Good news: Drew Brees isn't giving up on the 2016 season, even though the Saints are 0-3, the latest loss, a 45-32 defense-free effort against the rival Falcons.
Bad news: History suggests that while Saints haven't been mathematically eliminated from the playoff conversation, they'll be lucky to get back to .500.
"I've been through enough of these," Brees said of the Saints' winless start, via ESPN.com's Mike Triplett. "We've got a lot of veteran guys on our team that have been through enough adversity in situations like these to know better (than to lose hope). It's our job to make sure the young guys know that as well."
Noted, Drew, but hope, as the saying goes, isn't a plan. Plus, we've been here before.
In 2015, the Saints started 0-3, they were 1-3 in 2014 and 0-4 in 2012. In 2008, they were 1-2 and the year before, they were 0-4. In those five seasons, the Saints' best finish was 8-8, and that came in '08. The other four seasons resulted in 7-9 records.
Brees' response to the tough sledding ahead: "Well, we're not saying it's easy."
Triplett points out that since 1990, a whopping three teams have made it to the postseason after losing the first three games.
"But listen, at some point it turns," Brees continued. "I don't know when that's gonna be -- I hope it's this week. But ... that's why you go out and get the type of guys that we have in the locker room. You don't get guys that are gonna turn on one another or cash it in when times get tough. You go out and get tough, competitive guys that love the game of football, love to compete, love to play for one another.
"And look at any team throughout the course of a year, any team that has gone on and done great things -- there were moments of adversity. ... And I feel like we have the right type of guys to turn this thing around.
"And when we do, look out."
Put another way: We're not at the point in the proceedings where Brees is answering questions about tanking the season. You know, because it's still September.
