I have to admit I knew we were in trouble when I watched the Bears/Seahawks game at slippery Soldier Field. Seattle’s game plan on the sloppy field was smart, with Shawn Alexander running the ball up the gut and the two teams hanging close to each other on turf that seemed like a new toupee that hadn’t been glued down yet. I was semi-encouraged by the game plan against the Eagles – the way Deuce had been leaned on. I thought this was going to be a game where straight ahead running would tell the tale, and cuts would be difficult. The sliding rug dictated it.
Unfortunately the Saints didn’t see it that way, and Sean Payton, who grew up in Chicago and apparently felt like his whole team grew up in Chicago, ignored the toupee conditions and came out with a pass happy game plan. The Bears were never threatened by our running game and plowed the field with theirs. We fizzled in the drizzle. I can't help thinking that the field must have been awfully bad for the NFL to allow a playoff team to replace their turf in the middle of the season. It sure led to a bad toupee. Sour grapes I'll admit, but it was as mysterious to me as it is when someone shoots off fireworks at halftime in a domed stadium, bringing a nice haze to the second half. I'll just wonder if my "Saints to the Super Bowl" prediction would have been a possibility on a better carpet in a climate controlled videodome. Guess that's why they fight for home field advantage. The Bears looked pretty good to me. Not 1985 good, but probably the NFC's best.
Oh well. Who’s going to second guess the Saints after the year they had? People always comment on the ridiculous amount of money pro athletes are paid and I always reply “It’s the entertainment dollar.” If Elton John’s worth it, then Reggie Bush is worth it.
And the Saints did their job this year. They entertained us at a time when entertainment was needed. They were the front and center topic for almost 5 months and it sure was more fun than talking about FEMA. Hopefully Tom Benson learned that you can pack that Dome, which he hates and we love, when you put a competitive product on the field. And this was a competitive product. They were disciplined, talented, and smart and they were very competitive. That’s all we ask. You build it and we will come.
But the truth is the bar has now been raised. The expectations will increase. We have tasted the gumbo, and we want more. The giddy feeling at the airport Sunday night won’t be repeated next year with a loss – only a win. Starting with the draft we’ll be watching developments closely to see if they can continue to improve in a very tough division. 50 million Americas now know the Saints need to upgrade their secondary, and the next Antonio Gates at tight end would be nice, as would a great leader on defense - dare I say a Brian Urlacher/Ray Lewis type - somebody who goes Jack Lambert on an offense every now and then.
Unlike the Bears who get that nice padded schedule of the Vikings, Packers and Lions to beat up on, the Saints face the Bucs, who have bottomed out and will begin to climb back, the Vick team with a new coach to be killed, and the two-state Panthers who have a great coach who will undoubtedly bring them back.
The future appears bright for the Saints. But we’ll know in a few years whether or not Sean Payton is the next Jim Haslett, or the next Bill Walsh as Skip Bayliss claimed on ESPN yesterday.
We’ll know if Reggie Bush is the next Steve Smith or the next Gale Sayers. We’ll know if Drew Brees is the next Aaron Brooks or the next Tom Brady.
We'll know pretty soon.
I like our chances.
Wait til next year..
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