A Shorthanded Saints Defense Picked Off Drew Brees 4 Times And Left The Fans Minds In A Maze

ICYMI: My @Saints training camp practice recap for 8/5/16 pic.twitter.com/aTCxFtB7GH

— John ⚜ (@JohnSiglerNFL) August 6, 2016

You know what's funny? My initial reaction to this was "oh shit". Obviously cooler heads prevailed because - despite the incessant need for paranoid pessimism during training camp - a Saints secondary displaying an ability to turn the ball over with the entirety of their starting unit on the sideline is undoubtedly a good thing. However, after a decade of watching defensive promise go so unfilled that it drew a stark resemblance to complete futility it was impossible not to immediately assume that something was wrong with Drew Brees.

Saints fans have become so accustomed to watching a unit that couldn't tackle the basic arithmetic necessary to play man-to-man defense or catch Zika if they were  wading in the waters of a Brazilian beach that anyone that can't get the best of them is immediately seen in a negative light. Even if it a future HoF quarterback that has displayed no others signs of letting Father Time enter into his rearview mirror. FOUR interceptions in one practice session? Almost have no choice but to infer that an offense that has been as consistent as Matt Ryan's menstrual cycle for ten years has finally fallen off track. After all, the alternative would be to believe that the defense has actual improved from the record setting dumpster fire that it's been the last two seasons, and there's no way I'm getting tricked into that line of thinking again. No sir. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me 8 out of 10 times and I'm willing to assume personal liability by way of self mutilation. Sure, the flashes of ball hawking ability being shown by what looks to be a fairly deep secondary leave me encouraged. Just not encouraged enough to get over my fear of committing to the idea that the Saints might have a defense that's at least capable of making opponents take a detour on their way to the end zone.