You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse. It’s an old saying, but it’s old for a reason — it carries a lot of truth.

That’s why, in addition to the suspensions, lost draft picks and near-universal scorn, the bounty scandal that has consumed the New Orleans Saints the last couple of months also could very likely leave them home for the playoffs this fall for the first time since 2008.

Head coach Sean Payton’s yearlong suspension will be difficult to overcome by itself. Coaching still makes a difference in this league, and a team without a strong leader on the sideline is a ship without a rudder. Interim coach Joe Vitt, meanwhile, will miss the first six games under suspension, leaving the team to be run by an as-yet-unnamed interim interim coach.

There are distractions galore. The stigma of the bounty case will follow the club throughout the season, particularly since Vitt was intimately involved. And Drew Brees still has not been signed to a long-term deal.

To overcome all that, the Saints will need to take the industry-standard “us-against-the-world” approach to a new level.

This team already had issues on defense, as evidenced in the playoff loss in San Francisco. Instead of improving that unit, the Saints’ offseason moves have largely been made to patch holes left by free agency and Jonathan Vilma’s one-year suspension.

Vilma has about as much chance of winning his appeal of that suspension as former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has of being named sportsman of the year.

The Saints also had no picks in the first two rounds of last month’s draft, after trading away their first-rounder for the right to pick Mark Ingram last year and having their second-rounder stripped by the NFL as part of the bounty punishment.

New Orleans is still one of the more talented teams in the NFC and its offense is still loaded. But practically every other team in the NFC improved itself this offseason.

Chicago added Brandon Marshall and Michael Bush to its offense. Philadelphia shored up its defense with Demeco Ryans and Fletcher Cox. Dallas addressed its secondary issues with Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne. Tampa Bay was one of the most active teams in free agency, adding receiver Vincent Jackson, cornerback Eric Wright and former Saints All-Pro guard Carl Nicks.

None of those teams made the playoffs last year. All could be contenders this year.

It’s difficult to imagine how the Saints will be any better in 2012 than they were in 2011. And with the rest of the conference getting better, that may result in New Orleans being considerably worse.

_____

Contact Mike Herndon at mherndon@press-register.com or follow him on Twitter @MikeHerndon_PR.

His column appears on Wednesdays in the Mississippi Press.

The wait only could be more tortuous for the New Orleans Saints and their fans if they were forced to watch a continuous loop of the Mike Ditka era while biding their time. Or if they were sentenced to having to watch and breakdown each individual snap taken by quarterbacks Heath Shuler, Kerry Collins and Billy Joe Hobert during their careers in New Orleans.

Which leaves only one piece of advice to offer: Get on with it commissioner.

For the love of Pete (Carmichael Jr.), in the name of all that is fair and Good(dell), announce the player suspensions and fines associated with the Saints’ three-year bounty program that the NFL determined was in effect, and prepare for the appeals process already.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has dragged out that portion of the process far longer than anyone possibly could have imagined, given the weekly leak from “sources” that this week would be the week names would be named and punishments would be issued.

Yet, still, the NFL world waits.

For Goodell to consult with the NFL Players Association. And for him to speak directly to Saints players involved in the bounty program, players whom he says were enthusiastic participants and because they were, their penalties will not be wrist-slaps.

Meanwhile, the NFL draft has come and gone. And Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis, who will miss eight games without pay because of his accepted responsibility in the bounty program, further has been accused of eavesdropping on opposing coaches from 2002-04.

And Coach Sean Payton (a one-year suspension) has played in the pro am of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and returned as a spectator another day.

And Saints owner Tom Benson has bought the Hornets and solidified the future of the NBA franchise.

And even though quarterback Drew Brees’ contract status hasn’t budged, the anxiety level of Saints fans have. And they are about a 10-yard out short of having panic attacks because Brees is under the franchise player designation, rather than a long-term contract.

So, get on with it commissioner.

