The 2011 New Orleans Saints were a successful team during their 45th season in the National Football League. They won the NFC South division. They played 36 games at their home stadium, Mercedes-Benz Superdome. They were also in their sixth year under Sean Payton as head coach. Here are some stats from the 2011 season. Is the team worth all the hype? Read on to learn more. Read on for five more stats that will give you a clear picture of the Saints’ season.
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Strief: 2009 Saints were the best team in Payton Brees era
If the 2009 Saints had their way, the 2011 Saints would be the best team in the Payton-Brees era. The offense was not as strong as the 2011 team, however. They are still ranked third in defensive efficiency, while they’ve also improved on their intangible focus. The Saints are now more balanced offensively than ever. They have players at all five positions that are of Pro Bowl caliber. They’ve also improved their defense. As a result, the Saints have the NFL’s best defense since the Payton-Brees era.
In 2009, the Saints dominated future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. In the regular season, the Saints went 13-3. They also led the league in point differential. Drew Brees’ four TD passes almost brought the Saints back. And in the playoffs, the 2009 Saints were the best team in Payton-Brees era.
There are many other players who made their mark during the Payton-Brees era, in addition to Brees. Zach Strief is the only Saints player who has played every year since 2009. His retirement last offseason made him the only one of the Payton-Brees era players to start all 94 regular season games. While Strief was an important part of the 2009 Saints’ defense, he mentored Zach Strief, who eventually stepped into his shoes.
2010 Saints were most complete team
Although the 2011 Saints are the most complete team in franchise history it won’t change much for 2009. Although the offensive numbers from 2009 aren’t as impressive, the Saints are still as efficient as ever. Drew Brees set a record last season for the highest completion percentage in NFL history, 74.4 percent. He also threw only five interceptions, and threw for more than 3,900 yards and 32 touchdowns.
The New Orleans Saints won 13 of their games in 2009 and were the top NFC seed. They were able run the football and to force the second most turnovers in the league. The Saints’ offense employed a balanced back by committee philosophy and a varied passing attack. This balanced attack helped them beat the defending conference champion Arizona in the Division Playoffs and the NFC title game.
The Saints were one the most complete NFL teams in 2010 The Saints went on a seven-game winning streak, including a rout of the Detroit Lions in their playoff opener. Their offense was the best in the league, even though their defense was near the bottom of league. The Saints’ 5-7 record in 2012 and 2013 was a sign that the 2011 Saints aren’t complete.
Saints won conference championship game
The New Orleans Saints won the NFC championship game only after the second quarter. The Eagles were ahead 21-13 after a 62-yard scoring run by Chris Long, but the Saints rebounded to lead the game by three points in the fourth quarter. With a win over the Vikings, the Saints are guaranteed to play in the conference championship game. The Saints have won the conference championship game for the first time since 2007.
New Orleans began the game strong, taking an early lead of 3-0. The Rams won the coin toss and deferred to the Saints. The Saints’ defense was solid all night and Drew Brees was able to convert on two third-down plays. Despite their early setback, the Saints won with an amazing finish to their season. After the Rams’ first two series, the Saints went on a 71-yard touchdown drive. Aside from Brees’ touchdown pass to Taysom Hill, the Saints’ other big play came when the Saints were down two points late in the game.
Fans were left booing after the game, despite the fact the Saints led 13 points. Although Saints fans may not recall the incident where Drew Brees intercepted the ball, they will blame the officiating. The Saints’ 57-yard field goal missed a chance to tie the game. Final score for the Saints was 26-23. They will forever be resentful at the officiating errors and the refs who failed to take their side.
Lost NFC title game after officiating blunder
The New Orleans Saints were penalized for a major officiating error in the NFC Championship Game. They would have likely advanced to the Super Bowl had the officials called a pass interference. The Rams won the game with an overtime field goal. New Orleans was able recover the blown call but their crucial win was lost to them by the officiating error.
Saints trailed by 11 points at the end of the third quarter. They had a chance to take the lead but were denied by an officiating error. The Saints could have gotten a touchdown after a missed field goal and a missed hurry-up offense. But after the game was tied at 41-41, the officials failed to call a pass interference. An ex-NFL referee stated that the clock should have been reset at 42 seconds in order to allow Saints to score their field goal.
After the game, the NFL admitted that the officials missed penalties and would like to review the missed calls. The NFC championship game was played in December. The NFL made pass interference calls available for instant replay after the game. The Saints were eliminated from Super Bowl but not before they lost a chance at a championship. Although the NFL regrets this error, officials have made it easier to make calls.
Rookies helped to break out of rut
The Saints have been in a slump for three consecutive seasons. However, their rookie class has given them some hope. Despite missing the playoffs in their first two seasons, the Saints won 11 regular season games and won the NFC South Division title. They also won their first round playoff match, which was a remarkable turnaround. The team’s recent success is due in large part to its rookie class, which was arguably the best in franchise history.
While the Saints lost 10 games in each of the first two seasons following the merger, the team’s surprising turnaround began the following year. The Saints defeated the St. Louis Rams in the playoffs to become the Super Bowl champion. This was their first postseason victory in a decade. They had a record of 7-9 for five seasons after that. The defense of the team, however, was one of the worst in all of the NFL.
Despite losing Alex Anzalone, the Saints have improved their draft class overall. Adding Ryan Ramczyk at offensive tackle has been a major reason for the improved Saints’ running game. Free safety Marcus Williams came in second in the draft from Utah. He has eight sacks, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. The Saints believe in his potential to be a franchise quarterback.
Mark Ingram’s big season
Ingram signed a one year contract extension with the New Orleans Saints during offseason. This is a team-friendly move as Ingram’s contract has a cap of $2.2 million. While he’s not as explosive in the open field as he once was, Ingram’s versatility as a running back has made him an ideal complement to Alvin Kamara in the Saints offense.
The New Orleans Saints are in dire need of depth to replace star RB Alvin Kamara. Ingram signed with Baltimore and returned to New Orleans in 2020. Ingram was a 2011 first-round draft pick, but he left for free agency one year later. He is now the Saints’ leading rusher. He made Cooks jealous and teamed up with the quarterback to lead the offense for four seasons.
Although Ingram’s big season with the Saints came at an unfortunate time for the team, Ingram’s big season will give them a boost. The Saints are a very tough team, but Ingram’s versatility will allow the team to make major moves on offense. And in the offseason, Ingram could become the Saints’ next star. With more time to play, he’ll surely have a chance to cement his place as a first-round pick.
Jimmy Graham’s big season
While the rumors about Jimmy Graham’s upcoming free agency were all too real, the former tight end was no doubt a high-end free agent. The former LSU star was traded to the Seahawks after losing an arbitration battle to become a wide receiver. Graham was traded to Seattle in 2016, after spending two seasons there. In 2014, Graham was traded to the Seahawks. Graham was a part of Drew Brees’ and Sean Payton’s Seahawks team.
Graham was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round. He spent most of his collegiate career playing basketball. Only one season as a graduate student, however, did he play football. The latter sport made the transition to the NFL much easier for Graham. Born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Graham recorded 99 receptions and 1,310 yards in his rookie season. That year, he caught 11 touchdown passes.
Graham was also a free agent before the 2018 season. After the season, the Saints and Graham had a rocky relationship. In 2014, the two sides went to arbitration. Graham signed a $40 million, four-year deal with the Saints after a classification dispute. If the trade goes through, Graham would be eligible to be resigned by the Saints.