Thanksgiving is a time for expressing gratitude for the blessings in our lives — things that bring us joy which shouldn’t be taken for granted. And the New Orleans Saints have given fans some things to be thankful for even in a frustrating 2023 season. Whether it’s young standout players or position groups that have carried the team to some much-needed wins, here are our staff picks for the things we’re grateful for about the Saints this year:
Rashid Shaheed
I’m thankful for Rashid Shaheed! As annoying and upsetting watching the Saints offense has been at times this season, no one has been more fun to watch than Shaheed. He’s proven himself to be a wonderful addition to the team and not just a fluke rookie season. Plus, I get to use my new catchphrase “IVE GOT A NEED FOR SHAHEED!” — Dylan Sanders
I’m thankful for the Saints secondary. The unit has been the best unit on the offense, specifically the cornerbacks. Paulson Adebo has been the best at attacking the ball this year. Adebo leads the team in interceptions and pass deflections; he’s also third in the league in both categories. Alontae Taylor isn’t that far behind with 10 pass deflections, and Marshon Lattimore with 8 pass deflections. Even Issac Yiadom, who has played sparingly, has recorded 7 pass deflections. The secondary has 12 interceptions, second-most in the NFL. — Darrion Gray
Bryan Bresee
I am thankful to have a first round lineman pick that has worked out. After multiple experiments with lineman being picked in the first round lately (Marcus Davenport, Payton Turner, Trevor Penning) not working out as well as you would hope, Bryan Bresee has been a stalwart on the Saints’ defensive front. He has seen a pretty substantial double team rate for a rookie, and yet he has 17 pressures, 2 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, and 5 pass deflections. He has shown he can be a valuable piece to this team, and hopefully will be for a long time coming. — Jeremy Trottier
An easy schedule of opponents
The Saints are coming out of their Week 10 bye without a single win against a team with a winning record — but they’re still on top of their division thanks to a weak lineup of opponents and blatant incompetence from their rivals around the NFC South. That’s given them a much-needed safety net amid Dennis Allen and Derek Carr’s struggles to lead the team to success. A more challenging slate of games would make what’s been a frustrating season outright miserable. — John Sigler
