For the first time since becoming the New Orleans Saints head coach in 2006, Sean Payton will have time to actually take a breath or two before charting his teams course for the 2008 season. The winter of 2006 was a blur to Payton after he was chosen to succeed Jim Haslett. The last offseason, of course, was shortened by the Saints march to the NFC Championship Game and Paytons obligation to coach in the Pro Bowl after losing to the Chicago Bears. But after completing the 2007 season last Sunday, Payton has the time to give his team his undivided attention the next three or four weeks with an eye on making it back to the playoffs after an unrewarding campaign. After a week off to recharge, Payton and his staff go back to work today when theyll start to evaluate their own players and operations in trying to find the answers to a promising season gone wrong. The first step in this process is evaluating our own players and our own scheme, Payton said last week. Well spend time looking A to Z at our roster defensively, offensively and the kicking game and we will set up our areas of needs where we feel like we have to improve. There are a number of things we have to look to do to improve our team, he said. When you come away from the season its easy to point to certain statistics in a good or bad way, but we need to improve our defense. Thats something well look at hard this offseason in regards to how we can help over there. Payton vows to leave no stone unturned, whether its in evaluating himself and his staff or every player on the active roster and injured reserve list. The main things hell look at are protecting the ball on offense after the Saints were minus-7 in turnover margin, stopping big plays on defense after giving up 54 passes of 20 yards or longer and doing a better job in the return game on special teams. The Advocate
