Everyone knew the New Orleans Saints would be penalized heavily for their bounty program. Well, the penalties are publc, and Roger Goodell made it clear that he wasn't playing around. The headline is that head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for the entire 2012 season without pay for his role. The Saints got stripped of their second-round pick in 2012 and 2013. General manager Mickey Loomis has been suspended for eight games. The organization got fined $500,000, and assistant head coach Joe Vitt has been suspended for six games. Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who currently fills that role with the St. Louis Rams, has been suspended for all of 2012 at the very least. Commissioner Goodell said he wouldn't consider Williams for reinstatement until after this season
"We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game," Goodell said in a statement. "We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities. No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will not be compromised.
"A combination of elements made this matter particularly unusual and egregious," Goodell continued. "When there is targeting of players for injury and cash rewards over a three-year period, the involvement of the coaching staff, and three years of denials and willful disrespect of the rules, a strong and lasting message must be sent that such conduct is totally unacceptable and has no place in the game."
No official word has come yet, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is expected to fill in for Payton on an interim basis. Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael will take over as playcaller.

Fantasy Analysis:

One word: Wow.
And the disclipline period might not be over yet, considering that players such as linebacker Jonathan Vilma are still being looked at. The Saints' offense will certainly miss Payton, which will affect Drew Brees and Co. Just how much? That's impossible to quantify until the regular season begins. Speculation on how much this offense will suffer without Payton would be baseless without seeing this team as currently constituted on the field. Maybe Brees can cure all ills. And while Spagnuolo has a lot more talent here than he ever did in three years as the Rams' head coach, he won't make up for Payton as the top voice in that locker room. I feel comfortable speculating on that. The 2012 Saints are now far from clear favorites in the NFC South.