There was a time when the team from The Big Easy was known as the New Orleans Aints. They were perennial losers , a yearly doormat of a team that other squads routinely slaughtered. Early in their history, they drafted a highly-touted quarterback named Archie Manning, Yes, the father of Peyton and Eli.

Archie was supposed to be the savior , the guy who would lead the Saints to respectability , and maybe even more than that. The problem was that team executives forgot to put a decent offensive line in front of him. So Manning, Sr. ended up running for his life throughout most of his career , at least when he wasnt eating turf after getting sacked.

Those days were tough for the fans of Americas fun city. They wanted a winner badly and came out in droves to root for the home team, but it didnt help all that much. The Saints were losers , they were the Aints.

If its true that the meek shall inherit the earth, than its also true that, in time, NFL doormats will rise up and grow strong. After years of futility, the Saints have reached that pinnacle. They are now one of the better teams in the NFC South Division where the Falcons, Panthers and Buccaneers also reside , and deserve to be called an upper echelon NFL team, as well. Yes , theyre good now.

And it may be that they once again have an excellent quarterback taking the snaps, Drew Brees. Young, talented and definitely in his prime, Brees has turned the Saints into a top offensive team , they can score, on anybody. In fact, theyre considered a quick strike team, which means they can go downfield on an opponent in a hurry.

Yet, the fact remains that New Orleans still hasnt won anything like a Super Bowl , or even a bunch of playoff games. Theyre better than theyve ever been, a good team, but theyre just one of many good NFL teams that have never won a truly big game.

Can they do it in 2009-2010? The smart money says YES. The Saints are basically a young team, especially at the skill positions. They play all of their home games in good weather, another advantage. And now theyve had a taste of playoff football. Added all together, it means that this is one hungry team , perhaps ready to take the next big step.

Fans of the Saints will be holding their collective breaths when the new season launches a few months from now. Most will probably think that this is the year the team takes off. Well see. Fans who like to wager will also be holding their collective breaths and wonder if this team that figures to be a favorite it most games is worth the risk of a win bet.

Or is a win bet on the Saints going to result in a lost wager , more unfulfilled promise, just like way back when Archie Manning was throwing the football.