(My Sportsbook) - With an offense as prolific as the one the New Orleans Saints have been fielding over the past couple of seasons, head coach Sean Payton knows anything less than a Super Bowl championship is a failure.

Payton hopes that the changes he has made to his defense this past offseason are enough to finally get the job done.

The head coach is entering his fourth year as the sideline master in The Big Easy, and has featured the No. 1 offense in two of those seasons. After the feel-good Saints exploded onto the scene in 2006, just a year after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, with 10 wins, the league's top "O" and a march to the NFC Championship game, New Orleans took a step back in 2007, going 7-9 and missing out on the postseason.

Last season saw New Orleans' offense again rise to the top thanks to the arm of Drew Brees, who threw for over 5,000 yards and helped the Saints average an eye-popping 410.7 yards per game and lead the NFL in scoring. However, with a defense that ranked 23rd in the NFL, the Saints went 8-8 and missed out on the playoffs again.

That has Payton feeling the heat in Louisiana.

"Every year is critical," he said. "Certainly there is a sense of urgency that we all have as coaches and players. We don't take any season for granted ever."

It comes as no surprise, then, that the Saints integrated a number of new pieces to their defense this past summer. Paul Spicer and Rod Coleman were added to the defensive front, while Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper are the new veteran faces in the secondary.

The Saints were also able to add a key cog to their defense in the draft, getting Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins 14th overall.

Payton knew he needed help in molding this new-look unit, so out went former defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs. He was replaced by 19-year coaching veteran Gregg Williams, who will bring a more complex scheme than the one with which the players have been familiar.

Payton, though, feels his defense is ready for the challenge of playing under Williams.

"I think they're all in," he said. "I think our players are excited and certainly there is a lot in regards to scheme, in regards to the change from what we did before, but I think they want to be coached hard and I think they're looking forward to and are excited about the opportunities."

That is the hope, as there is no telling how long Brees and the offense can continue the incredible pace of the past few seasons.

Below we take a capsule look at the 2009 edition of the New Orleans Saints, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:

2008 RECORD: 8-8 (4th, NFC South)

LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2006, lost to Chicago, 39-14, in NFC Championship

COACH (RECORD): Sean Payton (25-23 in three years with Saints, 25-23 overall)

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Pete Carmichael, Jr.

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Gregg Williams

OFFENSIVE STAR: Drew Brees, QB (5069 passing yards, 34 TD, 17 INT)

DEFENSIVE STAR: Jonathan Vilma, LB (132 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT)

OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 28th rushing, 1st passing, 1st scoring

DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 17th rushing, 23rd passing, 26th scoring

KEY ADDITIONS: FB Heath Evans (from Patriots), TE Darnell Dinkins (from Browns), TE Dan Campbell (from Lions), C Nick Leckey (from Rams), DT Rod Coleman (from Falcons), DE Paul Spicer (from Jaguars), DE Anthony Hargrove (from Bills), CB Jabari Greer (from Bills), CB Malcolm Jenkins (1st Round, Ohio State), S Pierson Prioleau (from Jaguars), S Darren Sharper (from Vikings), P Thomas Morstead (5th Round, SMU)

KEY DEPARTURES: RB Deuce McAllister (released), RB Aaron Stecker (not tendered), FB Mike Karney (to Rams), WR David Patten (to Browns), TE Mark Campbell (not tendered), C Matt Lehr (not tendered), DT Hollis Thomas (to Rams), DT Brian Young (released), DT James Reed (not tendered), DT Antwan Lake (not tendered), CB Mike McKenzie (released), CB Aaron Glenn (not tendered), CB Michael Lehan (not tendered), CB Jason David (released), S Kevin Kaesviharn (released), S Josh Bullocks (to Bears), S Terrence Holt (not tendered), K Martin Gramatica (not tendered)

QB: It wasn't too long ago that Brees was tossed aside in San Diego in favor of the young Philip Rivers. New Orleans hasn't been able to say "thank you" enough since. Brees has been shattering club records since he arrived, and last year he fell just 15 yards short of breaking Dan Marino's record of 5,084 single-season passing yards, set in 1984. Brees, who threw 34 touchdown passes last year, is the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and nobody has thrown for more yards (13,910) or completed more passes (1,209) since he arrived in New Orleans in 2006. Even more amazing, he can put up incredible numbers no matter who the Saints put on the field with him, as a number of his key weapons were injured at some point last year. He is backed up by veteran Mark Brunell, who has 16 years of NFL experience but hasn't started a game since '06 with Washington. New Orleans is also stashing draft bust Joey Harrington as the No. 3 QB just in case.

