NFL (part 2): Saints and winners
September 05, 2007 - Christopher Smith
The Saints are value at 20/1 (Credit: Foreversouls) 
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The Saints though have a terrific team coming back in 2007, one that is better on paper than the unit that shocked the world by winning seven more games with rookie head coach Payton than it had the year before, and reached the NFC Championship for the first time ever. All the doom and gloom about the Saints reverting to their traditional losing form is difficult to reconcile with the rising stock of a club that has more stars - Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and Marques Colston primary among them.
With a year under their collective belt in Payton's offense, look for Brees, Bush, and Colston to shine even brighter than they did in 2006. The key to the club's fortunes once the playoffs begin will be the defense, which is improved but still not top-tier.
If New Orleans overachieves in that area when it counts, you can call the Saints a dark horse to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLII, so take the 20/1 on offer.
Finally, San Francisco could surprise everyone and go really deep into the post-season. Entering only his third year as a head coach, Mike Nolan appears to be putting together a quality team and coaching staff that may lead the franchise to its first playoff berth in five seasons.
The 49ers ranked 29th in the NFL in passing offense last season after finishing 32nd in the league — dead last — the season before. While breaking in a young quarterback with a revolving set of receivers, the team struggled to maintain any kind of legitimate threat through the air.
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