The New Orleans Saints are coming off of a somewhat disappointing 2020 season, but hopes remain high for 2021 with new personnel changes and pieces to work with in 2021. After making the playoffs but losing in the Divisional Round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was clear that soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees was past his time as a playoff-level QB.

As the Saints finished with a 12-4 record to win the NFC South, ahead of the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, along with a rotating carousel of quarterbacks that included Brees, Taysom Hill, and Jameis Winston, it's clear that talent and scheme are not the issue for New Orleans. It's all a matter of putting everything together and getting some consistency come playoff time.

Additionally, besides a couple big catches from Tre'Quan Smith, Alvin Kamara was the only player for New Orleans to really step up in a meaningful way in the Divisional contest. Any team with championship aspirations needs a few lesser-known players to become X factors down the stretch run, and the Saints lacked that guy last season, perhaps with the exception of Deonte Harris in the Wild Card round.

In 2021, there are two obvious candidates for who the X factors will be in New Orleans. That's Jameis Winston and Marquez Callaway – two guys who came to the Saints after many had doubts over their abilities to succeed as productive players in the NFL. Winston came to the Saints after Tom Brady took over the starting job in Tampa Bay following Winston's infamous 30 TD, 30 interception season. As for Callaway, he went undrafted in 2020, and signed onto the Saints as an undrafted free agent, and went on to haul in 21 passes on 27 targets for 213 yards on limited playing time in his rookie campaign.

If we're being honest, the Saints' entire season hinges on whether or not Winston can perform at a high level. His last full season as a starter – 2019 – perfectly summarizes what his career has been up this point. He's a gunslinger with insane arm talent, but has had poor decision making and inconsistent accuracy as well. This led to him putting up a league-leading 5,109 passing yards and 33 touchdowns, as well as 30 interceptions.

Since leaving Tampa, however, Winston received LASIK eye surgery to correct his vision, and has played behind one of the game's most brilliant minds ever, in Brees. It shouldn't surprise anyone if Famous Jameis comes out and slings the ball all over the yard against opposing defenses, and leads the Saints to an elite offense, highly capable on the ground and through the air.

Callaway has also flashed brilliance, as he and Winston connected for two touchdowns in the Saints' second preseason game this season. That included an incredible throw and catch for a 43-yard score:

Callaway is a big bodied receiver capable of winning 50-50 balls, and his route tree is excellent for a player who had such a low profile and pedigree post-draft. His success will be especially important early on, as long as the Saints' top receiver, Michael Thomas, remains out with an injury.

In Callaway and Winston, New Orleans has two underdogs with something to prove. Will they be the X factors they need to succeed? Only time will tell.