games the lost? That might make it more interesting. Were those really upsets. Off the top of my head, a lot of those results were very much expected.

 

[LA_Steve]

I'd be curious to see Brees era stats for all opponents we have played records the following week barring byes. Because if your theory is true a lot of teams we play struggle the following week.

 

[Mississippi Saints Fan]

A playoff win over the Saints is still usually a loss

A miraculous win over the Saints in the postseason is a kiss of death.

www.canalstreetchronicles.com

 

[Mississippi Saints Fan]

How many times were those teams favored in the games the lost? That might make it more interesting. Were those really upsets. Off the top of my head, a lot of those results were very much expected.

That would be interesting to know.

 

[Clintonrebel]

Not relevant. All that is relevant is this year. New season, new team. We will go 19-0 and win the Superbowl in front of empty stadiums. A feat that will NEVER be matched.

 

[muddbug2]

Interesting but there are 32 new teams each year so it's really hard to compare year to year.