Move forward this ruling — the management portion was divvied March 21 — and let the players get on with moving forward, defending themselves, appealing the penalties or whatever it is that inevitably is going to happen.

Now, that’s not to say that Goodell shouldn’t be as thorough as possible. It’s a serious charge he has levied and is convinced he has proof of, evidence that has been presented and used in forming his decision to suspend Loomis, Payton and assistant head coach Joe Vitt (six games without pay), and to fine the franchise $500,000 and take away two second-round draft picks (this year and next).

And former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who has been cast in the Beelzebub-ian role as initiator and maestro of the program in New Orleans, has been indefinitely suspended; his status will be reviewed by Goodell after the season.

The commissioner absolutely should feel as comfortable and as decisive when distributing player fines and suspensions as he felt when he issued management fines and suspensions.

He was right then, in the attempt to eliminate programs that provide financial incentives to players for taking out fellow members of their union and, yes, to protect the league from future litigation. It would be stupid for Goodell and owners to not try to take bold, decisive, eye-opening corrective steps to keep the NFL out of court and off the losing end of lawsuits, and anyone who criticizes him for trying to make the game safer and keep it profitable probably hasn’t had the privilege of being the caretaker of a billion-dollar industry.

And he’ll be right whenever it is he penalizes players who participated. For whatever reason, it’s difficult for some to grasp the concept that intent is as sordid as execution in this case, that citing the lack of players knocked out and carted off and the absence of personal foul penalties doesn’t override the fact that it’s illegal to have in place the program, regardless of the result, period.

But it’s about time for “soon” to be “now” in terms of the punishment deadline. This cloud has been hanging over the Saints long enough.

There won’t be a day when suspensions and fines are announced that players immediately won’t appeal. There might be more evidence forthcoming but, likely, the talkers have talked and have nothing more to say.

Get on with it commissioner, so everyone else can, too.

NEW ORLEANS—Sean Payton handed over control of his team to Joe Vitt once before and the Saints have decided to do it again.

The Saints named Payton’s trusted second-in-command their interim coach Thursday, even though Vitt will miss a third of the season for his role in New Orleans’ bounty system.

For his part, Payton received a season-long suspension — which begins Monday; Vitt, who takes over Monday, was handed a six-game suspension.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said in his announcement that the team will address at a later time how to divvy up Vitt’s responsibilities during his six-week absence.

“It is important that we keep Sean Payton’s philosophy front and centre during this season,” Loomis said. “Sean has been the driving force behind the tremendous success our team has enjoyed during the past six years, his leadership will be missed. But we need to set a course of action that gives us the best chance to win this season without our head coach.

“We considered a number of great options to handle Payton’s duties both internally and externally, but believe this will provide the most seamless transition for our players and our coaching staff, allowing our offensive and defensive staffs to remain intact with the fewest changes,” Loomis continued. “This is the same structure we used last season during Sean’s knee injury.”

Vitt, who carries the titles of assistant head coach and linebackers coach, briefly stepped in as acting head coach last season when Payton broke his leg. Vitt also was interim coach with St. Louis in 2005 before joining New Orleans as part of Payton’s first staff in 2006.

Vitt will be able to oversee the off-season training program and training camp before stepping aside for the first six weeks of the regular season.

The NFL played no role in the decision-making process.

“It’s the Saints’ decision,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said, adding the team did not have to get approval from the league to make Vitt the interim coach.

Loomis said the Saints expect to have a plan laid out for Vitt’s absence by training camp.

“We are fortunate to have a great veteran coaching staff well equipped to handle this challenge,” Loomis said. “Joe and Sean have worked closely together to build our program, one of the most successful in the NFL in the past six years, and I have the fullest confidence that Joe will continue that success that Sean has brought us.”

The Saints assistants who can pick up the slack during Vitt’s absence include offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, offensive line coach Aaron Kromer and new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

 • Carmichael, who joined the Saints in 2006, began calling plays after Payton’s injury last season. Payton allowed Carmichael to continue calling plays through the final 10 regular-season games of 2011 as the Saints went 9-1 and broke numerous NFL offensive records.

