Is a perfect season actually possible in the Big Easy?

That's easier said than done following the supersized scare the still-undefeated Saints received in St. Louis from the upstart Rams in their hard-earned 28-23 victory Sunday.

But despite their surprisingly close call against the Rams, the Saints are still widely believed to have a reasonable shot at running the proverbial table — a la the 2007 New England Patriots.

With an offense averaging 36.8 points a game under the steady direction of QB Drew Brees and a revived defense under new coordinator Gregg Williams that has registered a league-high 25 takeaways (three more than it had all of last season) and scored seven touchdowns, the Saints clearly have their very entertaining act together on both sides of the ball.

"Make no mistake," said one NFL talent evaluator. "Their schedule has not been a walk in the park. They have played some good football teams — both New York squads were undefeated when they faced them the first time, and they have not been given enough credit for establishing a blueprint for beating both those teams.

"The ability of (Saints head coach) Sean Payton and Gregg Williams to adjust in the second half has been outstanding. They have rallied from some (big) deficits."

A few days before taking on the Rams, Brees, who looks to be well on his way toward another Pro Bowl berth this season, was asked to describe the 2009 Saints.

"I describe us as a team that obviously has won in a lot of different ways," Brees said recently. "We have won games kind of going away early. And we've had to come back from some big deficits at times: 21 points in Miami, 14 points last week (against Carolina). Seven or 10 points the week before.

"It's not just one side of the ball or the other. I think, at times, each side of the ball has risen to play well and make the play that helps kind of turn the game around or change the momentum or whatever it might be."

But nobody has been more valuable than Brees, who, despite his share of turnovers in recent weeks, continues to be the driving force behind the league's most explosive offense.

"I think he's an exceptional athlete," Payton said of Brees last week. "He's someone that is very, very thorough in his preparation. I think he decides and delivers very quickly. I think he's extremely accurate."

It doesn't hurt that Brees has a plethora of dangerous weapons at his disposal in both passing and running situations.

New Orleans' diverse aerial attack is a proven commodity, with 6-foot-4 Marques Colston, ex-Giants TE Jeremy Shockey, fleet-footed Devery Henderson, former No. 1 pick Robert Meachem (huge TD catches in each of the last two games) and Lance Moore, who has been out with an ankle injury, providing Brees with a host of tantalizing targets to go along with former first-round pick Reggie Bush out of the backfield.

But the emergence of a potent triple-threat ground game featuring Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Bush has been a pleasant surprise that increases the prospects for a 16-win campaign.

"I think the one area that is different is we're able to run the ball better than we did a year ago," said Brees. "I think that's helped give us some balance. I think it also helped us with time of possession and in the second halves of games."

Another area that is a lot different this season is the defense, which has taken on a more aggressive mindset with lots of creative blitz packages designed to create turnovers under Williams, whom Payton offered $250,000 out of his own salary to become the Saints' new coordinator.

"Williams has turned a lot of people off in the National Football League," said one league talent evaluator. "He is a self-promoter who got run out of town in Washington because he was too busy taping commercials and indulging in self-interests that alienated the club. But give the guy credit for what he has done defensively.

"They focused on fixing the back seven in the offseason, and it has made a big difference, even without big contributions from their first round pick (CB Malcolm Jenkins)."

With a huge assist from an improved pass rush spearheaded by holdover DEs Will Smith and Charles Grant (combined 11½ sacks), the Saints have registered a league-best 17 interceptions. More than a few defensive newcomers have made major contributions, with veteran FS Darren Sharper — a bona fide candidate for league Defensive Player of the Year honors after signing a modest one-year deal for $1.7 million — leading the way.

Other new additions have made their presence felt besides Sharper. Jabari Greer has made the departed Jason David's frequent breakdowns on the left corner a distant memory, and former bad-boy DL Anthony Hargrove has rebounded from major off-the-field problems to become a disruptive force up front.

"Sean Payton really hunkered down after last season," one Saints insider told PFW. "He was in every draft meeting, diligently taking notes. He worked at it. He understands personnel much better than most coaches around the league. He deserves a ton of credit."

Brees recently echoed the insider's sentiments on his head coach.

"He's done an unbelievable job," Brees said of Payton. "From the way the last two seasons have gone, with the high expectations and coming up a little bit short of the playoffs the last three years, having to make some of the decisions that he has made from a personnel standpoint or coaching.

"He always finds ways to motivate the guys in a way where he is just fun to play for. There is nobody I would rather play for than Sean Payton."

Brees was asked last week if he lies in bed at night and actually thinks about whether or not the Saints can actually go 16-0.

"The thought has crossed my mind, but it's not something that I ever think more than about two seconds on," he said.

But league and team insiders whom PFW talked to last week were much more willing to expound on the Saints' perfect possibilities.

"They have a very manageable schedule the rest of the way," said one daily Saints observer. "Only three of their opponents have a winning record, and their road games should not be too daunting."

The one game on their remaining schedule that sticks out as a potential loss is a highly anticipated Nov. 30 Monday-night matchup at home against the Patriots, who currently own the single-season league record for points scored, a target on which the Saints have set their sights.

"If they're going to lose, that's obviously the one that jumps out at you," said one team source.

Added another team insider: "It's no secret how to beat them. You got to intimidate them, hit them in the mouth, play very physical and slow down the offense."

The Saints' run defense has also proven vulnerable in recent weeks, allowing 622 yards rushing and eight rushing TDs over the last four games.

Another growing concern is a battered secondary. Already forced to play the Rams without Sharper (knee) and Greer (groin), the Saints lost another starter in the secondary when CB Tracy Porter went down with a knee injury.

But with Payton and Brees running a beautifully balanced offense, the positives far outweigh the negatives in New Orleans 10 weeks into the 2009 season.

"Sean Payton may be the most creative offensive mind in the league," said one pro talent evaluator. "He does a great job of spreading out the field with multiple sets and taking advantage of his players' strengths."

As a result, the still-perfect Saints just keep marching on, shaken but not stirred.

PFW has launched its brand-new NFL Draft Newsletter series, with the second issue being released later this month. Produced by PFW's player personnel department under the direction of Nolan Nawrocki, the series consists of four information-packed issues. For more info or to subscribe — click here for PDF e-pub or here for print format.