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 4th 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 4th down “go for its.” As the 4th 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.
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