Saints Report #16 - January 2, 2022

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 7^th 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.

Saints Report #13 - September 12, 2021

Give me your tired, your poor, your losing teams.  Come to New York and face our team, the J-E-T-S, the worst the NFL has to offer.  If you can’t beat this team, you’re really in trouble.

The Saints traveled to New York, well actually New Hoffa, to feast on the Jets, and feast they did, 30-9.  The Jets looked awful, a reminder to the Saints fans what an awful team really looks like.  The game left the Saints as one of many teams at 6-7 and squarely in the playoff hunt, although it almost certainly won’t be by division title.  The Saints have some quarterback uncertainty over the next few years, but not like the Jets.  The green team invested the 2^nd pick in Zach Wilson, who looks like a great NFL quarterback maneuvering around the pocket, until he actually has to let go of the ball.  At that point anything could happen, but it usually involves bouncing.  Bouncing off a shoulder pad, a helmet, or the turf.  I have said all along that I don’t think the Saints have an NFL quarterback on the roster, but after watching Wilson I could make the argument that the Saints have 4, 5 if you count Kamara.  If Wilson makes it as an NFL quarterback, I will be shocked. 

Yes, Alvin Kamara was back from his fall break, and did he look fresh!  He is clearly the NFL MVP as the Saints are 6-3 with him, and 0-4 without him.  He was spectacular, accounting for 145 yards running and catching and just bothering the Jets.  Taysom Hill also had a good game, doing what he does.  But the defense was stout, allowing only 3 harmless field goals, threatened only at the end of the game.    They didn’t miss Cameron Jordan, who missed his first game ever as a Saint, and with their biggest game of the season on tap next Sunday Night against TB, now is the time to make a challenge for a a playoff spot. 

How will it go?  Well, you can bet they will concentrate on Kamara, so someone else will need to step up.

 

Saints Report #6 - October 25, 2021

 

The Saints went into normally rainy Seattle and put the clamps on the Seahawks to the tune of 13-10 in a part time storm on Monday Night.  Another ugly win to move to 4-2.

The game resembled a fight scene in the rain in The Matrix, minus the grace and stylishness, unless you watched Alvin Kamara who put forth a fantasy dream night.  Suddenly the Saints have rediscovered his effectiveness when the ball is tossed to him, and without that it would have been a gloomy night, where we would have said “Why don’t we just get in the running car?”

The two teams pushed inefficiently against each other except for one touchdown drive a piece.  A lot could be made of the sluggish offenses, or the good defenses, but the truth of the matter is that this game was won by the kickers.  The Saints continuously flipped the field position behind the leg of punter Blake Gillikin, and they got two field goals from their 4^th placekicker of the year, Brian Johnson, while the Seattle kicker was going 1 for 3,  Where did Brian come from?  Sean Payton met him last Monday and his heart stood still, when it appeared Johnson could actually put the ball between the uprights.  This was to become even more important the next day, when kicker #1 Will Lutz was declared out for the season after a setback in his recovery.  Hang on Brian, Brian hang on.

The Saints continue to fly under the radar, rating rarely a mention in the national media.  No one believes in the Saints yet but the next week’s opponent, Tampa Bay will lead the Saints into the heart of their schedule, including Dallas and Buffalo.  I truly believe it takes a strong franchise quarterback to win the Super Bowl, and each season starts with about 10 – 12 of those.  I regret to say that this will probably not be the case for the Saints this year.  I’m not a Winston hater.  I think he’s doing fine, workmanlike stuff.  But he’s not going to carry this team, and the days of a dominant defensive team, which the Saints are, racing through the playoffs is over.  The rules favor the offenses, and there are too many stars out there.  Would love to be wrong, but instead, I’m going to appreciate this team for what it is – a hardnosed defense minded team, and I look forward to next Sunday’s showdown with Brady.  I think he’s in for a dogfight.

Meanwhile, some other comments about sports:  The Pelicans are back, minus Van Gundy, “airball” and “slowfoot,” my two least favorite players from last year.  I won’t say their names.  Unfortunately Zion is hurt and reportedly way overweight.  New Orleans teams don’t seem to “stay in touch.”  See Michael Thomas. 

I’m enjoying baseball.  I remember Lolich and Gibson, Koufax and Ford, and those great pitching duels.  It’s now a parade of relievers and the strongest bullpen wins.  I’m ok with that.

