Saints Report # 4 - September 29, 2019

While most NFL matches could be likened to a made-for-television, pay-per-view pinball game, somehow when Dallas and New Orleans get together it turns into a defensive collision.  Last year, Dallas stunned the Saints 13-10, ending a winning streak, and starting the Saints’ transition into December football.  Sunday, it was the Saints turn to bring down the undefeated (but truthfully untested) Cowboys, 12-10.  That they did it without scoring a touchdown while still controlling the clock and moving the ball well made for one of those intense Superdome clashes that are just wearing me out.  Wil Lutz kicked 4 field goals for all the Saintly scoring.

I spent most of the game watching Marshon Lattimore covering Amari Cooper.  I knew going in this game was going to hinge on the matchup of the Cowboys vaunted offensive line versus the Saints quickly improving defensive line.  As soon as it appeared that Cameron Jordan and friends were going to give Ezekiel Elliott fits, it was all about the secondary.  They were up to the task against what I thought was a surprisingly vanilla attack by the Cowboys.  If Lattimore returns to his role as a true shut down corner, he can take the other team’s best receiver to Lattimore Island and park him there.  The Saints linebackers, while not as good as Dallas’s (did you see their speed?) have also greatly improved.  The defense is becoming fun to watch.  If they stay healthy, it’s going to be a fun 16 games.  I know.  We are only in the first quarter of the season.  Temper the enthusiasm.

Teddy Bridgewater continued to fill in admirably for Drew Brees.  I had previously said that with the Saints’ difficult September, if they could get out of it with a 2-2 record, I would be happy.  If you had told me that they would go 3-1, and be without Drew for the majority of that, I’d have gone to Rouse’s and bought a pineapple upside down cake to celebrate in advance.  All of this of course against my better dietary judgement. Credit the Saints for investing in a back up QB behind an almost never injured Brees.  They knew if Brees ever went down, they had to stay competitive, or they'd be wasting a very talented team.  They anticipated the need for a bridge over trouble water.  (forgive me.)

The Saints are relying heavily on the superstar tandem of Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas.  They aren’t so much gamebreakers, as they are clock grinders.  Suddenly, the Saints weakness is on offense as they appear to have to little to complement their terrific two.  Tight End Jared Cook hasn’t asserted himself yet, Ted Ginn doesn’t appear to be the threat he once was, and other receivers are not even getting a look.  Another wideout right about now would be a boost.  But, the complexity of the offense means there won’t be any quick fixes.  It gives one some hesitation in the hopes that the Saints are rolling toward a championship.

The two Superdome games have featured an invasion of Texans.  I have to admit some fans have been a little obnoxious for my taste and I’m glad they’ve been quieted.  Bad house guests make me irritable.  Good defense makes me happy.

Saints Report #3 - September 22, 2019

The Saints traveled to a stadium that has not been kind to them in the Payton/Brees era and with a punt return for a touchdown, a defensive touchdown, an amazing performance by Alvin Kamara, and a solid one by backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater they put a licking on the Seattle Seahawks, 33-27.  It marked a rare success for Sean Payton on the West Coast, and it came at the most opportune time.

With Drew Brees sidelined for 6 weeks, the Saints moved to 2-1.  Bridgewater, who will try to hold the fort down for the Saints during Brees’ rehabilitation from thumb surgery, threw touchdown passes to superstars Kamara and Michael Thomas, as the Saints built a big lead.  Rookie punt returner Deonte Harris ran back a punt for a touchdown, a rare special team’s success for the Saints, to start the scoring.  Of course he later fumbled a punt to move right into Payton’s doghouse, but the Saints defense held the Seahawks out of the end zone. 

Alvin Kamara may have had his best game as a Saint.  He dodged and dived, breaking tackles left and right as he scored twice.  He got plenty of help from the defense.  The Saints stopped the Seahawks on 4^th down attempts repeatedly.  The Seahawks scored late touchdowns to make it close, but this was one of Dennis Allen’s best prepared defenses, although chasing Russell Wilson around all day can be exhausting.

With an important win under the belt, the Saints now prep for the hated Dallas Cowboys who come to the Superdome Sunday night.  Sean Payton has not fared well against the Cowboys lately, so this is an opportunity to break another trend. 

Saints Report #2 - September 15, 2019

In the much-hyped rematch of last year’s NFC Championship mugging, the Saints traveled to the West Coast and fell to the Rams, 26-9.


