The Payton 57
And then there was one. Just weekend number 18 left, and still in the hunt.
I made my first trip to section 116 of the Superdome in 2 years and I found two differences since my last visit: The Who Dat Chant was missing (I learned later an oversight), and the men’s bathroom had shrunk in half (not an oversight.) I got to view the newest incarnation of the Dome Patrol up close, and they are a sight to behold. The Saints stifled the Carolina Panthers 18 – 10 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Now the Saints must beat the Falcons next week, and if the Rams beat the 49’ers, the Saints will displace the 49’ers as the 7th seed.
The Panthers jumped out to a 10 -3 lead in the first half, but got shut down and shut out the rest of the way. The Saints chipped away with chip shots. They managed 4 field goals to take a 12-10 lead. They finished the scoring with a swing pass to Kamara that he took 12 yards for the Saints first touchdown in 11 quarters.
It’s a different kind of football the Saints are playing, but it can be winning football.
Make no mistake, this Is not the high-flying days of Drew Brees, Marques Colston, and Devery Henderson. This is ground and pound and dominate. Don’t turn the ball over, and control field position and the clock. The offense was missing 4 starters on the offensive line, so the battle in the trenches was ugly. The Saints kept trying to run the ball, even though they were getting nowhere. Where did this dedication to the running game come from? The Saints got exactly one run of consequence from Kamara, and a few late ones from Taysom Hill, who really tried to stay in the pocket for most of the game.
Meanwhile, the undrafted Marquez Callaway is the only receiver who hasn’t disappeared, although Deonte Harris had some impact They beat the Bucs scoring no touchdowns, and the Panthers by scoring one. How far can they go scoring just one touchdown a game?
The defense allowed a total of 178 yards, 90 passing, 88 rushing. They sacked Sam Darnold 7 times, half of them attributed to Cam Jordan, who came back from his covid break 3 weeks ago like a man from the Marvel universe. For the season Jordan has 11 ½ sacks, but 7 1/2 of them have come in the last 3 games. His covid game was the first game he has missed as a Saint, and he looks rejuvenated.
It was revealed that the Saints have started 57 different players this year. With the adversity they have faced, hurricanes, injuries, and covid, including 4 different quarterbacks, you have to marvel that they have stayed competitive. I guess it could have been worse. We could have signed Antonio Brown. We could have traded for “teammate of the year” Kirk Cousins, who refused to get vaccinated, then was sidelined with covid before their biggest game of the year. Goodbye playoffs. Game after game Payton has pieced things together, while adapting his offensive attack to the weapons that were available. To be 8-8 and still in contention is pretty amazing.
If the Saints can close this out with a little 6 game
winning streak, Mrs. Benson would have to buy a record number of rings.
It’s unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
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