Here are some important lessons from sports of today:

• Replay has gotten out of hand.  I didn’t think it possible to make the last 2 minutes of an NBA game last longer, but I was wrong.  We beat everything to death.  
• Yelling at the top of your lungs is important at the end of every big play.  I plan on applying this to my life.  Wait until the next time I successfully parallel park.
• Someone should be designated to bring water to every celebration, especially at home plate, to douse the pile with.  It’s kind of funny to see. 

Saints Report # 17 - January 10, 2021

It could have been déjà vu.  For the fourth time in the last five Saints playoff games, the opponent scored on the last play of the game.  This time it was ex-Saint Jimmy Graham who did the deed with a spectacular one-handed grab in the end zone.  But, this time, it was not a heart-breaking, heart-wrenching, heart-shattering loss.  It was just a slight tarnish on the Saints 21-9 victory.  We’ll let Jimmy have that.  No touchdowns for 59 minutes and 59 seconds is a landmark accomplishment.

It was easily the best defensive performance ever in the playoffs by New Orleans.  The Bears helped by starting someone at quarterback who has frustrated Bears fans for years with his bobbing performances.  The Bears didn’t convert a third down until that last, meaningless drive, and Mitchell Trubinsky looked like he just left the draft room on draft day, still stunned that he was taken ahead of Patrick Mahomes.

The Bears are good on one side of the ball, a feeling Saints fans know all too well.  But, not this year.  This year the Saints defense is one of the best in the NFL.  I wish I could have seen them in person.

On offense, the Saints star offensive trio, the Supreme Brees, Thomas, and Kamara, got to do their “Someday, We’ll be Together” act, as the reunited offense moved the ball just enough to score three touchdowns, although they should have had four.  I knew that Brees' ball extension over the goal line schtick was not going to work one day, but I figured it would be because some superstar linebacker smacked the ball out of his hands, not because the lunge came up short, like it did on the Saints last drive of the game.  But, forget the Supremes for just a minute.  It was Deonte Harris, who strolled off a 6 week vacation on injured reserve onto the field and sang, “What’s Going On?” to the tune of 7 receptions for 83 yards.  The Bears couldn’t match his quickness.  It was his best game yet as a receiver. 

The Saints offense was efficient and secure, except for Taysom Hill’s weekly turnover, and were content to move the ball down the field and play for field position.  Early in the game the Saints were dodging bullets like it was a bad action movie.  The Bears dropped a sure touchdown pass and showed they could get penalized just when the Saints needed it.  The Saints offense stalled and sputtered at times, as they couldn’t do much on the ground until late in the game.  Brees didn’t play like someone on the verge of retirement, as he sliced up a very good defense just enough to win.

The Saints led 7-3 at halftime on the strength of a Michael Thomas touchdown, and it was too close for comfort for the squirmy nation of Who Dats.  The one bad sign going into round two is that Wil Lutz continues to slump, as he missed his only field goal attempt.  Lutzamatic has been missing in action.

But, ultimately, the Bears couldn’t move the ball, and that was enough.  It will be hard for the Saints to lose a game if they only give up 9 points a game. 

This time, there was tension but no anguish for Saints Fans. 

Now, the Saints get a third swipe at the Tampa Brady Bucs.  Brady has never lost to a team three times in one season.  The Bucs look much improved over the team the Saints schooled and shellacked in previous games.  You can bet it will be closer this time.  Brady has two effective tight ends, and that means Malcolm Jenkins and the human torch, CJ Gardner-Johnson, will have to be at their best.  CJGJ, who has been swung at more this year than Mike Tyson, continues to get under the skin of wide receivers.  I wish the NFL had the guts to mike him up for a game.  He must be some irritating. 

And just like a boxing match, we are on to round two.  Get ready for more tension.  Nothing comes easy for the Saints.

 

Saints Report #15 - Christmas Day 2020

Christmas did not come too late for Alvin and the Road Graters.

December football is different.  By this time of year, the war of attrition has thinned the ranks, and the game that was exotic and fancy in the first three quarters of the season has transitioned into one of power and dominance, best exhibited by a pound and ground running game.

The Saints unleashed their version on the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day to the tune of a 52-33 pasting that was only ensured with a 21 point 4th quarter..  Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record with 6 touchdowns as the Saints never punted.  They rammed the ball down the Vikings throat drive after drive in the rarest of NFL occurrences – a Friday game – on Christmas.  Kamara showcased his skills to a national TV audience, and it was quite the Christmas display.  The 6 rushing touchdowns in a game is a record that has stood since 1929, the longest NFL record on the books.  Kamara finished with 155 yards rushing, his personal best, and he now has 20 touchdowns on the season. Right now he's the best running back in the league, and given the absences of Brees and Michael Thomas, should be a bonafide MVP candidate.