 • Kromer, who oversees the running game, will be entering his fifth season in New Orleans and like Carmichael has been mentioned as an up-and-coming head coaching candidate around the NFL.

 • Spagnuolo was a head coach in St. Louis the past three seasons and defensive coordinator for the New York Giants’ 2007-08 Super Bowl winning team.

The decision gives Saints players a measure of certainty and direction as the Monday opening of the off-season training program approaches.

Still looming, however, are possible punishments for between 22 and 27 current and former Saints defenders who the NFL says participated in the crunch-for-cash bounty system that disgraced former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has apologized for running for the previous three seasons.

The league’s investigation found that Williams’ bounty system offered off-the-books cash payments of $1,500 for “knockouts,” in which an opposing player was knocked out of a game, or $1,000 for “cart-offs,” in which an opponent needed help off the field. The league has said the bounty pool grew as large as $50,000.

The investigation also found that Payton initially lied about the existence of a bounty program and instructed his defensive assistants to do the same.

Loomis received an eight-game suspension for failing to ensure the program was stopped after the NFL first asked him to do so in early 2010.

The franchise, meanwhile, was fined $500,000 and docked second-round draft choices this year and next, although NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said he may lessen the 2013 penalty by modifying which pick the Saints lose if the club co-operates with the NFL’s ongoing probe.

Williams, who was hired as defensive coordinator in St. Louis after last season, has been suspended indefinitely. His penalty will be up for review after next season.

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) Sean Payton lists Bill Parcells as his mentor. These days, the New Orleans Saints coach may need that support more than ever.

Facing a season-long suspension for his role in the Saints’ bounties program, Payton planned to meet with Parcells, his former boss, on Tuesday, a conversation that will include who will coach New Orleans this coming season.

Speaking Tuesday morning at the NFL meetings, Payton said he talks regularly with Parcells, and has sought his counsel often throughout this process. He added that he, general manager Mickey Loomis – who is facing an eight-game suspension – and team owner Tom Benson are weighing a number of scenarios, and Payton said a decision whether he will appeal the suspension is likely in the next ”two to three” days.

”We’ve gone through just an early, between Mickey, myself, Mr. Benson, just an early synopsis of what our options would be,” Payton said. ”We’ll continue to do that when we get back to Metairie. Even this morning some, we’re going to have some breakfast and discuss that matter. Fortunately, we feel like we’ve got a number of good candidates. The trick then is what it does to affect their roles that they currently have.”

One role Payton is certain about: He’s ”100 percent” confident he will coach the Saints in 2013.

Parcells led the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, is a mentor to Payton, and hired Payton as an offensive assistant in Dallas in 2003.

”You’re asking me what are his great strengths?” Payton said. ”And I would say to you he’s a great teacher. Certainly I’m biased, having worked with him. But he’s a Hall of Fame head coach. And I would also say there’s some things probably set up in the framework of our program that would be exactly how he would have set those things up had he been the head coach here in ’06. So there’s some carry-over that way.”

Payton spoke for about 18 minutes on Tuesday, remaining composed throughout. He talked about the disappointment that for the first time since his first season playing football as a kid 39 years ago he may miss a season.

”You go through a range of emotions that kind of hit you,” the 48-year-old Payton said. ”You’re disappointed. You’re disappointed in yourself that it got to this point. I think we’re trained as coaches to begin preparation right away. I find myself reflecting on it, and you go through a lot of emotions.”

The NFL’s investigation found that Payton initially lied to league investigators about the program, at first denying its existence, and also instructed his defensive assistants to lie. Payton twice has apologized for his role in the bounty system that offered payouts for big hits on opponents, saying he takes ”full responsibility” for the program that operated for three years under his watch.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday that if Payton appeals the suspension, he could remain as coach during the process.

