One Step Closer to Super Bowl LIV: A Look-Back

Is a Saints Super Bowl Berth imminent?

The New Orleans Saints’ 2009-2010 season started on September 25, 2009, with a performance by U2 and Green Day in what we then called the Louisiana Superdome. The city was in full recovery from Hurricane Katrina and enjoyed a Super Bowl like pregame show to welcome the residents back. This was the most successful season for the franchise as the Saints went 13-3 and were in the Super Bowl for the first time in history.

Members of the Who Dat Nation remember where they were on February 7, 2010, when Drew Brees led the New Orleans Saints to a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLIV. New Orleans took control of the game in the second half and the infamous on-sidekick that caught the Colts off guard sealed the deal.

September 2019, ESPN simulated all 267 NFL games for the 2019-2020 season. The writers predicted that the Saints would play the San Diego Chargers and win Super Bowl LIV 40-33. The simulated story reads,

A meeting of the No. 1 (Saints) and No. 2 (Chargers) offenses in the NFL, Brees is back on top. A decade after he and Payton beat Peyton Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, the duo gets it done again. It’s heartbreak again for L.A. quarterback Philip Rivers, having come so close to winning that elusive championship, but he comes up a touchdown short. He says you must simulate the offseason to find out whether he’s coming back for a 17th season at 38 years-old, but FPI leaves us at the Saints’ victory parade down Bourbon Street.

The New Orleans Saints moved one step closer to Super Bowl LIV 2020 in Miami, Florida this week. The 4-11 Dolphins were eliminated earlier this season, so both teams will be visitors. With the playoff picture getting more and more clear, a few teams have moved closer to taking home the Lombardi Trophy. The New Orleans Saints have been competing for another Super Bowl appearance for the past few seasons and have had some ruthless endings. Last year, a no-call against the Rams in the Mercedes Benz Superdome ended the Saints’ Super Bowl run. New Orleans staged a Super Bowl boycott that Nola.com called A ‘tantrum’ in ‘glorious’ fashion. Anger turned into a reason to party and New Orleans hosted a party so spectacular that it was more interesting than Super Bowl LIII. 

The NFC is stocked with talent while the AFC is scarce. Overall, the New Orleans Saints has been a strong favorite for a trip back to Super Bowl LIV despite the 49ers’ strong season. San Francisco and Seattle have been favorites for the Lombardi contest, but only two NFC North teams, Green Bay and Minnesota are mentioned.

Week 16 of the NFL is in the history books and the Saints matchup with the Tennessee Titans started with New Orleans trailing 14-0; throwing incomplete passes, dropping balls and excessive penalties. Despite mistakes, the Saints defeated the Titans 38-28. Michael Thomas secured the title of the Best Receiver in the NFL with a record-breaking 145 most receptions in an NFL season. Drew Brees gave his teammate the highest praise when interviewed by Fox Sports after he secured the record for most receptions in a single season, “Every rep he takes is a Super Bowl-rep. He’s a model for perfection and how to be a pro.”

The Saints have had an incredible record-breaking season with losses only to the 49ers, Rams, and Falcons. As they continue to strive towards the goal of every NFL team, the future awaits a champion. The New Orleans Saints hope for a deja vu from ten years ago, expecting to raise the Lombardi trophy once again as the best team in the NFL for 2019-2020.