Saints Report # 6 - October 28, 2018

Revenge.  The Saints returned to the scene of the crime (the Minneapolis Miracle) from last year’s playoffs and exacted methodical revenge, 30 – 20.  They moved to 6-1 and did it in a most un-Saint-like way. 

This was a lackluster game where the shoe that the Saints normally wear was on the other foot.  They got outgained.  Drew Brees threw for little yardage – one third of what his counterpart Kirk Cousins threw for.  Brees threw his first interception of the year.  But two of Cousin’s vaunted receivers made critical mistakes that the Saints turned into touchdowns.  The first occurred late in the first half.  Picture this - The Vikings lead 13 – 10 and had driven deep into Saints’ territory.  Had the Vikings scored, then gotten the 2^nd half’s first possession and scored they would have been up 27-10.  It almost seemed inevitable. The Saints were on death’s door, when all-world receiver Adam Theilan fumbled and Marshon Lattimore returned the ball to set up a TD making it a Saints 17-13 lead at the half.  I could argue this is almost a 3 score swing.  In the 2^nd half, Saints cornerback PJ Williams, who had gotten picked on all night, picked off a mix up and returned it for a TD.  The pass was intended for sticky-finger Stefon Diggs but he stopped his route short to appear in a commercial and Williams was the beneficiary.

During three straight 7-9 seasons it was a common sight to see the Saints outgain their opponent and lose to a ball control team.  But the Saints are now 4-0 on the road and the last 2 weeks have been by running more than passing in hostile territories.   They can win in different ways.  It’s promising, but the reality is that the season is not yet half over and while the Saints could take a big step toward playoff home field advantage by bringing the Rams down to turf this weekend, two games with the Panthers, and one each with the Falcons, Steelers, Eagles, Bengals, Buccaneers, and Cowboys remain.  There’s not a pushover in the bunch.  But for right now, Sean Payton is formulating masterful game plans and the Saints are executing them.  Stay tuned.

Saints Report #6 - October 21, 2018

Blasphemy.  I’m going to speak football blasphemy here, but I’m beginning to think that the New Orleans Saints play their best football when they are behind.  Case in point was Sunday when the Saints entered the 4^th quarter at Baltimore down 17 – 7.  The Ravens had not given up a second half touchdown all year.  In other words, the Saints had them right where they wanted them, and that’s exactly what I was thinking.  No problem.

The Saints had persistently run the ball all day, butting heads with the NFL’s leading scoring defense.  Sean Payton had a great game plan, and stuck to it softening up their line.   It all started with the Saints first drive of the game, when the 22 play drive included 4 4^th down “go for its.” As the 4^th quarter started, he turned Brees and the passing game loose, resulting in 17 unanswered points and the lead.  In keeping with my theory, it seems the defense suddenly locked in – at least until the Ravens last drive which was too easy, and the Ravens only had to kick the extra point to send the game to a probable overtime. 

That one of the best kickers in the game, Justin Tucker, missed his first extra point ever to give the Saints a 24-23 win doesn’t bother me at all.  Too many times the Saints have fallen victim to lady luck.  Fortunately for the Saints, Tucker is so good that kicker Wil Lutz couldn’t unseat him, delivering him to New Orleans.

What does bother me (just a little) is the Saints are getting no recognition for their 5-1 record, as the Marvelous Mr. Brees seems to always be overshadowed, or beaten by things that happen when he is not on the field (Minneapolis Miracle, Bountygate.)  He is quietly having his most efficient season, leading the league in QB rating, and still hasn’t thrown an interception, ahead of headline makers Patrick Maholmes, and Jared Goff.  It has become a forgone conclusion that their teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Back in Los Angeles Rams will meet in the Super Bowl. 

Maybe they will, but they better not fall behind the New Orleans Saints.

Saints Report #5 - October 8, 2018

Meticulous.  Drew Brees’ legendary preparation has never been on display more than Monday night on the biggest football stage of all, Monday Night Football.  There’s no other football on, so the fans want a show and they got one this week.  Could Drew break the NFL yardage record by getting just over 200 yards?  Well, how about doing it by halftime?  Drew Brees is a pinball wizard and that was quickly apparent once again as the trash talking Redskins (let’s not have him get the record against us!) were reduced to lost pinballs, careening around the field, chasing down receivers running loosey-goosey.  To put it another way, Drew Brees is playing chess while the defense plays checkers.  He’s doing what you only wish you could do while playing video games.

I’m getting old now, and I’m not liking it much.  The knees are chronic, the beef is gone from my diet, and I’m just as happy watching TV as I used to be running from first to third.  As I reflect on life, I’m so appreciative of sports and some of the great athletes I got to watch who transcended their sports.  Sandy Koufax was the best pitcher I ever saw.  Willie Mays was the best all-around baseball player I ever saw, and Robert Clemente was the most electrifying.  Joe Montana and Tom Brady dominated.  Of course there's Michael Jordan, who followed Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, capitalizing on what they'd resurrected.

What they all had was a set of tools in their toolbox that they married to their work ethic.  They also were fortunate to have talented teammates and coaches supporting them, with resulting championships.  I can honestly say nobody has done more with less than Drew Brees.  He partnered with a great offensive mind in Sean Payton, but rarely had the other side of the ball at even average caliber. 

Monday night’s game was a rematch of last year’s classic with the Redskins, when some left the dome early only to miss the Saints score 19 unanswered in the 4^th quarter and overtime.  It was miraculous.  In that game Marshawn Lattimore went down early, and Kirk Cousins went to town, building a big lead.  This year, again Lattimore got hurt, but this time the defense rose up, and old Saints-tormenter Alex Smith was baffled and beaten.  The defense showed signs of life and it looks like there might be enough there to make another playoff run.  A little D can go a long way when the wizard is behind center.

Bolstered by the running game Brees went an astounding 26 of 29 for 363 yards in the 43-19 checkmate of Washington.  He was flawless.  He was emotional.  He was inspirational.  It was the highest completion percentage of his career. He was exceptional when all that was needed was average.  But his meticulousness was on full display.  He was not going to leave anything to chance with the whole football-loving world watching. 

The emotion of watching Brees pass the top two NFL yardage leaders, both born within a po-boy of the Superdome, and end the night with 72,103 yards was highest for Saints fans who weathered Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and lost the dome for a year.  Payton, Brees, and Reggie Bush arrived a year later to provide much needed distraction and hope. The team has been completely rebuilt since the Super Bowl victory of the 2009 Saints, and Brees has consistently performed.  For a region of the country that is football crazy, but championship poor, its appreciation extends way beyond the thundering noise in the dome.  The crowd just gets to express it.  We all feel it.