10 things that need to happen for Saints to repeat

Back-to-back Super Bowl champions.

That’s something you just don’t hear much these days in today’s parity driven NFL.

It’s like a dinosaur or a dodo bird – you can see a picture of it. It will probably just be in a history book.

OK, OK, I know it happened in 2004-2005 when the Patriots beat the Eagles for their second-straight title. But I’m a sports fan. That much time is an eternity for our segment of the population.

I mean, think about it. Back in 2005, people thought JaMarcus Russell was a legitimate quarterback.

See what I mean? That was a long time ago.

But anyway, winning it all again is exactly what the Saints are trying to do as training camp opens on Friday.

And believe it or not, these guys actually have a chance to make it happen.

That statement should mean a lot to you, dear Tri-parish reader, considering I’m not one of you – I don’t own or wear black or gold clothing.

But like anything else in the NFL, for everything to work out, it will take a lot of hard work and frankly, quite a bit of luck.

Lo and behold, here are the Top 10 things the Saints need to do to make lightning strike again within the Tri-parish area.

This truly isn’t as far-fetched as it seems.

No. 10 – Short yardage running game – The Saints really struggled with this part of their offense every year of Sean Payton’s tenure – except last year. With Mike Bell gone, will the Saints be able to convert those 3rd-and-2s that plagued the team in the past? Time will tell.

No. 9 – Better play from Bushrod – With Jammal Brown permanently gone from the lineup, new left tackle Jermon Bushrod will need to be big in the new year. He had his moments last year when Brown went down to injury, but he also had problems with some of the quicker defensive ends, too.

No. 8 – Pass rush from defensive ends – Charles Grant is gone from last season’s defense. Can Jimmy Wilkerson and Alex Brown fill in and serve as a serviceable defensive end alongside Will Smith? If not, offenses will have an easy time limiting their turnovers against the Saints.

No. 7 – Superb special teams – Everyone knows the difference between a made field goal and a missed field goal is sometimes what decides victory or defeat. The Saints made the big field goal when it mattered the most in the playoffs. Keeping Garrett Hartley sharp will be huge in those tight games in the winter.

No. 6 – Overcome deadly December – After an already difficult game on Thanksgiving in Dallas, the Saints will travel and play road games against the Bengals, Ravens and Falcons in December. Merry Christmas. That stretch could determine playoff seeding, and also if the team will be 100 percent toward the postseason.

5. Better Reggie Bush – I know this one is always the question of the year, but Reggie Bush needs to have more than 390 rushing yards this year. The “decoy” factor is over. If you want to help out, Mr. Bush, you’ve got to produce.

4. More balanced defense – The Saints’ defense really wasn’t very good last year. A defense that lives by the turnover usually dies by it as well. So it’d be nice if the Saints made the other team punt every once in a while, instead of waiting for that coveted pick-6 to come. Because this year it might not always take place.

3. Shun expectations – It’s hard to be the best when everyone tells you that you’re the best. But that’s exactly what the Saints will have to do – overcome their own hype. For probably the first time in the franchise’s history, the Saints are expected to be on the top of the mountain. Spend too much time listening to the sweet music, you’ll quickly be kicked in the face and thrown right back to the bottom of the hill, though, so beware.

2. Overcome recent history – In recent years, the NFC South has been pretty easy to predict. The team who finishes first the previous year usually doesn’t do too well the next season. The team that finishes last usually comes out on top in their next stab at it. Staying on that wild and bucking bull will be tough, but is a must for the Black and Gold.

1. Keep Drew Brees healthy – If Drew Brees winces in pain at any point during the season, the heartbeat of Louisiana will come to a stop, and with good reason. The Saints have no legitimate backup quarterback and if anything happens to No. 9 in the new season, it’s lights out. No matter what the score of that game is, no matter what time of the season it is, it’s lights out. He’s that irreplaceable.