The New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots have experienced eerily similar struggles without their Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Drew Brees and Tom Brady have cast a long shadow on both organizations since they left town. How would their team perform without them?
According to Times-Picayune observation, New Orleans defenseman Rod Walker said that since Brees retired, the Saints have achieved an 18-20 record in 38 games, a winning percentage of .474, and the Patriots has a record of .473 (26-29 in games without Brady).
Their problems are very similar. Both teams’ defenses were impressive, but their offenses left a lot to be desired. The Patriots are third in points per game this season (13.8) and the Saints are tied for fourth (15.5). New England ranks 17th in markdown conversion rate (38.7%) and New Orleans ranks 15th (38.3%). The Saints are averaging just 4.4 yards per game (fourth-worst), while the Patriots are right behind them at 4.7 (eighth-worst).
They’ve made similar investments at quarterback, with the Patriots spending a lucrative first-round pick in 2021 on Mac Jones, and the Saints reportedly coveting him and trying to acquire him; NEW Orleans half-heartedly gave Jameis Winston a chance to start for two seasons and then offered Derek Carr $60 million in guarantees this spring. Neither arrangement was adequate to replace the Hall of Famer before them.
We’ll see who comes out on top when the Saints kick off Sunday against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Life without a reliable franchise quarterback under center will be tough for both teams, but it’s a great opportunity for either of them to start rewriting the narrative surrounding their Narrative.