RB: With the Saints having parted ways with the popular Deuce McAllister, it is now the Reggie Bush and.....Pierre Thomas show? With Bush battling a knee ailment last year and having missed 10 games over the past two seasons, Thomas stepped up and ran for 625 yards in 12 games in 2008, rushing for nine touchdowns while hauling in another three scores through the air. Thomas will likely see a good deal of action again this year as the Saints try to keep the electric Bush healthy and fresh. Bush, the second-overall pick of the 2006 draft, needs space to make plays, but is often doomed by going east-to-west rather than north-to-south. New Orleans hopes to get more than the 848 total yards (404 rushing, 440 receiving) it got from Bush a season ago. Mike Bell, who had only 13 carries in four games last year, is the third back, while 30- year-old Heath Evans, who spent the last four seasons in New England, is the new fullback. He replaces Mike Karney, who is now a Ram.

WR/TE: No matter where you are on the depth chart, Brees will get you the ball. Despite his 5,069 passing yards, not a single player on the Saints last year finished over 1,000 yards receiving. While the Saints were fortunate enough to land Brees three seasons ago, they created their own luck in the 2006 draft, grabbing Marques Colston in the seventh round. Colston (47 receptions, 760 yards, 5 TD) was limited last year due to a thumb injury, but had a strong second half. Brees looks to Colston and Lance Moore (79 receptions, 928 yards, 10 TD) as his route targets, while Robert Meachem (12 receptions, 3 TD) and Devery Henderson (32 receptions, 793 yards, 3 TD) are his deep threats. Henderson and Meachem both averaged over 24 yards per catch last year, and with David Patten gone, Meachem, a 2007 first-round pick, will get a chance for a bigger role. Tight end Jeremy Shockey (50 receptions) missed four games last year due to a sports hernia and ankle ailment in his first season with the Saints, but could be primed for a big year if he can stay healthy. Billy Miller (45 receptions) is the second TE on the depth chart, followed by free agent signing Darnell Dinkins.

OL: Brees was sacked just 13 times a year ago, a club record, and the unit that kept him upright throughout last season returns all five starters in 2009. Left tackle Jammal Brown made his second Pro Bowl last year and the 2005 first-round pick anchors a line that has allowed a league-low 29 sacks over the past two seasons. Brown, though, was troubled by a groin issue late in camp and could miss some time if he does in fact have a sports hernia. Jermon Bushrod would likely start in his place if needed. Right guard Jahri Evans and right tackle Jon Stinchcomb each started all 16 games a year ago. Evans is only 26 and has bloomed into one of the top right guards in the league and the durable 318-pounder hasn't missed a game since being drafted in 2006, starting all 48 contests. Stinchcomb has also started 48 straight contests. Left guard Carl Nicks took over the starting job last year as a rookie in Week 4 from Jamar Nesbit and never let go. He will keep Nesbit on the bench again this year. Center Jonathan Goodwin will be backed up by Nick Leckey, who started 10 games with the Rams last year before suffering a broken bone in his foot.

DL: Though a possible four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy is hanging in legal limbo, it looks as if defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant will be able to start in Week 1. New Orleans will hope for strong seasons out of the duo, who were both slowed by injury last year, after ranking 23rd versus the pass a season ago. Smith (77 tackles) signed a six-year contract extension prior to the 2008 season and responded with just three sacks after notching at least seven in each of his previous four seasons. He did battle through a sports hernia last year, while Grant (41 tackles, 3 sacks), the starting left end, landed on injured reserve last year for the first time in his career due to a triceps ailment that cost him the season's final eight games. Bobby McCray started in Grant's place and notched 37 tackles and six sacks. Spicer will back up Smith. Kendrick Clancy (59 tackles, 2 sacks) and Sedrick Ellis (42 tackles, 4 sacks) return as the starting defensive tackles and could improve on their numbers if the bookends stay healthy.

