NFC Title Chase – Are The Super Bowl Champion Saints Still A Contender?

One of the most difficult tasks in all of sports is trying to defend a Super Bowl Championship. That is what the New Orleans Saints face as they are the hunted rather than the hunters during the 2010 season. So far so good as they are 2-0 to open the season.

Seven Super Bowl Champions have successfully defended their titles in the previous 44 years of the Championship Game. The latest to do it was the New England Patriots when they went back-to-back in Super Bowl XXXVIII and XXXIX back in 2005 and 2006.

Saints Face Tough Odds In Defense Of Super Bowl Championship

As mention seven teams have won back-to-back Super Bowl Championships. That may seem like a lot but it comes in at an average frequency of just once every four years or so. Interestingly, since the San Francisco 49ers went back-to-back in 1989 and 1990, there has been a very peculiar trend.

After the 49ers, two years passed before the Cowboys were next to repeat, then three years passed before the Broncos did the double and then four years passed before the Patriots got their back-to back Super Bowl Championships. After the Packers won Super Bowl I and II, four years passed before the Dolphins won Super Bowl VII and VII. Just saying….

New Orleans has picked up just where they off last season to start the 2010 NFL season. They have been winning ugly and getting some very fortuitous breaks going in their favor. While they haven’t looked dominant in either of their wins, wins are wins.

They scored a 14-10 win, at home over the Vikings, to open the season as they faced a very rusty Brett Favre and an injury depleted Minnesota team. The Saints then traveled west to face the 49ers on Monday Night Football and snuck out of town with a 25-22 win.

We still haven’t figured out that muffed punt late in the fourth quarter stayed in bounds with the ball so close to the sideline. Give credit for amazzing hustle to the Saints special teams ace, Courtney Roby, but that was an “immaculate” bounce if there ever was one.

Saints Remaining NFL 2010 Schedule Sets Up NFC Title Run

The schedule makers were very kind to the Saints when they were setting up their 2020 schedule. They do get the explosive Falcons at home this weekend and then again in Week 16 in the Georgia Dome but their remaining schedule is dotted with donkeys.

Out of the 12 remaining games on New Orleans schedule, the match-ups against the Steelers, Ravens, Bengals and possibly the Cowboys are the only ones that present a serious challenge.

On the soft side of the Saints schedule they have  two games each against Tampa Bay and Carolina plus Arizona, Cleveland, Seattle and St. Louis. We can’t see them losing any of those games and they should be an easy lock to win the NFC South.

It remains to be seen if their easy regular season road will lead to a successful Super Bowl title defense. One thing is certain; this “Saintly” group has a ton of good Karma working for them.

Early Season NFC Championship Prediction: Green Bay Packers 31 New Orleans Saints 27