Could the Saints have won Super Bowl 18?

[JWL]

If the Saints beat the Rams in Week 16 in 1983, they would have made the playoffs. I think with a little luck and fumbles going their way that they very well could have won the Super Bowl that season. What do you think?

[ChrisBabcock]

I doubt they get past the Cowboys in the WC round. If they do, there's no way they outscore the Redskins in the divisional round. If they do, there's no way they knock off San Francisco in the CC. If they do, they run into the Raiders in the SB, and we're probably still looking at a 38-9 Raiders victory.

[BD Sullivan]

Five of their wins came by three points or less, they were outscored 59-13 in their two games against the Niners and their only win over a good team was a 17-7 win over Miami in Week 5. Plus, Stabler was even more of a statue than he had been 4-5 years earlier.

[CSKreager]

I doubt they get past the Cowboys in the WC round. If they do, there's no way they outscore the Redskins in the divisional round. If they do, there's no way they knock off San Francisco in the CC. If they do, they run into the Raiders in the SB, and we're probably still looking at a 38-9 Raiders victory.

They didn't have an opportunistic defense that could have picked off Danny White, they didn't have an Eric Dickerson, and even Ferragamo at that point was better than Stabler.

Would have been nice to at least get that first playoff/winning season before '87, but if anything that might have changed the NFC playoff picture (If DAL gets past that, are we absolutely sure SF would have beaten them again?)

[Rupert Patrick]

If they had gotten past the Rams in the Week 16 game and made the playoffs, I highly doubt Stabler would have seen any action in the WC game as his right knee buckled thanks to a Jack Youngblood tackle in the third quarter, which would have made Dave Wilson the starter. I think Dallas would have run all over the Saints in the Wild Card game, the final score would have been something like 31-10. Even if they had beaten Dallas they would not have gotten past Detroit, San Francisco or Washington, much less the Raiders.

[CSKreager]

If they had gotten past the Rams in the Week 16 game and made the playoffs, I highly doubt Stabler would have seen any action in the WC game as his right knee buckled thanks to a Jack Youngblood tackle in the third quarter, which would have made Dave Wilson the starter. I think Dallas would have run all over the Saints in the Wild Card game, the final score would have been something like 31-10. Even if they had beaten Dallas they would not have gotten past Detroit, San Francisco or Washington, much less the Raiders.

Are we absolutely sure Detroit could have beaten Dallas?

[Rupert Patrick]

If they had gotten past the Rams in the Week 16 game and made the playoffs, I highly doubt Stabler would have seen any action in the WC game as his right knee buckled thanks to a Jack Youngblood tackle in the third quarter, which would have made Dave Wilson the starter. I think Dallas would have run all over the Saints in the Wild Card game, the final score would have been something like 31-10. Even if they had beaten Dallas they would not have gotten past Detroit, San Francisco or Washington, much less the Raiders.

Are we absolutely sure Detroit could have beaten Dallas?

Dallas was reeling late in the season, and Detroit nearly upset the 49ers in the playoffs, but having to travel to Detroit, I think Dallas at Detroit would have been a tossup.