Did you ever think that you would see the Saints score 52, and not a single point come from a Brees’ touchdown pass?  Well, it happened.  The Saints offensive line was a juggernaut, clearing massive holes for Kamara and Latavius Murray to the tune of 256 yards rushing.  This was a game where the passing game complimented the running game instead of vice versa.  The Saints probably could have won this game without throwing a single pass, that’s how dominant they were.  If not for 2 Brees’ interceptions, one of which was definitely not his fault as it glanced off Emmanuel Sanders for a pick, the Saints might have hung 60.  In fact, Kamara could have set an all-time record with 7 touchdowns, had not Sean Payton chosen to get Taysom Hill in on the action.  So, ten drives resulted in 7 touchdowns, 1 field goal and two turnovers.  We now know that an NFL team could score 70 points on a perfect day. 

The Vikings were eliminated from the playoffs, which had to be some measure of revenge for Payton, as the Vikings have bounced the Saints two of the last 3 years.  The Saints defense slowed Dalvin Cook much better than in last year’s playoff, but giving up 37 is not something to go have a parade over. 

And finally, this game socked away the Saints’ fourth straight division title.  With a win next week at Carolina, the Saints can finish off the first ever sweep of the NFC South.  I expect in the next few days Payton will be weighing the merits of that achievement vs giving Brees more rest and giving Jameis Winston a start.  If he chooses to rest Brees, and Brees retires as expected after the season, he will go down as the first quarterback to pass for 80,000 yards, a record he set during this game.  A nice little 4 or 5 game winning streak to finish his career would be the icing on the cake.  IF the Saints continue to RUN THE BALL, it’s entirely possible. 
 

Saints report #9 - November 16, 2020

With their precise and splashy victory over the Brady Bucs in the rear view mirror, the Saints plodded their way through a mistake-filled victory over their long-time nemesis the San Francisco 49’ers by a score of 27-13, moving their record to a surprising 7-2.  It was nowhere near as interesting as it sounds.

The Saints needed every one of their 4 takeaways to score 27 straight points after the 49’ers jumped out to a 10-0 lead to start the game.   The Saints’ lethargy was largely predictable after their Tampa romp.    Kyle Shanahan had a nice game plan to start things.  Nick Mullens, who looks like a young Drew Brees, was efficient with ball control.  The viewer trial was having to listen to Mark Schlereth drone on and on about it.  He acted like Drew Brees hasn’t seen this before, many times.  Brees comes back from an early deficit the way we drive home from the store.

After a field goal made it 10-3, Brees got thumped to the ground.  In pain, he guided 2 touchdown drives to take the lead at the half, 17-10.  Unfortunately, his injury stiffened up at halftime and he could not continue.  He stood glowering on the sideline, not acknowledging his pain, nor getting treatment.  The competitiveness that he brings was evident under his helmet, which he didn’t even take off.  As I write this, it has been announced that he has several fractured ribs and a punctured lung.  Not good.

Jameis Winston and Tayson Hill finished the game off in the 2^nd half.  The Saints had a hard time adjusting to the absence of Brees.  Payton seems to prefer using Hill over Latavius Murray, but neither can really be stopped.  Hill lost a fumble, and neither team seemed to be able to catch a punt.   Deonte Harris muffed a punt when it hit him in the facemask but he made up for it with a long kickoff return, helping the Saints win the field position battle all day.  Rookie Marques Callaway continued with his impact plays, as he recovered two fumbled punts.  When was the last time you saw three muffed punts in one game?  As usual, Alvin Kamara was terrific, scoring 3 touchdowns.

The Bigger Question was, when have you seen the Saints defense play this well?  Malcolm Jenkins and Patrick Robinson, both members of the Eagles Super Bowl Champions, but now back with the Saints, had interceptions.  But it was the mercurial CJ Chauncey-Gardner and Demario Davis who wreaked havoc on the 49’ers all day.  After the first two drives, the defense kept San Francisco in check. 

The Saints now have to play the Birty Dirds twice in the next three weeks.  Can Taysom or Jameis keep things going?  For all their talents, neither has the discipline or the ability to read defenses that Brees has, so the betting line will tighten, along with all the throats in the who dat nation.  It’s about to get interesting.