The 2018/19 NFL season was dominated by one of the league’s most compelling teams. With a 13-3 record, The New Orleans Saints finished the season with the best record in the NFL. The Saints are also one of the NFL’s most beloved teams.
First founded in 1966, the team has been through lots of ups and downs over the past six decades. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Saints became something of an America’s Team. This coincided nicely with the team’s development into a real playoff contender. In 2009, the Saints captured their first, and to date only, Super Bowl Championship.
The 2018 season saw the New Orleans Saints go through a great deal of changes. Owner Tom Benson passed away suddenly in March. His widow, Gayle, assumed control of the franchise. The Saints got off to a strong start, winning three of their four pre-season games in August. This was just a hint of the dominance that was to come in the regular season.
The Saints opened the season at home, with a loss to Tampa Bay. This high-scoring, hard-fought game was indicative of the Saints’ level of play. In week two, the result matched their effort. The Saints won the next 11 games in a row. Their bye week came early in the season, at Week 6. This helped them to stay well-rested and fresh for the next several weeks.
In Week 12, the Dallas Cowboys, having a much more uneven season, took everyone by surprise, not least the Saints. They kept Drew Brees contained. The normally hard-charging Saints offense didn’t score at all in the first half. And surprisingly, the Saints gave up an interception late in the fourth quarter that allowed Dallas to cruise to victory. The rest of the season saw the Saints returned to form. They defeated Tampa Bay, Carolina and Pittsburgh before losing their final game of the regular season to Carolina at home.
As the Saints move into the playoffs, the future looks bright for them. The Saints defense recorded 49 sacks this year. The offense was impressive, too. Drew Brees broke Peyton Manning’s passing yardage mark this season. Even special teams personnel, like kicker Wil Lutz have been on point. He finished the season with a 93.3% completion record.
Get to Know the 2018 New Orleans Saints
