Pre-Katrina Levels

Every year on my birthday and on New Year’s Eve I have that same moment of revelation, of wonderment:

“Wow, where did that year go?’

 

The Saints have that feeling today.

When, exactly did 2007 begin slip-sliding away?

Was it actually on that cold day in January when they arrived in the Windy City with the wrong game plan in their briefcase?

Was it that “mock funeral” that suggested they had actually accomplished something last season?

Was it when they caught fumbleitis from Tyler Patko?

 

The conclusion is inevitable.  The slide began when they blew their chance at a Super Bowl.  The stars were aligned.  Shoulda won.  Getting back isn’t that easy.  Ask Dan Marino.  Getting past that game is so tough.  Ask Donovan McNabb – he that plays in the city of brotherly love where they boo everyone who is not their brother.  If they only appreciated it like we did.  Yes, we now know Peyton would have pummeled us.  But now we know how close we came and how hard it will be to get back.

 

As bad as last night was, the centerpiece that fell off the table was Deuce McAlister,  Jim Haslett’s lasting gift to the Saints.  I remember when they drafted him and his injuries out of Ole Miss andwe thought “What, we’ve got Ricky Williams (even though he stunk.) Why draft another running back?

Seems Uncle Jim knew what the world would soon find out – that Helmetcam Ricky was nuttier than that fruitcake you never eat.

Deuce would bring his 5 yards and a cloud of Astroturf to a team that needed that commodity, and end up as the Saints' all-time leading rusher.

The question is, will there ever be additions to that record?

 

His apparently season-ending knee injury rubs sea salt into an ever-widening wound.

 

Only fitting that after a summer of horror movie sequels, lowlighted by Rush Hour 3, we move into the fall and Nightmare on Poydras Street 35.

 

I knew going into the year it would be tougher.  We wouldn’t surprise anyone and the defensive coordinators had 3 months to dissect our offense.

 

Could the Saints continue to innovate on offense and had the defense improved?

Well not only is the answer to that no,

but

Suddenly, the offensive line looks awful.

Suddenly Brees has no protection.

Suddenly the Saints offense is limited to 6 and 8 yard curls and slants as well as predictable swing passes designed to get our running backs killed.

Suddenly the defenses are sitting back in a deep zone and waiting for the Saints to make a mistake,which they do frequently with the constant pressure on Brees.

Suddenly there is no deep threat.

Suddenly there is no running game.

Suddenly Colston is drawing coverage worthy of his all-world talent because Devery has disappeared.

And has anyone else noticed that if Aaron Stecker is in the game he gets the ball. 

Every single time. 

If I’ve noticed, hasn’t the defense?

And that’s just the offense.

 

On the defensive side we can’t pressure the quarterback nor stop the run and in that scenario you could have 4 Deion Sanders in pass coverage and they’d be standing in the end zone with their hands on their hips watching celebrations.

With all that girth on the front line you’d think we would have 10 sacks at this point.

You’d be 10 off.

 

Is the season over?  Not really because the NFC South is weak and 9-7 will probably win it. 

Can the Saints turn it around and make it to that? 

 

Only in the movies. 

 

Someone better start writing thescript.