It was a desultory drubbing made that way by one simple injury to Drew Brees.  The amazingly durable Brees will never win an NFL MVP award, but it quickly became apparent why he should, when he injured his hand early in the game.  Unable to return due to a thumb injury that wouldn’t allow him to grip a football, he could only watch steaming from the sideline in the game he had been looking forward to for so long.
The Saints offense proved to be overmatched when led by backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.  Maybe Bridgewater is an NFL quarterback, but that is not readily apparent to the average Saints fan.  He had some moments, but all in all, he couldn’t lift the Saints.  The Saints offense without Brees is a tepid mess, and neither Brees nor Bridgewater got much help.  New tight end Jared Cook was the worst player on the field on this day, missing passes and breaking left when he should’ve gone right.  Cook was expected to be the missing link for the offense this year, but on this day he was just missing.


As for the defense, they played pretty well.  They even scored a defensive touchdown when they forced and scooped a Goff fumble.  Unfortunately, and surprisingly, the zebras made a mistake and blew it dead, negating a Cameron Jordan ramble for a touchdown.  It’s not just that the officials have made critical mistakes in the Saints last 3 games.  They are hosings that would make a fireman proud.  

How serious is Brees injury?  Well, I can’t think of a more important appendage for a quarterback than the thumb on the throwing hand, which means letting it completely heal, no matter how long it takes, would be the prudent course of action.  By then of course, the season could be lost, as the following are the important points:

• For all the hype, Bridgewater doesn’t seem capable of much more than an occasional drive.
• The NFL’s Foot Locker recruitment program for referees is inadequate.
• Game day injuries to Kenny Kirkwood and Ta’Quon Smith mean the Saints may be looking to the practice squad, and Emmanual Butler can drop passes just as well as Jarod Cook, so time for a look-see.
• No, Taysom Hill isn’t the answer either.

I said if the Saints could go 2-2 through the first 4 games, we’d take it.  That looks like it will be a huge challenge after today. 

Saints Report #1 - September 9, 2019

At the dome, at the dome, at the great Superdome,
You’ll have fun, you’ll have fun, every Sunday this fall,
You’ll love the thrilling drives, you’ll scream til you split your sides,
at the Superdome, the Saints Superdome.

New Orleanians may miss the Zephyr, the famed roller coaster at Pontchartrain Beach.  But roller coaster thrills are still available.  Just come out of the New Orleans heat into the air cooled Superdome, and hold on for dear life. 
There have been some great games in the Superdome.  Monday night’s battle between the Saints and Texans has to rank as one of the best.  The Saints pulled out a 30-28 win on a 58 yard field goal by Wil Lutz as time expired.  It was heart pounding, then heart breaking, then heart pounding again.
There was so much to this game:

• The Saints won their opener for the first time in 6 years.  Previously they have started 0-2, 0-3, 0-3, 0-2, 0-1.  They had not won an opener since 2013. 
• The Saints were down 14-3 at the half, having looked lethargic and outgunned.  Quarterback DeShaun Watson had a terrific game, gashing and goring the Saints with runs and passes. 
• The Saints secondary struggled against the Texans receiving corps of DeAndre Hopkins, Wil Fuller, and new acquisition Kenny Stills.  The Saints are glad they’re leaving town, and the rest of the NFL is going to have to deal with them.
• Ryan Ramzyck turned in an all-pro performance by holding JJ Watts without one single tackle. 
• Drew Brees was not sacked.  Kamara and Thomas were terrific.
• Ted Ginn, who missed 11 games last year, had over 100 yards receiving, including 2 critical catches on the last drive.
• The officiating crew totally butchered the clock at the end of the first half
• The Saints were down 21-10 midway through the third quarter.
• The Saints sacked Watson 6 times, the most in the NFL in week 1.  It didn’t intimidate him.
• Cameron Jordan was all over the field.
• The Saints played 2 deep safeties much of the game.  It didn’t seem to help as the Texans still were able to throw deep, and run the ball effectively.  Last year they spent most of the year with one deep safety and the Saints were great against the run.  This game, they were good against neither the run nor the pass.
• The game was the first Monday Night Game ever to feature 2 lead changes in the last minute of the game.

I have two thoughts about the fourth quarter.  1 – It was incredible, and 2 – I’m getting too old for this.

The Saints took a 24-21 lead and got the ball with 3:29 left.  They needed to run out the clock, but the Texans still had all 3 timeouts, so it wasn’t going to be easy.  They started on their own 8 yard line.  On third and 2, Brees completed his longest pass of the night, 40 yards to Ted Ginn.  Remember that.  The Saints drive stalled and Lutz kicked a field goal, making it 27 -21. 