”I said in a letter they have to appeal by April 2, I believe,” Goodell said. ”If he decides to appeal, I probably will allow him to continue and I would expedite the hearing and I would expedite my decision.”

Asked if Payton’s punishment was as much for lying to him as it was for the actual bounties program, Goodell spoke about a pattern of untruths.

”This is a violation of a very serious rule,” Goodell said. ”We have made player health and safety very clear as a priority. During the process of when this first was raised two years ago, there were denials. They were not forthright and that continued through our investigation.

”This is something with zero tolerance and is not acceptable.”

The league also slapped a six-game suspension on assistant head coach Joe Vitt, who also coaches linebackers and was a potential choice to fill in for Williams.

Former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who left the Saints after last season to join the St. Louis Rams, ran the bounty program and has been suspended indefinitely. Goodell also fined the Saints $500,000 and took away second-round draft choices in 2012 and 2013.

Payton was asked if he felt the Saints were being punished too severely.

”No, I accept this,” Payton said. ”I’ve heard that argument and I think trying to really look closely at how we and how I can improve has been probably a better way for me to handle this than to kind of vent or look outwardly at other programs. I try to take that approach.”

—

AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner in Palm Beach and Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this story.

New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter believes the word “bounty” is misleading when it comes to the accusations the NFL has levied on his defense over the past three years. Porter admitted that Saints players were compensated for “impactful plays” but said there was never an intent to go out and hurt players.

“I mean, I haven’t really read in-depth the accusations. But all I hear is ‘bounty, bounty, bounty.’ And there’s no bounty. There’s not a bounty,” Porter said when asked if he believes the NFL’s allegations in their bounty investigation were accurate. “I mean, (former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams) came out and said it was a ‘pay for play.’ So it wasn’t a thing of going out and saying, ‘We’re gonna hurt this guy, we’re gonna hurt that guy.’ We came out saying, you know, ‘You make an impactful play then you get compensated for it.’ That’s something that we had in-house. But there was never any … I can sit here and say there was never any bounty where we said, ‘Oh we’re gonna go out there and hurt this guy.’”

Porter, who became an unrestricted free agent as of 3 p.m. this afternoon, addressed the bounty issue Tuesday while also discussing his pending free agency during a break between workouts at the Sonic Boom speed conditioning and strength training academy. He said he wouldn’t let the pending fallout of the league’s investigation affect his decision on whether or not to re-sign with the Saints. He said that hasn’t “crossed my mind a bit.”

“I mean, the NFL’s gonna do their investigation, and whatever they find, if they have to fine or suspend people, that’s just what has to happen. Because (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell, he’s trying to clean up the league and he doesn’t want that type of thing in the league,” Porter said. “But things like that happen. They had the Spygate (punishments to the New England Patriots). It’s all about, this is just adversity that the team’s facing. It’s all about how you overcome it. It’s all about how the coaches and the players come together and push through this adversity.”

When asked if he thinks the Saints are being treated fairly by the NFL, Porter said, “From what I see, yeah. They’re giving the coaches, the owner, Mickey (Loomis) an opportunity to come in and speak to the league security people. At the same, time they’re still going to do their own investigation and come up with their own assessment. So I think it’s been fair thus far. I haven’t had a problem with it.”

Notwithstanding the tarnish now on the Saints’ Super Bowl win or the abysmal lapse of judgment, the real question is why the Saints couldn’t see the bounty system made the defense weaker.

In 2010 and 2011 the Saints’ defense was ranked near the bottom of NFL defenses. In both playoff losses the defense couldn’t make routine tackles, as any Saints fan observed. So the worst thing about the bounty system is, that in the attempt to showboat and make big hits instead of sure tackles, it weakened the Saints’ defense and embarrassed the franchise and its fans.

The statistics prove what we all know — it was a losing strategy, and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, et al., should have recognized that and abandoned it. Not just because it was morally reprehensible, but because the strategy didn’t work.

Charlie French

Metairie

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson isn’t backing off his support of his general manager and coach, even as his team is accused by the NFL of maintaining a bounty program to injure opponents.

