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Ranking the Saints’ Best and Worst-Case 2023 NFL Season Scenarios

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The New Orleans Saints wasted little time in addressing the major weakness of a team that finished 7-10 in 2022. After signing quarterback Derek Carr this offseason, the Saints are hoping they can get back to the playoffs after a two-year drought. Let’s dive into the best and worst-case scenarios for the Saints’ 2023 season.

Predicting the Best-Case Scenario for the Saints’ 2023 NFL Season

The Saints hope to be this year’s version of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Saints, like the Eagles a year ago, have an elite defense and a strong surrounding cast around their quarterback but face questions about their coaching staff and QB. The Eagles responded resoundingly last year, reaching the Super Bowl after a dominant regular season.

New Orleans’ win total at DraftKings Sportsbook is 9.5, and they’re -180 to make the playoffs. It should help that the Saints have the easiest schedule in the league. The question is, how far can they go? There’s not that same optimism around the upside of the Saints despite this being a team adding a quality veteran quarterback in Derek Carr.

Carr is coming off a down season where the Las Vegas Raiders inexplicably lost nine one-score games. His completion rate, yards per game, and interception rate were either the worst or second-worst marks of his career. However, it’s possible that Josh McDaniels simply misused Carr and is a bad head coach in general.

Carr ranked fifth in deep-ball attempts and second in air yards per attempt last year despite the Raiders dealing with injuries to Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller throughout the season.

MORE: New Orleans Saints 2023 Season Preview

Despite having a strong arm, Carr is at his best as a short and intermediate passer who takes care of the ball. Here is where Carr ranks among the 55 quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts since his 2014 rookie year (playoffs included):

  • 64.4% pass completions (24th)
  • 7.1 yards per pass attempt (32nd)
  • 4.3% touchdown pass rate (31st)
  • 2.0% interception rate (17th lowest)
  • 91.5 passer rating (27th)
  • 5.06% sack rate (13th lowest)
  • 6.39 adjusted net yards per pass attempt (23rd)

Carr has been durable with a minimal injury history. He has above-average accuracy and ball security, and he can get the ball out on time better than most. But finishing drives in the end zone and with more touchdown passes has often been an issue, so his overall stats are close to average in this sample of quarterbacks.

In many ways, Carr has been atop the “average” range of quarterback rankings for the better part of his career despite impressive physical tools. Sure enough, Carr finished 2022 ranked No. 14 in ESPN’s QBR metric for the second year in a row. Even getting that production from Carr is a big jump from what Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton gave the Saints last year.

MORE: Best NFL Offenses | Best NFL Defenses

New Orleans also brought in Jon Gruden to help get the most out of Carr this season. At best, Carr will lead a more dynamic offense that has a healthy Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, Juwan Johnson, and Alvin Kamara. Role players like Rashid Shaheed, Kendre Miller, and Jamaal Williams can help the offense survive any time missed by their stars.

Kamara may be suspended for six games if the NFL’s history proves predictive, but the Saints have enough weapons to endure his absence. Thomas has played in only 10 games since 2019 but was electric in the three contests he played in 2022. Few teams have the high-end talent around their quarterback as the Saints do.

They also have a very good offensive line, and their defense ranked ninth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed despite their offense’s inability to help them throughout the year. New Orleans can be a deep playoff contender in the NFC, with only Dallas, San Francisco, and Philadelphia sitting as teams clearly ahead of their upside right now.

Carolina Panthers safety Xavier Woods (25) tackles New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) during the first half at Caesars Superdome.

Predicting the Worst-Case Scenario for the Saints’ 2023 NFL Season

The Saints have been banking on some high-risk, high-reward players with varying levels of success. Thomas and Kamara are at the forefront of that discussion entering this year, and even Carr isn’t a lock to be anything more than a younger version of Dalton.

Thomas was “still going through some of the rehab process” in mid-May, per head coach Dennis Allen. Another setback could easily knock Thomas out for the season, considering how his last three years have quickly become irrelevant. And with Kamara all but certain to be suspended, the Saints could go from a feared offense to one overly reliant on Olave and Carr to produce if others can’t fill the gaps.

Carr’s own performance will be under the microscope. If his decline was more of a result of physical decay than the Raiders’ issues, then the Saints’ upside is similar to their 2022 season. Like Dalton last year, Carr’s numbers can be more of an empty-calorie situation than any bit substantive. The Saints’ defense can’t afford a slide back either.

It’s a physical and fast unit that wisely added help along the front four with first-round defensive tackle Bryan Bresee and edge rusher Isaiah Foskey. The unit ranked dead last in pass-rush win rate last year, so both players and 2021 first-rounder Payton Turner can’t be no-shows in 2023. Internal growth from those three players and from linebacker Pete Werner and cornerbacks Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor will be huge storylines for what this defense can become.

MORE: New Orleans Saints 2023 Schedule

They have scary potential with their speed and athleticism, but their youth was detrimental throughout 2022 as they gained experience. Allen has to get the defense to create more havoc more often. This team’s worst-case scenario includes suffering through another season of a benign offense and stepping back from the defense we saw in 2022.

