The Saints clinching a playoff berth should mean little for this group
By Nathan Beighle
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - DECEMBER 06: Alvin Kamara #41 of the New Orleans Saints reacts following a third quarter touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
The New Orleans Saints, after starting the season just 1-2, have rattled off nine straight wins and were the NFL's first team to clinch a playoff berth.
With their ninth straight victory, the New Orleans Saints have clinched a playoff berth. Following Week 13, the Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs were the sole two teams that clinched a spot. The 11-1 Steelers haven't even been guaranteed a spot quite yet.
While a playoff spot should mean something for the Saints, in the grand scheme of things, it should mean very little.
They've been to the playoffs for the last three seasons without too much to show for it, and with a 13-3 record in the last two seasons and an 11-5 record in the season prior, they've locked up spots early on in the season.
But, this team has stuck together long enough to know that this isn't the end, and they also know that the last few Saints' seasons have ended in disappointment. They returned many starters on both sides of the ball from last year and a solid number from the prior season as well.
After the Minneapolis Miracle in 2017, sending the Saints home in the divisional round then the missed pass interference call to send them home in 2018, the Saints hit an all-time low after a three-loss season was derailed by a Wild Card loss to the Vikings.
The Saints have made getting the playoffs the easy part, and they've struggled to consistently succeed when they get to that level. So, yes, this week they should praise the fact that they've been able to clinch a berth, but this group knows that the best is yet to come.
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It's time for New Orleans to put it all together, and with the veteran leadership on both sides of the ball for this team, it seems very possible that it's time they make that run in the playoffs.