While Benson cooperates with NFL officials in their investigation of the bounty program that spanned the last three seasons, he is standing behind general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton — even though the league says they knew about the bounties.

“The bond between Sean and Mickey and Mr. Benson could not be stronger,” a team the official told The Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still ongoing. “(Benson) is 110 percent behind his guys.”

The NFL investigation found between 22 and 27 defensive players on the Saints, as well as former assistant coach Gregg Williams, maintained a bounty system for inflicting injuries on targeted players.

Former defensive coordinator Williams has admitted to running the pool, and the NFL’s investigation concluded that Loomis and Payton did nothing to prevent it, even after Benson was alerted of the pool by the NFL last year and asked Loomis to put a stop to it.

“The team completely understands the ramifications, is taking the matter very seriously and has cooperated fully with the league,” said the Saints official. “Mr. Benson is in constant contact with (Commissioner) Roger Goodell and his office, yet he remains steadfast in his support of Mickey and Sean, and his focus is on the upcoming free agency, making the team better and hosting the Super Bowl. … We have a lot of positive things on our plate that we have to get working on.”

The NFL’s report said the Saints maintained a bounty pool of up to $50,000 the last three seasons. Payoffs were made for inflicting game-ending injuries on targeted players, including quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. “Knockouts,” in which a player was knocked out of the game, were worth $1,500 and “cart-offs,” in which players had to be helped off the field, were worth $1,000. Payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs.

Williams, who was summoned to New York on Monday to meet with NFL officials, called his role in the pool a “terrible mistake” when he issued a public apology late last week.

No punishments have been handed out, but they could include suspension, fines and loss of draft picks.

Next season’s Super Bowl is scheduled for New Orleans, and the Saints hope to be a contender coming off a 13-win 2011 season that ended with a dramatic loss in the final seconds of a divisional-round playoff game at San Francisco. Yet, the Saints could potentially find themselves playing some games without several key returning defensive players such as linebacker Jonathan Vilma and strong safety Roman Harper — if they are found to have participated in the pool.

In Week 14 against Tennessee last season, Harper made two hits that drew a total of $22,500 in fines.

Harper was fined $15,000 for roughing the passer on a helmet-to-helmet hit, and another $7,500 for unnecessary roughness when he pulled down receiver Damian Williams by his helmet after a long catch and run. The tackle likely stopped Williams from scoring, and Gregg Williams defended Harper’s aggressiveness on that play after the game.

Harper and several of his current and former defensive teammates who played during Williams’ tenure in New Orleans have not responded to phone messages.

Loomis and Payton also have not commented on the probe.

All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules. The NFL also warns teams against such practices before each season.

The NFL said its findings in its probe of the Saints were corroborated by multiple, independent sources, and the pool amounts peaked in 2009, the year the Saints won the Super Bowl.

Last week started in New Orleans with talk of free agency, franchise tags and the difference between a great quarterback and a very good one. Suddenly, all of that is on the back burner.

The Saints are the bad boys of the NFL. And they’re going to pay for it.

A two-year NFL investigation found that as many as 27 Saints defensive players and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams were part of a bounty program in which players were paid for making big hits and injuring opponents.

The Saints couldn’t have picked a worse time for such a scandal. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has taken a hard line on player safety, levying heavy fines for hits the league determines to be excessive. Here is a case tailor-made for him to drop the hammer and drop it hard.

It’s been reasonably suggested that the Saints’ punishment could exceed that given the New England Patriots in 2007 for the videotaping scandal known as “Spygate.” That punishment included fines of $250,000 for the team and $500,000 for coach Bill Belichick, and the forfeiture of a first-round draft pick.

The Saints do not have a first-round pick this year, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them stripped of a later pick or two this season and next year’s first-rounder. For a club that is sure to lose some key players to free agency while ponying up the cash it’s going to take to keep Drew Brees in New Orleans, this will severely restrict its ability to restock the roster through the draft.