The Texans got the ball with 50 seconds left and no timeouts.  The dome was rocking, but the crowd was quickly stunned when it only took 2 plays and 13 seconds for the Texans to go the length of the field, with long passes to Watson, and Stills.  And just like that the season opener was the inevitable disaster that seems to be the Saints destiny.  Except the kicker missed the extra point, so the game is tied at 27.  Except there’s a flag.  Except the refs have something to say.  They always do.  They call roughing the kicker and the Texans get a gift re-kick to take the lead at 28-27.

So, the Saints get the ball back with 37 seconds left and they start what will be a legendary drive.  First 15 yards to Ted Ginn, and they clock it.  11 yards to Michael Thomas, and they clock it. Then the final pass.  With the Texans backed off of Ginn (remember he’s just burned them) Brees completes a nine yard pass to him, and he drops to the ground.  Wil Lutz then nailed a 58 yard kick to win it 30 – 28. 

In a city that misses the Ponchartrain Beach Roller Coaster, we know we can always get onboard the black and gold one that awaits within the Superdome.  The ride is always fast, sometimes thrilling.  This night it was especially thrilling.

Now it’s the tough west coast trip.  Now you’ll ride the roller coaster in the comfort of your living room.

2019 NFL Preview

Dateline:  February 2, 2020. Miami, Florida Super Bowl

The third time turned out to be not a charm, but another gut-wrenching fluke.  The New Orleans Saints, for the third straight season lost on the final play of their year on a fluke play unlike anything that had ever been seen.  The Saints, behind a record setting performance by Drew Brees led by 3 touchdowns, 41 – 20 going into the 4^th quarter.  It looked like the French Quarter would celebrate another Miami Super Bowl victory.  Then the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes scored 3 touchdowns in the 4^th while the Saints offense stalled and could only add a field goal.  The Saints lead was down to 44-41 with only 10 seconds on the clock.  Everyone in the world knew the onside kick was coming.  All the Saints had to do was fall on the ball.  Then the impossible happened again. 

The onside kick bounded high in the air and over Alvin Kamara’s head.  Speedster Tyreek Hill caught the ball in stride and won the footrace to the endzone, with Kamara dragging him down at the one, but Hill’s stretch was just over the goal line and, after 15 minutes of replays, the Chiefs were declared the winners 47-41.  Saints fans stormed the field in anger and the Chiefs were unable to kick the extra point.  The referees called the game with a second still on the clock.  President Mike Pence was whisked away as the gun went off, and Florida Governor Leigh Moore ordered the National Guard into the streets of Miami.   As usual Brees had watched helplessly from the sideline as the curtain came down on another heartbreaking season.

The Saints had breezed through the playoffs after a wild-card berth earned with a 10-6 record, beating Green Bay, the Rams, and finally the Falcons in the NFC Championship game.

So that’s how it will end.  How will it begin?  Brutally, for Saints Fans.  That brutality is in the first 4 games.  If the Saints can emerge 2-2 it would be a giant step.  The Saints have lost 5 straight season openers and hopefully Monday night that will change.  But, slow starts are the norm for the Saints and another 0-4 start could easily happen.  Sprinting from the Dome to a short week and a two week west coast trip against contenders, followed by a home game against Dallas – that’s the definition of torture.  As great as Sean Payton has been lets also be honest.  He has not faired well on the west coast and Dallas appears to have his number.  A 1-3 start is likely, then splitting with division foes accounts for 6 losses.  The Saints simply have to win the rest of them to finish 10 – 6.  My assessment of last year’s team was they were a little on the lucky side, with some lucky wins (Baltimore, LA, Pittsburgh).  It couldn’t have gone better, until of course the ill-fated pass to Tommylee Lewis.  The good news is that the Saints look like they have improved their linebacker corps and their special teams.  The season may well come down to whether or not Michael Thomas gets a little help from his unproven receiving corps, including a big year from a new tight end.  Hopefully some surprises are forthcoming and the season ends better than what I described above.  But I have to admit I really think this is the year the Chiefs get Andy Reid a trophy. 

As for the inevitable decline of Drew Brees, not quite yet, Martha my dear.  The wildly over criticized last 4 games of the season was simply December football.  Defenses are adjusting, and the weather is worse.  This year, the Saints play much of December on the road, and the media will be moaning again.  Nevertheless, the Saints should make the playoffs and be revenge-minded.  Let’s just hope they don’t really give up an onside kick touchdown return.