2011 New Orleans Saints season
| 2011 New Orleans Saints season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Sean Payton |
| General manager | Mickey Loomis |
| Owner | Tom Benson |
| Home field | Mercedes-Benz Superdome |
| Results | |
| Record | 13–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFC South |
| Playoff finish |
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Lions) 45–28 Lost Divisional Playoffs (49ers) 32–36 |
| Pro Bowlers |
Drew Brees (QB) Jimmy Graham (TE) Jermon Bushrod (OT) Jahri Evans (G) Carl Nicks (G) |
| AP All-Pros |
Carl Nicks (1st team) Jahri Evans (1st team) Drew Brees (2nd team) Jimmy Graham (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
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The 2011 New Orleans Saints season was the franchise's 45th season in the National Football League, the 36th to host home at the Louisiana Superdome and the sixth under head coach Sean Payton. During Week 16, Drew Brees broke the single season passing record set by Dan Marino. Brees ended the season with 5,476 passing yards, an NFL record. The team also broke the record for offensive yards from scrimmage with 7,474 and Darren Sproles broke the record for all purpose yards, with 2,696. The Saints also finished second in scoring for total points with 547, and finished second for points per game with 34.2 points and sacks with 24.
The Saints improved on their 11–5 finish from a season earlier and won the NFC South Division with a 13–3 record, and went undefeated at home, so there was much talk of the Saints potentially winning a second Super Bowl in three seasons. Despite their impressive record, however, New Orleans failed to receive a first-round bye due to losing tiebreakers with the San Francisco 49ers for the #2 seed in the NFC behind the 15–1 Green Bay Packers. The Saints won their first playoff game against the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card round but fell to the 49ers on a last-minute touchdown in the Divisional Playoffs. The Saints finished with a final record of 14–4.
The Saints' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.
The Saints (champions of Super Bowl XLIV) began their 2011 campaign at Lambeau Field, taking on the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in the annual NFL Kickoff Game. New Orleans trailed early in the first quarter as Packers QB Aaron Rodgers completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings. The Saints answered with quarterback Drew Brees finding wide receiver Robert Meachem on a 31-yard touchdown pass, but Green Bay struck back with Rodgers completing a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Randall Cobb. New Orleans clawed their way back into the game in the second quarter with a 30-yard field goal from kicker John Kasay, followed by running back Darren Sproles returning a punt 72 yards for a touchdown. However, the Packers came right back with running back James Starks getting a 17-yard touchdown run.
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