While admitting he got extra cash for big plays, former Saints safety Darren Sharper denied there was extra incentive to injure an opponent. But Williams’ quick apology for his role in the scheme speaks volumes. The Washington Post reported Friday that he operated a similar system as defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins.

There will be howls of outrage when the hammer falls. Some will ask, “What’s the big deal? Pro football is a violent game.”

Many current and former NFL players said bounty systems are used all over the league. But just because it’s not surprising doesn’t mean it can be condoned. And the violent nature of the game is the very reason such extra-incentive programs must be rooted out and eliminated.

Careers are cut short by injuries. Many retired players deal with early dementia, depression and post-concussion syndrome after the repeated collisions they’ve absorbed throughout their careers. It’s been so bad for some, such as former Bears safety Dave Duerson, that they’ve taken their own lives.

All this comes through the normal course of playing the game. To add the extra layer of intentionally setting out to inflict injury — and being rewarded for it — cannot be allowed to go unpunished.

And as the Saints will soon find out, it won’t.

Contact Mike Herndon at: mherndon@press-register.com or follow him on Twitter @MikeHerndon_PR.

His column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays in the Press-Register.

New Orleans Saints bounties

On Friday, the biggest national story on the New Orleans Saints broke since the Black and Gold won Super Bowl 44. The NFL revealed that an investigation has found the Saints guilty of running an illegal bounty program from 2009-11 under former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

As I write this article, the news is still breaking. But so far, the NFL claims that New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis and head coach Sean Payton were aware of the bounties and failed to stop them. Initial reports have colorfully characterized the Saints bounties as payoffs for “knockouts” and “cart-offs.”

New Orleans Saints fan’s perspective on Black Friday

Now that I’ve recapped the bounty news, here’s my take. The average NFL player makes about $2 million per year. That breaks down to over $100,000 per game. Why do the Saints need bounties to play hard? I’m not saying that NFL players are doing their jobs when they injure their opponents. But for Gregg Williams to have run an illegal bounty program in New Orleans is just stupid. The risks far outweigh the rewards.

Personally, I hope the NFL throws the book at Gregg Williams. The Saints were never accused of playing for bounties before Williams arrived in New Orleans. It has also just been reported that Gregg Williams ran a similar bounty program with the Washington Redskins. The St. Louis Rams should fire Gregg Williams immediately.

For what it’s worth, former New Orleans Saints S Darren Sharper just made a statement claiming the bounty program revealed in the NFL’s investigation has been greatly exaggerated. While Sharper admits that a “pay for play” program was in place under Gregg Williams in New Orleans, the payouts were in the hundreds of dollars and were only for things like the first interception or first sack.

Late this afternoon, former New Orleans QB Bobby Hebert expressed the thoughts that many Saints fans are probably feeling. Hebert claimed that bounties occur throughout the NFL and the Saints were just unlucky to get caught. Unfortunately, Hebert played for the Saints in a different era and he is missing the point.

As we all know, safety has never been at the forefront of the NFL like it is in 2012 under Commissioner Roger Goodell. The NFL is a very different league in 2012 than it was in 1987 when Hebert led New Orleans to its first playoff berth. The NFL is likely to levy fines, suspensions and take away Saints draft picks as punishments for the bounty program in New Orleans.

Super Bowl 47 in New Orleans

As all Saints fans know, the next Super Bowl is in New Orleans. And as we all know, no NFL team has ever played in a Super Bowl as the host city. That task certainly just got harder for the Saints in light of the stiff penalties that are sure to be on the way for the New Orleans bounty program.

But keep this in mind. Although the New England Patriots have not won a Super Bowl since “spygate,” they are still the best team in the AFC. If anyone thinks that Loomis, Payton and Drew Brees are going to roll over and play dead in 2012, they are gravely mistaken.

These are dark days, Saints fans. But don’t lose faith!

