NFL New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints Setting Themselves Up for More Failure in 2015

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By @Kevin_Saito

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Not a lot of things went right for the New Orleans Saints in 2014, as the team bumbled and stumbled their way to a very disappointing 7-9 record. Despite being at or below .500 for the entire season, the Saints still had a shot at the postseason by virtue of playing in the weakest division in the NFL. But New Orleans was never able to put together any sort of run and wound up losing five of their last eight games of the season.

Though the offense wasn’t without issues of their own, the New Orleans defense had a particularly bad season, ranking near the bottom of most significant statistical categories. By season’s end, the defense had managed to find themselves ranked 25th against the pass and 31st against the run. The 2014 campaign wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of Rob Ryan’s abilities as a defensive coordinator.

Added to the team’s defensive failings, and overall disappointing performance in 2014, was a healthy dose of inner turmoil. As the pressure mounted with each loss, reports began to surface of a schism developing within the New Orleans coaching staff. In particular, between head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Ryan.

Though Payton and Ryan both downplayed the reports, stories about the increasing animosity between the two men persisted. In several games last season, cameras caught Payton and Ryan in some heated exchanges on the sidelines, which made it more difficult to deny that a rift existed.

Given the deteriorating relationship between the two men and the team’s disappointing season, most figured that the Saints and Ryan would be “mutually parting ways” about two seconds after the 2014 season ended for New Orleans. And it seemed to be for the best for all involved.

But in early January, Payton and GM Mickey Loomis threw everybody a curveball by announcing that Ryan would be returning to the Saints to run the defense for a third season. And it’s a move that very well may come back to bite New Orleans in the butt. Hard.

Time and time again, you will hear coaches and athletes talk about the importance of chemistry to a team. Given the way last season unfolded for the Saints, as well as the tension that boiled over in a very public way, it would be fair to say that chemistry was a bit of an issue for New Orleans. At least from a coaching standpoint. And as history has shown us, if a schism exists within the coaches room or the front office, there is no way to keep that from seeping down into the locker room and impacting the on-field product.

For proof, ask the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers how important chemistry is in a team environment.

Ryan has the loyalty of the Saints’ defensive players. Several stepped up and voiced their opinion that he should be retained when the rumors of his firing reached a fever pitch. While their loyalty to Ryan is a good thing, it also sets up a potential bigger divide in the New Orleans in the locker room. It wouldn’t simply be Payton vs. Ryan, the rift could grow to the point that it becomes offense vs. defense. And a team divided will surely fall.

While Ryan has his positive attributes, he’s never been the best defensive coordinator in the game. In fact, over the course of his whole career as a DC, he’s only called plays for defensive units that have finished inside the top 13 in the league twice. Even more damning, is that in his 11 seasons as a DC, five of his defensive units finished 27th or worse. And the Saints desperately need a defensive team that performs far better than that.

Ryan can be something of an innovative defensive mind. He also earns the loyalty of his players. But he’s not so great as DC that the Saints should jeopardize the chemistry of their team, nor the potential for a very messy locker room rift should things continue trending downward for New Orleans.

The Saints made a mistake in bringing Ryan back in 2015 and fans should hope they realize it before it’s too late.

Kevin Saito is a fiction writer, sports junkie, history nerd, and NFL contributor to www.RantSports.com Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, or on Google

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