Saints Report #16 - December 29, 2013

The New Orleans Saints total mastery over the NFL continued Sunday as they completed another undefeated season, finishing 8 – 0 and outscoring their opponents 272 – 125.  That’s an average of 34 – 16 if you’re keeping score.  This kind of total domination has rarely been seen, and the Saints are clearly the most invincible juggernaut of all time. 

At home.

Unfortunately, there won’t be any more of those games this year, and now they most do something that no one believes they can do, go win 4 games away from the bayou to become Super Bowl Champions again.  Let’s say the odds are long.

Sunday the Saints offense was a study in efficiency as they bopped Tampa Bay 42 – 17.  They scored six touchdowns in their first seven possessions.  That would be a nice recipe for success in the playoffs.

Drew Brees threw darts all over the field and sliced and diced the Tampa Bay defense, including a very ordinary-looking Darrell Revis, to the tune of 381 yards.  Underappreciated outside New Orleans, Brees exceeded 5000 yards passing for the third consecutive season, something that has never been done before.  While Peyton Manning was breaking Brees single season yardage record, Brees continued his amazing run of efficiency. 

Tonight sit down and make a long list of the things you take for granted.  Mine would include great seafood, beautiful beaches, and Drew Brees.  You may get some bad oysters, sometimes you get a cloudy day on the beach, and sometimes Brees throws a bad pass, or has a bad game.  Don’t let that diminish your appreciation of what a great quarterback New Orleans has been gifted with.

A few playoff observations:

Seattle has to be the favorite to win the Super Bowl.  My preseason picks of the 49’ers vs. the Denver Broncos is still a possibility, but the 49’ers, like the Saints have the wild-card route to travel.  Carolina is a serious threat as long as Luke Kuechly is allowed to hold receivers.  New England will be a threat as long as they have #12.  The Eagles have improved throughout the year but don’t play particularly well at home, which will make for an interesting matchup next Saturday night when the Saints travel to Philly – a bad road team against a bad home team.  The Packers have Aaron Rodgers back, and no one wants to play against him.   The Bengals, Chiefs, Colts, and Chargers still appear to be pretenders.

I’d like to tell you that I closely evaluated the Eagles, but to be honest I went home and watched the final episode of Treme.  So whatever I see Saturday night will be a surprise.   Tee it up.