Patrick Michael lives in New Orleans and has always been a big fan of the New Orleans Saints. Patrick’s favorite Saints season was 2009 when New Orleans won Super Bowl 44.

Sources

Barry Wilner, “NFL: Saints violated ‘Bounty Rule’,” yahoo.com

“The Average NFL Player,” businessweek.com

WWL-Radio 870-AM

ESPN Sportscenter

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The New Orleans Saints have gone to the playoffs in four of the last six seasons, but that level of success may be long gone for a team that is suddenly in a tight spot.

Fans already had reason to worry when it was reported that the team and quarterback Drew Brees are $5 million apart in contract negotiations. Saints GM Mickey Loomis has also been discounting his quarterback’s abilities, referring to Drew Brees as just “very good,” not great. Remember that this is the same Drew Brees who led the Saints to their first and only Super Bowl championship in 2009. The same Drew Brees who has thrown for over 4,000 yards in each of his six seasons in New Orleans. The same Drew Brees who is, by almost any estimation, among the three best quarterbacks in the league.

If the team doesn’t come to terms with Brees before his current contract expires, then it is expected to place the franchise tag on him to ensure his services next season. But by taking that path, the Saints lose the opportunity to use the tag on Carl Nicks, one of the league’s best offensive linemen, or wide receivers Marques Colston and Robert Meachem, who have been some of Brees’ favorite targets and a big reason for the quarterback’s success. Those personnel problems would have been a handful for any team, but they are just the start of the Saints’ off-season woes.

It has surfaced that an NFL investigation found that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and between 22 and 27 defensive players have had a bounty system for the last three seasons. That bounty system rewarded Saints defenders for injuring opposing players, and it even named specific targets like Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Saints managed to knock both quarterbacks out of playoff games during their 2009 Super Bowl run. Warner retired from the NFL that off-season, and many believe his injury was a contributing factor.

NFL punishment can, and likely will, include fines, suspensions and the forfeiture of draft picks. Fines are easily payable, but the loss of players might prove costly next season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has predicted that punishment will be more severe than the league’s response to the Patriots’ videotaping scandal in 2007, after which New England was stripped of its first round pick in the 2008 draft.

Add it all up, and it looks like the Saints’ run as one of the NFC’s elite teams may be over and done with. Despite restructuring Will Smith’s contract, the team will still have trouble fitting all of last year’s starters under the salary cap, and the loss of draft picks makes replacing those players all the more difficult. Division rivals in the NFC South also aren’t making life any easier: the Atlanta Falcons are a perennial playoff contender, and Cam Newton’s Panthers are no longer a scheduled speed bump. The Saints might just need some heavenly help if they hope to compete next season.

All-Pro New Orleans Saints

Being named an All-Pro by the Associated Press is one of the highest honors that an NFL player can receive. This honor is more prestigious than the Pro Bowl because All-Pro players are chosen from all 32 NFL teams. With another incredible season winding down, the New Orleans Saints should have several All-Pro players on their 2011 squad. Take a closer look at the Saints players who are worthy of NFL All-Pro recognition in 2011.

Guard: Jahri Evans

Since his NFL career began with the Saints in 2006, Jahri Evans has been one of the most respected offensive linemen in the league. In 2009 and 2010, Evans was not only selected to the Pro Bowl, but he was also a first team All-Pro. Evans has consistently kept opposing defenders away from QB Drew Brees and the Saints interior rushing attack has improved considerably in the second half of 2011.

Safety: Roman Harper

After the Saints playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, I would have never dreamt that I’d be writing an article promoting Roman Harper as a 2011 All-Pro candidate. However, playing in his natural strong safety position in 2011, Harper has reminded me of other hard-hitting All-Pro NFL safeties such as Ronnie Lott. The best hitter and tackler on the Saints, Harper also has 7.5 sacks in 2011 in Gregg Williams’ blitz-happy defense.

