The New Orleans Saints have had some close calls in the last few years. Each year we head into the season with every fan screaming this is their team’s year for the big dream, a Super Bowl win. Each year the Saints have looked like strong Super Bowl contenders. With so many failed attempts one can only ask the million-dollar question: is Sean Payton on the hot seat this season?
Let’s venture back. Sean Payton became the head coach for the Saints in 2006. It didn’t take long for him to build a team that would later win the Super Bowl in 2010. Under Payton, the Saints built a team with impeccable chemistry. Players like Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Roman Harper, etc., were part of the Super Bowl team. The organization has since acquired plenty of talent that should have rendered the organization at least one other Super Bowl appearance.
Could New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton Be on the Hot Seat in 2020?
What Held the Saints Back Last Year?
Pride. I strongly believe pride was part of the issue in the last game. Don’t get me wrong, it was a serious struggle on both sides of the ball. The Saints shot themselves in the foot plenty of times during the game. However, I felt in times when it seemed the team could pull it through, they were careless. For instance, Brees is known for his awareness in the pocket and somehow during a possession in the fourth quarter, he fumbles the ball. We spent plays trying to make a play down the field instead of taking the easy yards to fight another play.
While Payton may not lose his job, he still may feel the pressure. There are a lot of things that need to be fixed. The defense has been improving but still lacks consistency. Sometimes players are conservative when they should be aggressive. The organization also needs to find Michael Thomas some help. Thomas is indeed Mr. Reliable but we don’t want to put so much stress on one wide receiver. I am confident these issues were addressed during the free agency and drafts.
While I think it is always our job to question these things, the possibility of the Saints letting go of Payton is pretty slim. Statistically, the performance of the team hasn’t decreased. They have managed to show to achieve more wins than losses. Payton has also shown the organization there is life after Brees when Brees was injured in the 2019 season. He is still the man for the job.
