The Saints once again have one of the best, if not the best roster in the NFL. They’ve entered each of the last 3 seasons with tons of hype and have been legit championship contenders. And each of the last 3 seasons, they’ve been bounced in the playoffs. If New Orleans can’t make at least a Super Bowl appearance this year, it might be time for Sean Payton to go.
I know that sounds crazy, but the conversation needs to be had. It wouldn’t be the first time a Super Bowl champion coach has been fired, as Tom Landry went 2-3 in Super Bowls and was promptly fired once Jerry Jones took office in Dallas. 3 other coaches have been fired from their teams even after two Super Bowl victories, and multiple others after one.
I understand that there was a phantom no-call pass interference in 2018, and a crushing missed tackle by Marcus Williams led the Minneapolis Miracle the season before. Acknowledging that, better coaching prevents those plays from ever happening. Get ahead earlier, find a way so that your games as the best team in the league don’t come down to the final seconds.
2019 was the most damning from a coaching standpoint by far. The Saints once again faced the last seeded Minnesota Vikings. Fans were looking ahead to a potentially great matchup between the Saints and the Packers in the second round, failing to account for Minnesota’s sneakily good team. Drew Brees was less than spectacular, tossing for 208 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also fumbled the ball away in the final minutes of the game.
When it came down to it, Payton played conservative at the end, electing to let time waste away and go for the tie. Although Brees hadn’t had his finest game, he’s still one of the most clutch quarterbacks of all time. You have a top 10 RB in Kamara and a top 5 WR in Michael Thomas. You have the momentum. Your run defense was gashed by Dalvin Cook all game. Make something work instead of wasting your time and kicking a field goal to settle for overtime. The Saints ended regulation still with a timeout that was never used, leaving many fans puzzled.
Overtime came and the Vikings elected to receive. Faced in a similar scenario, Mike Zimmer went for the kill, ending successfully. “We talked about how we didn’t want to leave anything in the bag. We had a chance to go down to score and win, and that is what we were trying to do.”
Zimmer played the exact opposite card as Payton did, and it gave them the win. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but this ending was a disaster for him and the Saints in general. Somebody has to take accountability for these losses, and understand that it can’t keep happening. Drew Brees is 41. We don’t know how much longer he has left. Kamara and Thomas seem to be in their primes, and they might have their strongest defense as a franchise ever. The Saints HAVE to win now.
This isn’t to slander Sean Payton alone, and there’s no denying he’s a great coach. But as the 2nd longest-tenured head coach in the league, he only has 1 championship appearance (and title) to speak of in 14 years. He was almost fired in 2012 for his knowledge and involvement in the Bountygate scandal, which I won’t even get into. He’s faced some unlucky exits in the playoffs, but somebody has to take accountability for these losses and understand that it can’t keep happening.
Potential Replacement Candidates
Josh McDaniels – McDaniels’ name is entered into the hat whenever a team is looking for a new coach. He always ultimately stays with New England, but the Saints might be an irrefutable opportunity. He has experience working with Tom Brady at an older age, which should translate delightfully to working with Drew Brees.
Jim Harbaugh – Though he’s been out of the NFL for some time, his time with San Francisco was impressive. The Niners reached the NFC Championship 3 times and made a Super Bowl appearance in his 4 years there, after missing the playoffs 8 years prior.
Urban Meyer – One of the most decorated and accomplished NCAA coaches of all time, I have no doubt Meyer could be successful at the next level. He’d be fit with a phenomenal team all around, in one of the best scenarios you can be when taking a head coaching job.
Eric Bieniemy – Bieniemy is fresh off a Super Bowl title, calling plays for the league’s best offense. He’d be a stellar fit on a prolific and brilliant offensive group.
