The New Orleans Saints have had their championship aspirations end in heartbreaking fashion in the last moments of playoff games in each of the last three seasons. In the 2018 divisional round, the Saints secondary gave up miracle 61-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the game to lose to the Minnesota Vikings. In the 2019 conference championship game, the defense could not stop the Los Angeles Rams on two 4th quarter drives, one in the final two minutes that would send the game into overtime and an ultimate defeat. The first round of the 2020 playoffs once again saw the Saints unable to stop an opponent with the game on the line. Again the opponent was Minnesota, who this time took the opening drive of overtime for the game-winning touchdown.
Rotten luck, offensive stumbles, defensive shortcomings in crucial moments, and incompetent officiating all played a part in one of the most talented teams in the NFL from adding another championship trophy. The Saints will again be a Super Bowl favorite in 2020, possessing perhaps the league’s deepest and most talented rosters. While nearly every position on the New Orleans roster has talent well down the depth chart, here are three spots that are somewhat thin as we head toward the 2020 season.
The Saints have the NFL’s most productive wideout in record-setting All-Pro Michael Thomas and added a bonafide complimentary threat at the position with the signing of veteran Emmanuel Sanders in free agency. New Orleans is still thin beyond those two stars here though. Tre’Quan Smith has flashed some promising signs in his first two seasons but has never been consistent and disappears in crucial moments. Beyond Smith, there is a handful of unproven undrafted players in either their first or second seasons.
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