White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. – The NFL regular season will be a marathon for the New Orleans Saints, 16 games in 17 weeks, beginning Sept. 11 and concluding Jan. 1.
Still, Coach Sean Payton wants the Saints to begin in a sprint, and with good cause.
Consecutive 7-9, non-playoff seasons – the third such result in the last four years, interrupted by an 11-5 mark in 2013 – have given Payton reason to emphasize even more the value of a quick start. And it’s an emphasis that Payton noted Wednesday, during his opening news conference for this year’s training camp, to be held for the third consecutive year at The Greenbrier.