Saints Report #10 - November 19, 2017

I don’t even know where to begin. 

The Saints’ 34-31 overtime victory over the Redskins was one of the most exhilarating games I’ve ever seen inside that Superdome, and I've seen a few

The Jubilation surrounding Wil Lutz’s field goal rivaled the moment Garret Hartley kicked his in the NFC Championship game, because gloom and doom was hovering just a half hour earlier.  Most Mississippians think of  Comeback as a sauce.  Saints fans will forever associate that word with a certain quarterback.  With 5 minutes left the Saints were down 15 points and the Redskins fans that were in section 116 were ready to move the party to Bourbon Street and continue their excellent adventure. They were whooping it up.

They hadn’t met Drew Brees.

As calmly as if he was playing in the backyard, Brees engineered 2 touchdowns, a 2 point conversion to tie, and a field goal drive in overtime for the win.  A walk in the park.  Another day at the office. Routine.

The story of this game was that the Saints had been thoroughly outplayed for 55 minutes, and had the game ended there, Saints fans would have been left with some nagging doubts.  Kirk Cousins had picked apart the Saints defense all day.  The defense was missing starters AJ Klein and Kenny Vaccaro, and lost cornerback Marshon Lattimore to an injury very early, and Alex Okafor to an injury late.  Cousins had his way most of the day.  Even after the Saints had tied the game, with a minute left in regulation Cousins deftly moved the Redskins into field goal range only to make his only mistake of the day, an inexplicable intentional grounding penalty that took them out of field goal range.  Vonn Bell sacked him right into a fumble and time ran out.  The game went to overtime and although the ‘skins won the toss, they never stood a chance.  A sack by Cameron Jordan, a nice punt return by Tiny Archibald, two runs by Mark Ingram, and a field goal by Wil Lutz and it was the Saints fans who would be whooping it up on Bourbon Street and every other street in the area.

Heroes?
Plenty.

First and foremost there was Drew Brees. Harassed all day, after the falling behind 31 – 17, none of his passes hit the turf.  Ian Rappaport reported last week that the Saints were looking for their quarterback of the future.  I would suggest they not look too far.  He looks like he can play another 5 years to me.  If the Saints were to go all the way this year his legacy will be extraordinary.

Coby Fleener, who took the first 55 minutes off, then made several huge catches.

Willie Snead, who returned to make one important catch early, then blocked two Redskins on Ingram’s last run of the day.

Mark Ingram, who again went over 100 yards rushing, and dominated the overtime.

Michael Thomas, who was Michael Thomas, snatching balls out of the air as if he were Marques Colston.

Tommylee Lewis (Tiny) whose persistence running kicks and punts back, finally broke through in the OT.

Josh Hill who threw the key block on the 2 point conversion, and 

Alvin Kamara who scored both the Saints tying TD and 2 point conversion with nifty running.

To name a few.

I’m not sure if the Saints are good enough to win the Super Bowl, but in a special season there must be an improbable win or two.  In the 2009 Super Bowl run, those games were at Miami and Washington.  In the Washington game, Robert Meachum’s most memorable play as a Saint came when he snatched the ball from an interceptor and took it to the end zone.  He was on hand Sunday as a special guest and apparently he brought some karma with him.

So now it’s time for a meaningful discussion on the Saints chances, now that they have officially broken the 7-9 Three-year Curse of the Greenbriar.   It’s getting to the time of year when injuries are critical.  The Saints appeared to have lost one of their prize free agents, Alex Okafer for the season, and Vaccaro, Klein, and Lattimore for a few games.  The defense is depleted, and they travel west to take on the NFL’s #1 offense, the surprising West coast Rams.  Then they face a brutal December with 3 division games.  It is hard to see them securing home field advantage, and it appears a first round bye in the playoffs is a long shot.  Unless of course they just keep winning.  Comeback Sauce is always on the menu when Brees is cooking.