By PFW staff
Sept. 8, 2008

They appeared to be faster, tougher, and smarter than last season. A retooled defense came up huge for the Saints on Sunday in their 24-20 win over the Buccaneers, and it could be the key to getting New Orleans back into the postseason. The new-look defense faced Tampa on 4th-and-6 from the Saints’ 24-yard line as the Bucs took one last shot at victory. LB Scott Fujita picked off Jeff Garcia’s pass with 38 seconds remaining, sealing the deal for his squad. New Orleans allowed Tampa Bay to accumulate 206 passing yards and 146 rushing yards but allowed the Bucs to convert just 2-of-12 third-down attempts. WR Joey Galloway, who had burned the Saints for 28 catches for 614 yards and eight touchdowns in the last six games he had played against New Orleans, was limited to only six catches for 56 yards. The Bucs scored their lone offensive touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The PFW spin

If the Saints’ "D" had faced the same make-or-break scenario late in a game last season, it probably would have faltered and cost the team a crucial division win.

This year’s unit is different.

Offseason additions like MLB Jonathan Vilma, DE Bobby McCray and rookie CB Tracy Porter made major contributions that the squad sorely lacked last season, when it finished with the 26th-ranked defense and the No. 30 pass defense.

It’s true that New Orleans was facing a Tampa Bay offense that is basically devoid of explosive playmakers. It’s also unsettling that it allowed 146 rushing yards and 7.3 yards per carry. This unit still has issues to work on, but it’s clear that there will not be a repeat of last season, when the defense continually set the Saints back and couldn’t deliver despite being complemented by one of the league’s best offenses.

What made this outing all the more impressive is that New Orleans did it without their best cornerback, Mike McKenzie, who was inactive because of the lingering effects from a torn ACL he suffered late last season.

When he returns, the Saints could have a very solid top three at corner, including McKenzie, Porter, who led the team with two passes defended on Sunday, and free-agent acquisition Randall Gay. That trio is about three times more reliable than last year’s corners, when, other than McKenzie, there wasn’t much head coach Sean Payton could count on.

Our fantasy take

Perhaps you’re feeling buyer’s remorse after taking, for instance, Seattle’s defense in your draft and watching it get pummeled by the Bills on Sunday. The Saints are worth considering as a replacement. They had an interception, two sacks and allowed one touchdown against the Bucs. They’re a bit of a gamble, considering their awful ’07 campaign, but they run into a Redskins offense this week that only managed to score seven points in Week One.