New Orleans Saints Tickets

The New Orleans Saints had high hopes with a healthy team and revamped defense in 2008, but more injuries decimated the team and the players never seemed to gel together.

It seems that the Saints haven't gotten many breaks in the injury department the past two seasons, making 2009 a critical year for the team and head coach Sean Payton.

It will help if the Saints can finally get running back Reggie Bush back and healthy for an entire season, which hasn't happened the past two years, either.

While quarterback Drew Brees didn't have the best year of his career, he still put up some great offensive numbers and kept his team in nearly every game. If he had a little less pressure on him, he would make less mistakes.

The Saints will take on the AFC East and NFC East teams in 2009, which certainly won't help their push for the playoffs. Both divisions are pretty tough, especially the NFC East.

However, their two other opponents are the St. Louis Rams and Detroit Lions, which will definitely bring a smile to the face of every Saints player and coach. Getting to open the season at home against the Lions is a great way to start the year.

The Lions are just the first of four games before a Week 5 bye, but the Saints should be at least .500 if not 3-1 heading into the rest of the year.

The physical, smash-mouth football teams in the NFC East are not a good matchup for the finesse, offensive-minded Saints. They don't do well against teams that can pound away on the ground against their soft defense.