Anger. Disappointment. Frustration. These are just a few words to describe how some fans feel about the 2021 New Orleans Saints season up to this point. No one is content with a 5-7 record going into the final stretch. The reasons for the subpar season vary from injuries to different quarterbacks under center since Drew Brees retired this off-season. Still, the Saints have a chance to make it to the postseason yet again. Yet the spoiled generation is lost without success.
Millennial Fans of the Saints Struggle with Spoiled Success
Before the season, a 9-8 prediction was not a ridiculous notion. And after a 5-2 start provided some optimism the Saints looked ready to move on from Brees without missing a beat until Jameis Winston went down with a season-ending injury.
Now the outlook for the Saints 2021 season looks more gray than rosy. And for millennials, the Saints season seems to be all doom and gloom. In the 80’s Saints fans saw plenty of misery and losing seasons and many of the younger fans, particularly millennials, have no clue how good the team has been since 2006 when Brees and Sean Payton arrived compared to the previous four decades.
Being spoiled never crosses the mind until it’s all taken away. And for Millennials, the road ahead is scary for the Saints future. Surely, there was going to be a day when Brees would retire. And perhaps the envy of living in a black and gold world where winning is an expectation year after year.
Anything can Happen in the Playoffs
The reality in the NFL is parity has taken over the league. Having a franchise quarterback is a luxury. Franchise quarterbacks don’t grow on trees. Right now, Taysom Hill is driving the train. All is good when a healthy Alvin Kamara hits the field. The NFC Wild Card race is stacked with plenty of teams who will likely finish close to 9-8. Anything can happen in the postseason.
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The Saints, more than any other team experienced ridiculous miracle plays eliminating the black and gold from contention. Surely, the NFC South is beyond reach for the 2021 season. Still, with the onset of COVID-19 knocking out players week to week, the future is not set for the favorites. First things first, the Saints will need to win out to guarantee a spot. The chances are slim.
Time to get Real about the 2021 Saints
For the MTV generation, a playoff appearance was sacred. Waiting in line all night in 1987 with drums beating, and fans cheering felt like dreams came true. This may be hard to believe especially from the Millenials. An 8-8 record simply felt like a Super Bowl back in the ’70s and ’80s. A 7-9 record spelled hope. This was my world. The world of getting to the playoffs was not a spoiled reality for Saints fans back then. And those years seemed to go on and on without any breaks.
So after Sunday’s win, the Saints are right there in the hunt at 6-7. Make no mistake, this is not where many predicted at this point, even with a healthy Jameis Winston. But now, the hope is maybe the Saints can build upon the win against the New York Jets. There is still hope. Perhaps a Super Bowl is a stretch for February 2022 but the playoffs are still a possibility.
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