Drew Brees starts his third year as the quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. After a successful first year where he led the Saints to the NFC Championship game, his second season was plagued with interceptions and an 0-4 start. Despite the horrific start, the Saints still had a chance to make the playoffs on the final week of the season.

This year, Brees and his team look poised to make a run at the NFC crown, as New Orleans has a 40 percent chance of winning the division and a 53.5 percent chance of making the playoffs.

Most of the success of the Saints lies on Brees’ shoulders. In the team’s seven wins last year, the Purdue graduate threw 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions. In New Orleans’ nine losses, he had nine touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Brees is projected to return to the form that made him a Pro Bowler in 2006, as the AccuScore computer forecasts the quarterback to throw for over 4,300 yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Another problem the Saints had last year were injuries. Running back Deuce McAllister was out for the season after three games, and Reggie Bush sat out the final three games of the year with a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament. Both running backs will be vital to the success of the squad and can be a force if they are healthy. McAllister, who has only played 23 games in the last three seasons thanks to a torn ACL in both his knees, is projected to run for 812 yards and six touchdowns. As for his running back counterpart, Bush is a duel threat both running the ball and receiving. The USC alum is forecasted to finish 1,080 total yards and eight touchdowns.

But the high-powered offense that is projected to finish in the top ten in points scored (6th – 392.3) is more than just the running backs. Receiver Marques Colston has become one of the top wide-outs in the league and is projected to finish atop again with over 1,100 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. New tight end Jeremy Shockey should also be a factor, forecasted to finish with 734 yards and 4.5 touchdowns.

The offense will need to be on its game, as the defense is projected to finish near the bottom of the league again. Last season, the Saints finished 26th in total defense, including 30th against the pass. This off-season management added linebacker Jonathan Vilma, cornerback Randall Gay and drafted Sedrick Ellis with the seventh pick. These additions should help the defense, but not as much as the Saints would hope. AccuScore projects the Saints to be better against the pass (210 yards per game), but worse against the run (145 yards per game) and 24th in points allowed.

For more information about the New Orleans Saints, click here to see how Brees and his offense will fair against the defense of last year’s NFC South Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.