Wait 'til next year

Things I learned at the Saints' last game of the season:

1) The easiest QB job in the NFL belongs to Jake Delhomme. Just fling the ball up in the air in the general direction of Steve Smith and he'll come down with it. Even if everyone in the stadium knows it's what you're going to do. Even if there are defenders in seemingly perfect position. Even if the game is on the line and he should be blanketed by 4 defenders. I've never seen anyone able to make so many clutch catches while double covered. (If you call what the Saints do "coverage." Maybe we should call it "in the neighborhood.")

2) The Saints defensive line underperformed all year. Thus, no pressure on quarterbacks, thus no turnovers, thus even worse exposure of a secondary that is slow to the ball to say the least. They also can't stop the run. Watching the Panthers much more athletic front line bounce around was a study in contrast to the stationary linemen the Saints have. Big contracts, big names, big girths - little production.

3) It's time for a big free agent signing in the secondary. We've missed the top prizes each of the last few off-seasons - it's time to get serious and get a playmaker, or two. We can't fill this need with a guess on draft day. We need 2 safeties and 2 corners before the Brees window of opportunity closes. Second tier corners like Randall Gay and Aaron Glenn are ok players but they will not take us to the next level. And just go ahead and cut the safeties now and put them out of our misery.

4) Deuce can still play. I don't care what anyone says. Maybe he doesn't have breakaway speed anymore, but the Saints have plenty of that on offense. They need the steadiness he provides. He makes the first guy miss, breaks tackles, and moves the pile. If the Saints don't re-sign him he will do damage somewhere else. In totality his game is still strong. Did you notice Bell fail to pick up a blitz? It's not that easy - we take Deuce for granted.

5) Can Reggie Bush play cornerback? Just wondering.

6) Drew Brees had an incredible game. I have never seen a defensive line walk around before the snap like the Panthers did, and he still shredded them. If Lance Moore catches the last pass, Drew is the all-time single season yardage leader, and he deserved that.

7) Drew is job security for Sean Payton. They work so well together you couldn't split them up. But the coach has to draft all defensive players again and try to improve the defense. Get to work now evaluating talent. You don't have to worry about good teams doing any scouting for the next month. They're busy. You're not.