NFL Fans Are Kidding Themselves if They Think the Saints Aren't Still the Best Team in the NFC South
By Jerry Trotta
After putting together a stretch of dominance that may never be replicated again in the history of sports, the undisputed greatest quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady, is heading to Tampa Bay to play for the Buccaneers.
After capturing six Super Bowl rings, three MVPs, and 14 Pro Bowls in New England, Brady is headed to the NFC South, where a plethora of NFL fans predict he will unseat the New Orleans Saints for the division crown.
In our eyes, that take, despite Brady's GOAT resume, is scorching and downright foolish.
Tom Brady-Bucs update: While there won’t be any last-minute snags, the two sides still are going over the language in the contract before it can be finalized, per league sources. But nothing expected to prevent Brady from announcing that he is the new Bucs’ QB.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 18, 2020
The Saints are the class of the NFC South. More importantly, they are the kings of the regular season and Drew Brees, who threw for 27 touchdowns compared to four interceptions in 2019, just signed a team-friendly contract extension. Make no mistake about it: New Orleans' top class roster is only going to improve this offseason.
We get that fans have a hankering to see Brady play alongside perhaps the greatest assortment of wide receiver talent he ever had in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but that doesn't change the fact that Tampa's defense couldn't stop a nosebleed last season.
You could also make the point that the Buccaneers' run game is worse than New England's, and Brady struggled mightily on passing downs when Sony Michel and Co. were logging less than four yards per tote.
Also, have you taken a look at Tampa's schedule in 2020? It's relentless.
Tom Brady's first season in Tampa will include games against Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees (twice), Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, at Denver (where Brady has struggled), at Las Vegas, at the Giants, and the Chargers https://t.co/J8hJOIJloo
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 18, 2020
The Saints are still the best team in the NFC South. Tom Brady landing with the Bucs doesn't change that. Period.