The New Orleans Saints will make the playoffs next year.

This is for any football fan. This is my first debate, so I'm testing this place with this one. I affirm the resolution, Resolved, the New Orleans Saints will make the playoffs in the NFL next year. Contention 1- In the last six seasons, the last placed team in the year before won the division or made the playoffs, in the case of this year where the Falcons were second by one game. Carolina finished last in 2002, and first in 2003 Atlanta finished last in 2003, and first in 2004 Tampa Bay finished last in 2004, and first in 2005 New Orleans finished last in 2005, and first in 2006 Tampa Bay finished last in 2006, first in 2007 Atlanta finished last in 2007, second in 2008 (They still made the playoffs.) Since the Saints finished last place this year, there is a good chance that they will do good next year. Contention 2- The Saints have the top offense in the league, so they need to work on the defense. They will seal up the holes in the secondary with draft picks and trades as this is what Sean Peyton has said he will focus on in the postseason. Like last year, when almost all of the draft picks and trades went toward the defense such as Jonathan Vilma and Sedrick Ellis. Another year of rebuilding the defense would do wonders to help it. Contention 3- This year, one of the main reasons the Saints did not do well was because of injuries. Just on the injured reserve alone, there are 17 names. These include 2 CBs, 4, DTs, a S, a DE, and a LB. If the Saints did not have these injuries they could have been a playoff team. For example, if Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Aaron Stecker had not been injured our running game may have been much improved, such as the 2006 season when we had 1,761 rushing yards and healthy runningbacks as apposed to 2007 when we had 1, 466 and 1,594 in 2008 and in both seasons we had to go to their 4th string runningback. Contention 4- The Saints currently have the best offense in the league with 28.9 points per game, 410.7 yards per game, and 311.1 passing yards per game. As stated above in Contention 3, if the runningbacks were healthy we would have a even better offense. Contention 5- The Saints this year had 6 games they lost that had been won in the last minute and some on the last play. They lost 2 games by 2 points, 3 by 3 points, and 1 by 5 points. Quote from Sean Payton saying that he will work on closing out games during the postseason: Reporter: "What can you do during the offseason to get better at finishing games?" Sean Payton:"I think you have to emphasize that in every aspect of your program as it pertains to finishing practice the right way, finishing the weight workout the right way. You bring it up and talk about three-quarters of the game not being good enough or putting ourselves in a position like yesterday with three minutes left isn't good enough. We have to complete the game and I think our players understand that. We talked about it already prior to this offseason and where we're going with this offseason. We talked about it really as it pertained to the games we've played. You look back to the Washington game where we're ahead by nine in the fourth quarter and that was the first time that it really came up and we had a chance to go 2-0 there. It's something that will be emphasized and something that we have to – starting with me – create that environment a little more in every aspect that these guys are here. With the OTAs and the training camps, those are the things that we'll try to do." If the Saints can improve on this during the offseason, then they will win more games during the 2009 season. That is why I believe that the Saints will make the playoffs next year. Please vote aff! Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org... http://neworleanssaints.com... http://www.nfl.com...