While the youth movement was needed, it was a risky transition. New Orleans could again fail to make the playoffs and would then face an offseason with major changes likely coming throughout the organization.



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Taylor Swift Is Shown Chugging a Beer on the Jumbotron at Super Bowl 58

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Global superstar Taylor Swift made it to the big game to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce. In the second quarter, it was evident that she was having a good time at the Super Bowl after taking a 12-hour flight from Tokyo the night prior.

Taylor Swift Seen Chugging Beer at Super Bowl

Swift’s attendance has been highly anticipated, as many fans questioned whether she would be able to make it to the big game since she had been in Japan until Saturday for her Eras Tour.

Sure enough, she made it to the Super Bowl and was seen making a grand entrance alongside Blake Lively and Ice Spice.

Swift made it back to the States with plenty of time to make it to Allegiant Stadium to support Kelce. After a leg of her Eras Tour, where she performed several nights in Japan, the singer appeared to let loose.

In a box full of friends, Swift was shown chugging a beer with Ashley Avignone. She was shown on the jumbotron and slammed her cup down after she finished her beer.

There was a mix of cheers and boos as Swift was shown on the big screen, and a long pass to Mecole Hardman was the only highlight of the first half for Swift and her friends. The 49ers led the Chiefs, 10-0, late in the second quarter.

On social media, Swift garnered plenty of support from NFL fans.

If you’re hating on her you can kick rocks man she’s the best,” one user posted on X

“The one thing I learned this season is that she is actually fun,” another said. 

“Booing Taylor Swift chugging a beer is so soft. She’s just one of us now and I respect it ,” another posted. 

At the time of the beer chugging, Kelce, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, has had one catch for a single yard. It came on the first possession, which ended up being a three-and-out. The Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t done much otherwise.

They did have a deep pass play to Hardman, which put them in the red zone, but Isiah Pacheco fumbled on the very next play — one that Kelce was surprisingly on the sideline for.

Swift and Kelce have garnered much media attention as their romance has taken off throughout this NFL season.

Swift was able to support her boyfriend at many of his games throughout the final stretch of the season, as her Eras Tour was on a break. But starting on Feb. 7, she went back on the road.

MORE: NFL World Reacts to Unbelievable Super Bowl Trick Play

Despite performing in Tokyo the night before the Super Bowl, she was able to make it in time to support her boyfriend due to the time difference and is having a good time doing so.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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What Happened to the 49ers Linebacker?

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The San Francisco 49ers sustained a massive blow during the second quarter of Super Bowl 58, as linebacker Dre Greenlaw left the game on a medical cart.

CBS Sports confirmed that the veteran Greenlaw suffered an Achilles tear, ruling him out for the rest of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

What Happened to Dre Greenlaw?

The outside linebacker, who had already been battling past injuries to his hamstrings and calves, left with what appeared to be a leg injury.

And somehow, his left leg looked like it buckled as he tried to trot onto the field with the Niners’ defense.

Greenlaw clutched his left leg in agony before being helped off the field.

CBS Sports sideline reporter Evan Washburn reported that the outside linebacker left with what was ruled as a lower leg injury. He was later determined to sustain an Achilles injury.

Greenlaw was declared out for the rest of the game.

Greenlaw Carted Off in Passenger Seat

Even more noticeable was where Greenlaw sat on the cart.

He ended up leaving not in the back of the medical vehicle but ended up riding shotgun with his leg injury.

One would think that with an injury like an Achilles ailment, medical officials would try to make the player as comfortable as possible before they leave. It wasn’t the case here.

MORE: San Francisco 49ers Depth Chart

Regardless, Greenlaw was replaced by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for the rest of the first half. Greenlaw became the most significant injury of the game.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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NFL World Reacts to Epic Super Bowl Intro From CBS

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Super Bowl 58 is here and it’s going to be exciting. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off in the final game of 2023.

CBS is broadcasting the game and the opening was nothing short of amazing. How is the NFL world reacting to the electric Super Bowl-opening video?

Epic CBS Super Bowl Intro Garners Reaction From NFL World

The video, which spanned four minutes and 19 seconds, featured players from both teams talking about the big game and what it means to them. It also featured their families talking about their journeys to this point.

“Amazing intro! Reminds me of my dad! Bravo on the intro!,” one NFL fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Additionally, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played in the background, giving it a near-movie feel. “This was incredible.,” another person said on X. “And so, the @49ers and @Chiefs face that final curtain,” CBS Sports said.

The 49ers finished the regular season as the top seed in the NFC with a 12-5 record. After their first-round bye, they defeated both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions to earn their trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl. Both of their victories came in comeback fashion, including an NFC Championship-record 17-point comeback.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, had a more uphill battle. Entering the playoffs as the AFC’s third seed, they finished the regular season with an 11-6 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens to punch their ticket.

Super Bowl 58 is a re-match of Super Bowl 54 when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-24. The win was the first in Patrick Mahomes career, as he also won Super Bowl MVP. Four years later, the Chiefs have made three more and won another. For the 49ers, this is their first trip back to the big game since.

The game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET with the 49ers receiving the opening kick. In addition to being broadcast on CBS, the game is also being streamed on Paramount+.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.  Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.





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