74_75_78_79_ wrote:Saints...pretty unreal! In the ten years since that Lombardi, they've left perhaps a couple or so more of them on the table. What the Colts were to the '00s, NO seems to have been this very decade. First, as defending-Champs in '10, allowing a 7-9 team to eliminate them. Next year, a 13-3 finish. Losing at SF nothing to be ashamed of, but it was SF's first post-season outing under Harbaugh, and it was Alex Smith who beat them. No, Alex Smith wasn't bad at all at his best, but still a slight underachievement by a championship-experienced Saints team IMO. They then finish 7-9 in 2012 (Payton out) only to get eliminated at Seattle again in '13, but that one by-all-means much more understanding! And Saints didn't play bad at all vs them that game. Then the three-straight 7-9 campaigns. Surprised Payton survived that. Then finding a way to lose two years ago on that 'Miracle' play. Yes, the bad call last year vs Rams but they shouldn't have allowed it to come down to that bad call in the first place. And now, today, again - and at home, mind you - finding a way to lose against none other than a 6th-seeder led by a QB with a rep so-far (winless on MNF) of not being able to win in the clutch. So disappointing. Would have really liked to see Brees have himself another Lombardi or two by now.
Yes, a title is a title ('09 well-deserved), but that Lombardi was not only against...those Colts, not only against those Colts without Dungy even, but needed...a surprise-onside kick to assist in victory! It appears that SBXLIV ended up being almost like the 1980 World Series (someone had to win that Battle of '76-thru-'78 Bridesmaids). Only difference is that Colts already established that rep of leaving Trophies on the table whereas NO was just about to start establishing such rep...beginning the very next year! And, of course, neither Phillies nor Royals won a WS yet going in.
Yes, it appears there's a two or three year window still open for Drew to win at least another. It just don't look too optimistic at this point.
What's funny is that the next three SB champions after them (2010 Pack, 11 Giants, 12 Ravens) haven't been back to a SB, much less repeated.
GB had a 15-1 record the next year, but lost to the eventual champ Giants in the Divisional Round. Since then, they have lost in the 2012 and 15 Divisionals, 2013 WC Round, and 2014 (which was heartbreaking) and 2016 NFC Title Games before missing the playoffs in 2017 and 18. Their resume has been similar to NO's since winning a ring.
The 2012 Giants were defending champs, and they were 6-2 at the mid-way point of the season. They haven't done anything since (besides making the 2016 playoffs).
After Baltimore's 2012 title, Joe Flacco took the money, and only has had one year with a rating over 90 (2014). The Ravens have only won one playoff game (2014 AFC WC Round against Pittsburgh) since (that may change this year, though).