The Saints thumped the Carolina Panthers 42-10 Sunday to
close out their second straight 13-3 season.
It was a dominant performance, even with so many new faces in the
secondary that I could’ve looked up jersey numbers all game long. I chose not to. The Panthers are a mess.
The Saints started the game with their most impressive drive
of the season to take a 7-0 lead. Later,
with a 14-0 lead, AJ Klein executed a pick 6 and the Saints were up 21-0 and
the game was essentially over. The Saints
halftime lead of 35-3 was the largest in their history. They were that dominant. Right now, the Saints are playing as well as
anyone, even with an injury list longer than War and Peace.
Unfortunately, there’s no rest for the weary.
Both the Lions and Seahawks had victories in their grasp
that would have given the Saints a week off. But the Lions folded and Seattle couldn’t tell
time. The Saints will now need a three-game
winning streak to get to the Super Bowl.
As the third seed they will host the Vikings next weekend. In all likelihood, they will have to win the
next two on the road. Last year that same
13-3 record netted a first round bye.
This year the NFC is stacked, as the 49’ers and Packers are division
winners with the same record. It’s a tough
draw.
My preseason pick was Saints and Chiefs in the Super Bowl,
and I’ll stand by that. But the road is long,
with many a winding turn, that leads us to who knows where, who knows
where?
If I were a betting man, I’d bet on the West Coast. It's a long, long road ahead.
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