LB: The Saints also return all three starting linebackers from last year, though they failed to bring in anyone to push the trio. Jonathan Vilma made a team-high 151 tackles at the middle spot last year and was re-signed to a five-year deal in March. Scott Fujita, 30, notched 104 tackles with two picks last year at the strong-side spot, while fellow outside starter Scott Shanle notched a career-high 145 tackles to go along with two sacks. The Saints tried to add to their depth, luring Dan Morgan out of retirement, but a calf injury led him to leave football once again. Mark Simoneau may also be unable to return to the field in 2009 due to a torn triceps. He missed all of 2008 due to back surgery. New Orleans brought in both Derrick Brooks and Derek Smith for workouts, but as of press time hadn't signed either player. Jo-Lonn Dunbar started two games last year as a rookie on the outside, while Marvin Mitchell is the primary reserve at the middle.

DB: The Saints feel they have their best secondary in the Payton era after they added Sharper, Greer and Jenkins to the mix. Randall Gay (65 tackles) and rookie Tracy Porter (32 tackles) were slated to be the primary starters last year, but the two combined for just one interception. Porter had that lone pick, one more than Gay despite the fact he missed the final 11 games due to a broken wrist. Porter may start over Gay on the right side this year, while Greer (43 tackles, 2 INT with Bills) will have to hold off Jenkins on the left side. Mike McKenzie and Jason David, who both filled in as starters at corner last year, were released. Roman Harper (106 tackles) returns to start at strong safety, while Sharper (78 tackles, 1 INT with Vikings) should open at the free safety spot. Sharper, 33, will add experience to the group, as he is a four-time Pro Bowl selection, last being selected in 2007, and leads all active NFL players with 54 regular-season interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS: While the four-game suspensions to Grant and Smith are still up in the air, the Saints know they will be without kicker Garrett Hartley for the season's first four games. Hartley earned the ban after taking pills from a friend's Adderall prescription, forcing the Saints to sign 20-year veteran John Carney. The 45-year-old is fourth in NFL history with 1,995 points and played with the Saints from 2001-06, converting 150-of-180 field goal attempts. He notched a career-high 143 points with the Giants last year, converting 35 of his 38 field goal kicks. Hartley, though, should reclaim his job after his ban, as he hit on all 13 of his field-goal attempts in eight games after signing with the club in late October. Punter Glenn Pakulak also joined the team in late October and had a gross average of 47.7 yards per kick over eight games, but lost the job to 2009 fifth-round pick Thomas Morstead in camp and was released in late August. Bush (13.5 punt return average) is the main threat on punt returns, while Courtney Roby and Skyler Green are in the mix to return the kickoffs, along with Moore, Thomas and Meachem. Jason Kyle is the new long snapper after spending his first eight seasons with Carolina.

PROGNOSIS: It's no secret that the Saints have underachieved over the past two seasons. With New Orleans' offense, the club should be making waves in the playoffs, not practicing its putting in January. With Brees set to turn 31 in January, the Saints know their time to win is now. While it is unfair to expect the Saints to move the ball offensively at the rate they did last season, even a minor decrease in productivity should be more than enough to win games. That puts the pressure on Williams and his defense, but New Orleans went out and got its defensive coordinator some tools to work with. Healthy seasons out of Smith and Grant will go a long way up front, and the presence of Sharper in the secondary should add some confidence there. Though the Falcons are an up-and-coming team, the reigning NFC South champion Panthers are vulnerable, meaning the Saints should challenge for the crown despite coming off an eight-win season. Payton knows anything less than a wild card berth will make things a lot hotter in the bayou.