Sheldon Rankins
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (17) makes the catch as Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (31) defends during the second half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brett Duke)
Signs point to Saints entering new era in 2021

By Brett Martel Jan. 18, 2021 08:12 PM EST

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) hands off to running back Alvin Kamara (41) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Chicago Bears in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Saints' Brees sees playoff clash with Brady's Bucs as fate

By Brett Martel Jan. 14, 2021 06:59 PM EST

FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020 file photo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) tries to throw as he is brought down by New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans. For all the extraordinary talent the Saints and Buccaneers have at quarterback, running back and receiver, defensive end Cameron Jordan figures that what happens in the trenches will be the decisive factor in their divisional-round playoff clash.(AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
Saints' defensive line aims to disrupt Bucs' Brady once more

By Brett Martel Jan. 13, 2021 08:59 PM EST

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) carries against Chicago Bears cornerback Kindle Vildor (22) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Health of key Saints players trending up at the right time

By Brett Martel Jan. 11, 2021 07:03 PM EST

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees makes a face while warming up before an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Chicago Bears in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Brett Duke)
Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints 1/10/2021

Jan. 10, 2021 03:14 PM EST

CORRECTS DATE Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) carries against New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Demario Davis (56) in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Kansas City Chiefs at New Orleans Saints 12/20/2020

Dec. 20, 2020 04:36 PM EST

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looks on during practice at the NFL football team's training facility, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, in Philadelphia. (Jose F. Moreno/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool)
Jalen Hurts gets first start vs. Saints, NFL's No. 1 defense

By Rob Maaddi Dec. 10, 2020 05:20 PM EST

New Orleans Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates a turnover during an NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 in Tampa, Fla. The Saints defeated the Buccaneers 38-3. (Margaret Bowles via AP)
Saints' defensive front gaining steam at season's midpoint

By Brett Martel Nov. 11, 2020 08:15 PM EST

New York Jets head coach Adam Gase reacts during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. From the unbeaten Steelers at the top to the winless Jets at the bottom, predictability has taken a hike halfway through NFL 2020. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Halfway through NFL season, uncertainty reigns off the field

By Barry Wilner Nov. 11, 2020 03:30 PM EST

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith (10) celebrates with teammates, including wide receiver wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) after scoring against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
Saints enter season's second half as prime contenders

By Brett Martel Nov. 09, 2020 09:15 PM EST

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws against the Chicago Bears in the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Saints' Thomas, Sanders practice as Bucs clash looms

By Brett Martel Nov. 04, 2020 06:33 PM EST

New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (23) celebrates with strong safety Malcolm Jenkins (27) after an interception against the Chicago Bears in the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Payton likes Saints' grit during tense, 4-game win streak

By Brett Martel Nov. 02, 2020 06:09 PM EST

Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos (2) kicks a field goal to tie the game with the New Orleans Saints in the closing seconds of the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Will Lutz makes field goal in OT, Saints beat Bears 26-23

By Andrew Seligman Nov. 01, 2020 08:26 PM EST

Chicago Bears quarterback Nick Foles (9) throws against the New Orleans Saints in the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears 11/1/2020

Nov. 01, 2020 04:42 PM EST

El quarterback Drew Brees (9), de los Saints de Nueva Orleans, lanza bajo presión en el duelo de la NFL ante los Panthers de Carolina, en Nueva Orleans, el domingo 25 de octubre de 2020. (AP Foto/Butch Dill)
Saints look to stay on roll, Bears seek bounce-back win

By Andrew Seligman Oct. 29, 2020 05:14 PM EDT

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Drew Brees (9) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in New Orleans, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Saints' season starting to resemble past 3 playoff pushes

By Brett Martel Oct. 26, 2020 08:17 PM EDT

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) carries as he is tackled by New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) and defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Brett Duke)
Los Angeles Chargers at New Orleans Saints 10/12/2020

Oct. 12, 2020 08:32 PM EDT

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
New Orleans Saints at Las Vegas Raiders 9/21/2020

Sep. 21, 2020 07:40 PM EDT

FILE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady talks to offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich during an NFL football training camp practice Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. Teams with new coaches or new quarterbacks could limit their playbooks early in the season because they missed valuable practice time in the offseason due to the coronavirus shutdown. Even Tom Brady has found it challenging to learn a new system. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Brady, Brees to make history in Bucs-Saints Week 1 opener

By Brett Martel Sep. 10, 2020 09:00 PM EDT

New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton talks to quarterback Drew Brees during practice at their NFL football training facility in Metairie, La., Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. The Saints also have had very little turnover on coach Payton’s staff. The coordinators and most position coaches remain the same. Having so many familiar faces remain in an organization coming off three straight NFC South titles should only help in a year when a global pandemic has wiped out traditional offseason programs and preseason games. “I do think the continuity can provide us that advantage,” Payton said.(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, Pool)
Saints see Super Bowl as the only bar for success in 2020

By Brett Martel Aug. 27, 2020 04:32 PM EDT