Tight End: Jimmy Graham

Prior to the 2011 NFL season, I wrote an article claiming that Saints TE Jimmy Graham would be a top five tight end this year. Many of my non-Saints fan readers had probably never heard of Graham. However, he quickly became the favorite target of Drew Brees in 2011. Despite the emergence of several athletic, All-Pro NFL tight ends in 2011, Graham should make the All-Pro squad with his 87 receptions and nine TDs.

Quarterback: Drew Brees

Three NFL QBs distanced themselves from the pack in 2011. However, if he breaks and holds the coveted NFL single-season passing yardage record, Drew Brees has got to be a 2011 NFL All-Pro QB. Brees also has the Saints within reach of matching the most wins in franchise history. If Brees does not make the 2011 NFL All-Pro team, it will be a clear indication of a lack of respect for the Saints by the national media.

Other Saints who could be All-Pro in 2011

Guard: Carl Nicks, Kick Returner: Darren Sproles, Safety: Malcolm Jenkins

Patrick Michael was born and raised in New Orleans and currently resides in the Big Easy. As such, he is a lifelong, diehard New Orleans Saints fan. His highlight as a Saints fan was experiencing the magical Super Bowl season of 2009.

Source

“Drew Brees,” pro-football-reference.com

“Jimmy Graham,” pro-football-reference.com

“Roman Harper,” pro-football-reference.com

“Jahri Evans,” pro-football-reference.com

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Posted: Saturday, December 17, 2011, 12:01 PM

New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams talked to The Times-Picayune’s Mike Triplett about facing Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson.

ALLEN PARK — At one point during Detroit’s game against New Orleans, the Saints put double coverage on Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

It’s a pretty typical strategy for everyone this side of Cris Carter. After all, few cornerbacks can handle the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Johnson’s combination of size, speed, strength and jumping ability – especially in the red zone.

What was atypical of Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ s approach was that he had two defensive backs cover Johnson as if he was a gunner on the punt team in an effort to take away the many weapons he has in his arsenal near the goal line.

“I think everybody from the beginning has keyed on Calvin Johnson,” said Lions head coach Jim Schwartz. “He is hard to hide. Particularly in the New Orleans game this week, they tried their very best to double him on every single play.”

It wasn’t a surprise to see the two Saints defenders lining up on Johnson right next to each other.

“I’ve seen that before,” said Detroit offensive coordinator, who held the same position for the Vikings. “They did that to (Randy) Moss. Not the Saints, but I remember back when I was with Minnesota – third down, we used to get that from the Packers when we played them. It’s probably a good way to make sure you go somewhere else (with the ball).”

Schwartz, who was a defensive assistant under Williams in Tennessee, had seen him use the strategy before. He even had Linehan practice attacking that defense, specifically.

“Jim said Gregg’s done that when he worked with him years ago,” Linehan explained, “and I’m like, ‘I’ve got to see that to believe it.’

“And then we got down there, and I said to Jim, ‘There’s your look!’”

As many different looks as New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams throws at offenses, he’ll have to make sure Detroit’s biggest threat — wide receiver Calvin Johnson — doesn’t beat the Saints by himself.

There are several ways Williams can try to pressure Lions quarterback Matthew while still keeping Johnson in check, according to Matt Bowen, of the National Football Post — from 2-Man to Cover 7 to Base Tampa 2.

Most depend on one concept: making sure Stafford and Johnson don’t get into any kind of rhythm by using one player to take away the first option on the route, and using a second player to guard against outs or nine-routes, depending on where Johnson lines up.

Cornerback Jabari Greer will likely face Johnson, considering his outstanding speed. But at 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, the eight-year veteran gives up a lot in size to the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Lions star.

Williams could bring pressure from literally anyone and anywhere on the field, including corner and safety blitzes. Veteran Roman Harper has racked up 6.5 sacks this season to go with his 73 tackles.

Even with the exotic blitz packages and aggressive play, though, Bowen admits there are situations where Johnson can still beat you, regardless of what you do, thanks to his many physical gifts.