Are New Orleans Saints Tickets A Chance To See A Real Team Or A Mirage?

New Orleans Saints tickets are selling like hotcakes so far in 2006, and the entire country is glad to see this happening. No team has had a tougher year than the Saints, and no NFL city has dealt with more death, destruction and misfortune than New Orleans. As a result, the Saints have become the unofficial America's Team as the team and the city attempt to regroup and rebound.

There are several positive things happening with this long-suffering fan base and franchise. Over the years, the Saints have had a few bright seasons, but for the most part they've been dreadful. They've won one playoff game in 40 years, and they were becoming a team that no one took seriously. However, they're off to a hot start in 2006, and people are wondering if the new Saints are for real or if they're about to crash back to Earth. We'll look at a few factors below to see what will happen in New Orleans.

New Personnel

One factor that seems to be helping the Saints in the big picture already is improved personnel, and that starts at the top. Coach Sean Payton is already proving to be a highly-capable young football mind, and the Saints are playing with an even-keeled precision that hasn't been seen from this team in some time. The Saints of recent years were known as talented teams that would ultimately beat themselves, but that's not happening anymore.

New players also help. The Saints jettisoned erratic and mistake-prone QB Aaron Brooks and replaced him with solid, generally mistake-free Drew Brees. Brees may not have the rocket arm that Brooks or many other QB's possess, but he's a master at managing the game and not killing his teams with ill-timed mistakes. Obviously, the addition of Reggie Bush makes a difference as well. Bush has been responsible for moving New Orleans Saints tickets all by himself, and his effect on opponents' game plans has been nothing short of stunning.

Schedule

The Saints have benefited from a last-place schedule so far in 2006. Their wins have come against the likes of the Packers, the Browns and the Buccaneers, three struggling teams. Their win over the Eagles, while impressive, can not be defined at this point because the Eagles are also struggling. Their win over Atlanta was extremely impressive, and the emotion that was present for the Saints' first game in the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina played a tangible part in that result.

However, the Saints losses as of this writing have come against the Panthers and the Ravens, two tough, battle-tested veteran teams that will most likely be contenders by the time the playoffs roll around. In fact, the Saints were dominated by the Ravens at home, which is why questions regarding the Saints' ultimate progression are beginning to surface. The Saints still have games against the Bengals, the rest of the NFC East and a rematch with the Falcons on the road yet to come, so we'll find out where they stand as their games become more difficult.

Results for 2006

There is no question that the Saints are a much-improved team from 2005, and personnel and scheduling are only two of several factors that have led to this improvement. Football fans in America want to see the Saints do well, and by the end of the season, fans will look back and see a team that was in playoff contention all season. December of 2006 will be the first time in a long time that New Orleans Saints tickets will be important that late in the year, and the Saints will ultimately march into the playoffs in 2006.