5 Reasons Why Saints WON’T “Tank” Rest of the Season

Nov 27, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) celebrates with wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) after a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams during the third quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Rams 49-21. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

#5.  MILESTONES AND CONTRACT INCENTIVES

The best team players will always say out loud that statistics do not matter to them; but that winning and their contribution to a team victory is the most important, and of course they’re right.

However, if we are honest with ourselves, after winning who among us doesn’t want to hit the most home runs, serve the most aces, score the most points, or make the most catches?

A number of these Saints players would achieve statistical milestones with good performances to end the season. Drew Brees needs 830 passing yards to reach 5,000 for the record 5th time in his career — an average of 277 yards over the final three games.

Mark Ingram needs to average 76 yards on the ground for his first career 1,000 yard season. Incredibly, there have been only six backs that have broken the 1,000 yard barrier in the team’s previous 49 years (Deuce McAllister, George Rogers, Ricky Williams, Dalton Hilliard, Reuben Mayes, and Chuck Muncie).

With 300 yards rushing, Ingram would surpass Hilliard and Rogers into 2nd place on the team’s all-time rushing list — behind only McAllister’s 6,096 yards.

Brandin Cooks, Michael Thomas and Willie Snead are all within striking distance of the thousand yards receiving plateau. Cooks needs to average 49 yards per game (130 total), Thomas 57 yards (169), and Snead 95 per game (284).

Exciting numbers for three young wide-outs, and also for a franchise that has only had 10 players prior to this reach the 1,000 yard receiving mark.

Thomas, with 7 touchdowns, and Cooks’ 6 even have the possibility of 10 receiving scores, only achieved by four players in Saints history: Jimmy Graham (three times), Marques Colston and Joe Horn (2 each), and Lance Moore.

With 1 more victory, Brees would hit 100 as the Saints starting signal caller (his record is currently 99-72).

If New Orleans wins their final three games, they will avoid finishing with a losing record for only the 20th time in franchise history (the first such feat courtesy of the 1979 team, finishing with a record of 8-8).

The above named players are either established or emerging stars, but there are other players onn this roster with a different type of motivation — which we look at next…..