The Strange Case of Dr. Jameis and Mr. Hyde
The Saints first game was like some streaming mystery. You’re going to have to watch several episodes before all the characters are introduced. In this case, the characters would be the Saints.
Had it not been for 2 runs by Taysom Hill in the first half,
it could be said that the Saints took the first half of their initial game of
the year off. QB Jameis Winston had
completed only 3 passes, and the passing yardage, after factoring in sacks, was
barely positive. Every facet of the
Saints play was awful. The third quarter
was much the same. Winston looked uncomfortable
in the pocket, and for good reason. The
pocket was crowded. His protection was
awful.
Then a couple of things happened. It must be said that the Falcons woke up to who they are. A dedicated Saints fan knows who they are, because we’ve seen the enemy and they are us. For most of their history the Saints have been that team: That team that could always find a way to lose. Misuse the clock, turnovers, penalties. We could always find a way to lose. The Falcons are now that team. They can always blow a lead. Don’t count them in.
As the 4th quarter began, the Saints fell further behind. With 80% of the game played, could the Saints overcome their biggest 4th quarter deficit ever? I was there the day Brees brought the Saints back from 15 to beat Washington. But this wasn’t Brees. This was Winston, and he looked dazed and confused. He had paid a visit to the injury tent. Dalton was warming up. With 12 minutes left they fell behind 26-10. but still within 2 scores. With 12:41 on the clock, and 2 and a half hours into their first game of the year, Dr. Jameis disappeared, and Mr. Hyde took the field. In fact 22 Hydes suddenly emerged. In just 4 plays, 1:29, crisp passes to Juwan Johnson, Alvin Kamara, Jarvis Landry, and Michael Thomas in the end zone, followed by a two point conversion pass to Chris Olave brought the Saints within 8. It was almost too easy.
The Saints held and got the ball back on their own 16 with 7:00 left. Passes to Olave, Landry, Thomas twice, and Landry, followed by a bb throw to Thomas in the end zone, brought the Saints within two. Unfortunately, the two point conversion failed, a run by Ingram on a direct snap, which given the ease with which Winston was shredding the defense, seemed to be an odd call.
Then, one last drive, a most memorable one. After Mariotta fumbled on 3rd and 1 and the Falcons had to punt, the Saints started their drive with 48 seconds left from their own 20. The next pass by Winston was one of the prettiest in Saints history, as he arched the ball to Landry 40 yards downfield on the far sideline. Landry made a great catch, and it gave me flashbacks to the Minneapolis miracle when Stefon Diggs caught the improbable bomb. Except Landry caught it and stepped out of bounds at the 40, stopping the clock. But nobody on the Saints sideline knew it. Thus, when Winston stepped up to spike the ball to kill what he thought was a running clock, it instead became an unnecessary intentional grounding – 10 yard penalty and loss of down. So, on 2nd down, Winston’s dart to Juwan Johnson on the 34, which would have been a first down on a 1st and 10, but not on a 1st and 20, necessitated another spike by Winston. Which meant it’s now 4th down and no choice but to try a 51 yard field goal.
Lutz pounded it through, taking out a year of sideline frustration, and giving the Saints a 27-26 lead.
But it wasn’t over.
The Falcons actually got themselves into position to try a
63 yard field goal as time expired, only because a sure interception went
through the arms of Marcus Maye, and Marshawn Lattimore, who has all the self-discipline
of a puppy looking for a treat, got baited into a personal foul penalty, bait
he was happy to take. This forced the
game down to one final field goal attempt and the one thing lacking so far in a
Falcons-Saints game.
A Blocked kick.
So, the Saints start a most difficult 1-0. Let’s hope it gets easier. But it won’t.
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