Saints Report # 5 - October 7, 2012

October finally arrived for the Saints as they got several emotional lifts and several long awaited breaks to come from behind and beat the San Diego Chargers 31-24, rocketing the Saints to a 1-4 start. 

When Drew Brees arrived on the Superdome scene, he relied on Marquis Colston.  Then, the Saints began to add competent receivers and Brees spread the wealth.  With the receiving corps depleted, Brees turned back to old reliable Colston and he responded with 3 touchdown catches, to lead the Saints. 
Long time speedster Devery Henderson scored first however, and his first quarter TD reception was the one on which Brees broke a 50 year old record held by Johnny Unitas. 

The schedule makers were kind to the Saints.  Not that Brees ever needs motivation, but he relished setting it against his old team.  In addition the Saints were finally evenly matched as they played the other NFL team that operates without a head coach this year.  No, I don’t think much of Norv, and the way the Chargers self-destructed into a 2^nd and 37 situation on the last drive was pretty typical of his habit of doing less with more. 
Night games in New Orleans give the Saints a nice advantage as the crowd has all day to get fired up, so that didn’t hurt.  It was the latest in a series of emotional games in the dome.  It was nice to see the exiled Sean Payton allowed back in the building.  I suppose he’ll be a pariah to fans in every other NFL city for the rest of his career, but his place in the New Orleans pantheon of heroes is secure. 
Helmets off to Drew Brees.  He has the perfect offense and skill set to break this record and hopefully extend it out of reach.  But one has to be in awe of Johnny Unitas.  I remember watching him and no one was close to him in that era.  This is an amazing record as it was set in a completely different era – 12 game schedule, emphasis on the running game, less skilled receivers (although his favorite target Raymond Berry was terrific) and defensive backs that were actually allowed to cover.  Two great quarterbacks.  It was nice seeing them in the same discussion. 

The most encouraging thing about the game is that the defense improved slightly, and (gasp) stepped up in the final two minutes to preserve the game.  This is all the normally insane Saints fan needs to think that October, November, and December are enough months to excavate out of this hole.  Let’s take a week off to think about it.