Much of the sports world was saying “come on baby what’s
your hurry?”
Sean Payton crooned “Nice and Breesy does it every time.”
The first half of the season has been magical for the Saints,
and after 5 games on the mend, Drew Brees stepped right back in to the lineup
as if he had never been away, toasting the Cardinals 31 – 9. All he did was complete more passes in a game
than he had in 3 years, going 34 of 43 for 373 yards. Michael Thomas caught his requisite 10 for
100, well actually 11 for 112, and Latavius Murray continued his strong play
filling in for Kamara, going over 100 yards rushing for the second straight
game. Taysom Hill performed like an all-pro
without a position, adding his 3rd touchdown of the year.
Meanwhile the defense was dominant, and didn’t relax at the
end this time. They had their second
game of the year not giving up a touchdown.
They are a defense sorely in need of a nickname, and I would suggest “Smothered
Gravy.” They allowed 40 yards rushing,
as they bottled up another running threat at quarterback in rookie Kyler
Murray. The suspension of PJ Williams
has allowed CJ Gardner-Johnson to get on the field and play like he is possessed
by demons. CJGJ has the look of a star,
joining the perpetual motion machine Cameron Jordan, lockdown Marshon
Lattimore, demented Demario Davis, and on and on.
About halfway through the game it dawned on me why the
Saints were so hot to get Brees back for this game (besides his indomitable competitiveness.) Perhaps it goes back to summer when Sean
Payton expressed dismay at the Head Coach hiring process sweeping the NFL, with
the focus on potential whiz kids. He didn’t
see how a Kliff Kingsbury could get a job after being fired from a college job,
over some of Payton’s coaches like Dennis Allen, Pete Carmichael, and Dan Campbell. He lamented the inexperience of the new coaches, and vowed to
make them pay, saying “we play some of those teams.” Teams are always looking for motivation, and
Payton is a master at seizing on something like that. He was out to prove a point. Kingsberry may have proved it for him with a questionable
decision to go for a 4th down deep in his own territory in the 3rd
quarter. The Saints smothered it like
gravy and a game that was still close was broken open with a short Saints drive
for a touchdown. The Saints rolled from
there.
I continue to be amazed by how the Saints have drafted so
well to build this team. This year they
only had 5 picks, but 4 have stuck and join “stickers” from previous drafts:
2019: Erik McCoy, Chauncey
Gardner-Johnson, Saquan Hampton and Kaden Ellis.
2018: Marcus Davenport, Tre-quan Smith, and Wil Clapp
2017: Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Marcus Williams, Alvin
Kamara, Alex Anzalone, and Trey Hendrickson
2016: Sheldon Rankins, Michael Thomas, David Onyemata
2015: Andrus Peat,
and PJ Williams
2013: Terron Armstead
2011: Cameron Jordan
2009: Thomas
Morestead
The Saints are now 33 – 11 since their three straight 7 – 9 seasons. That turnaround can be traced to great
drafting, including 11 impact defensive players out of the draft.
Let’s catch our breath.
Let’s take a week off.
