2003 SAINTS
	Deuce McAllister rushed for 1,388 yards in '02.
	Head coach: Jim Haslett (4th year). 2002 record: 9-7 NFC South finish: 3rd Season opener: Sept. 7 vs. at Seahawks Schedule | Depth chart

One win. That's all the Saints needed to clinch a playoff spot over the final three weeks of the season last year. But a one-point loss to Minnesota, a seven-point loss to the lowly Bengals and a four-point loss to the Panthers in Week 17 kept the Saints out of the postseason and marked the second straight end-of-the-year collapse for the boys from the Big Easy.

Erasing those bad memories won't be easy for the Saints, but they do still have an explosive offense to turn to. Sure, there have been some changes-- namely offensive tackle Kyle Turley being sent to the Rams -- but it is on the defensive side of the ball where there has been the most upheaval. Six new starters dot the Saints' lineup for a defense that ranked 26th in points allowed and made a habit of giving up big plays.

Head coach Jim Haslett knows that the pressure is on for his team to get to the postseason, and if the Saints fail again, it could mean his job. New Orleans isn't lacking for talent, but it is up to Haslett to push his team to execute and escape from the rough-and-tumble NFC South with a playoff berth.

Offense
Quarterbacks: Aaron Brooks can be devastating when he gets hot, and his athletic ability gives the Saints a matchup that few teams can stop. He has a powerful arm, has improved his accuracy this offseason, and he has become more of a vocal leader in the huddle. Arm problems derailed Brooks last season, and he has pushed himself to get in shape without risking his health. He also must learn to play with poise and confidence, even when he gets off to a rough start. Backup Todd Bouman showed promise in his limited time as a starter in Minnesota, and his arm strength is a positive. He isn't the most mobile quarterback in the league, but Bouman can fill in admirably in short stints. Grade: B.

Running backs: All Deuce McAllister did last season was lead the NFC in rushing and give the Saints a multi-talented back who could hurt teams on the ground or with his receiving. McAllister is a bruiser inside but has the speed to get outside the tackles, and his toughness sets the tone for the offense. He has great size and will continue to be a dual threat out of the backfield. Behind McAllister, however, the drop-off is steep. James Fenderson lacks the quickness to get through the hole and is a poor receiver out of the backfield, and the Saints lose a huge part of their offense when Deuce is on the bench. Unless New Orleans finds a gem in the scrap heap once cut day arrives, the Saints will be pinning their season on the hope that nothing happens to McAllister. Fullback Terrelle Smith is only used as a lead blocker and hasn't provided much of an offensive threat in his time in the Big Easy. Grade: B-plus.

Receivers: This is a real strength of the Saints. The receivers are talented, they are fast and they are as boisterous as Bourbon Street on a Saturday night during Super Bowl week. Wide receiver Joe Horn is a crafty vet who throws opponents off their game with his mouth, but he also has a good burst and can turn a short pass into a huge play. Second-year pro Donté Stallworth showed gamebreaking skills last season and is a star in the making, while vet Jerome Pathon is a steady player who can be counted on to make the big catch. Pro Bowl kick returner Michael Lewis can make things happen as well, although getting time in the passing game won't be easy. Former Rams tight end Ernie Conwell is a threat both as a blocker and as a pass-catcher, and his quick feet and solid hands make him a dangerous receiver in short-yardage situations and around the goal line. Tight end Boo Williams also can be effective in the running and passing games. Grade: A-minus.

Offensive linemen: Turley may have been the most outrageous -- and effective -- lineman in New Orleans, but the Saints grew tired of his locker room antics and decided it would be best to cut ties with the volatile tackle. Pittsburgh free agent Wayne Gandy looks to replace Turley, and he will help anchor a front line that includes center Jerry Fontenot, left guard Kendyl Jacox, right guard LeCharles Bentley and right tackle Spencer Folau. An offseason of uncertainty with Fontenot's contract allowed the remaining linemen to get a lot of experience playing different positions. Bentley has the talent to become a star, and his quickness and versatility make him a standout. Rookies Jon Stinchcomb and Montrae Holland are strong but will need time to develop. The Saints' line did a solid job last season of protecting Brooks and opening holes for McAllister, and without the distraction of Turley, this could be a much more cohesive bunch. Grade: B.

Defense
Defensive linemen: The Saints were tired of fighting the battle of the bulge when it came to defensive tackles Norman Hand and Grady Jackson, so they traded Hand to Seattle and demoted Jackson to the second string. Veteran Kenny Smith and rookie first-round pick Johnathan Sullivan hope to use their speed more than their size to control the running game and put more pressure on the quarterback. Jackson can still be a strong run stopper, but he needs to get himself in shape. Defensive ends Charles Grant and Darren Howard both are frantic pass rushers who can flush passers out of the pocket, but they also have a tendency to overpursue. Backups Willie Whitehead and Greg White are quick but don't get off the snap as well as Haslett would like. Martin Chase was traded to Washington. Grade: C-plus.

Linebackers: The Saints knew they couldn't stick with last year's group of linebackers, which far too often let short plays turn into gamebreaking scores. Charlie Clemons was allowed to leave via free agency and the Saints looked to improve their speed in the middle of the field. Middle linebacker Darrin Smith and outside linebackers Sedrick Hodge and Derrick Rodgers fill that bill and hope to pack more of a punch in stopping the run. Rodgers sheds blockers well and can get to the ball, but he's nothing special in pass coverage. Smith has outplayed newcomer Orlando Ruff during the preseason, but both are solid run stoppers who aren't afraid to deliver the knockout blow. Roger Knight and James Allen have experience in defensive coordinator Rick Venturi's system and must be more aggressive when the ball is snapped. Grade: C.

Defensive backs: The Saints' secondary was more charitable than Mother Teresa last season, giving up more passing yards per game than all but five other teams. So the team decided to make a few changes, trading for free safety Tebucky Jones and dumping strong safety Sammy Knight in favor of second-year pro Mel Mitchell. Unfortunately for the Saints, a torn anterior cruciate ligament has sidelined Mitchell, possibly for the season, leaving Jay Bellamy as the likely starter at strong safety. Cornerback Dale Carter was more focused and more of a leader in camp and cornerback Fred Thomas hopes to put the injury problems of last season behind him. The acquisition of cornerback Ashley Ambrose from the Falcons gives the Saints another veteran presence in the secondary, although there are some who believe Ambrose has lost a step. As long as the defensive backs can keep the big plays to a minimum the Saints are going to have a chance to be something special, and the pressure will be on the secondary to deliver. Grade: B-minus.

Special teams
Veteran placekicker John Carney still is one of the more accurate kickers in the league and gives the Saints a big boost in tight games. New punter Mitch Berger has a knack for dropping kicks inside the 20 and is a dependable holder to boot. But it is the return skills of Lewis that make the Saints' special teams truly special. Lewis is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball and already has proven in preseason action that last year wasn't a fluke. He's fast, he's shifty, and he has a sense of where lanes are going to open up. With Berger and Lewis helping the Saints win the battle of field position, New Orleans' already dangerous offense could be looking at a short field more often than not. Grade: B.

Material from Pro Football Weekly.
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