Same Old Saints?? (1 Viewer)

[SaintTiger]

Thinking like this assumes that a team in week 2 is always the same exact team in week 17.

We might lose this game and we might look bad doing it. Even then, it's not the end of the season nor is it a "must win."

The Giants got demolished in week 2 of 2007 to start 0-2. They won the superbowl 5 months later.

I think we win this game, but fans that give up if we lose it should just give up now. At some point this season we'll probably lose a game we should win. Even great teams usually do.

Great point BoNcHie, about the Giants in 07! I think if we all read between the lines we would all agree that this is not the Same old Saints, much more talent and good coaching than in years past. Also, most of us would agree that we need to win this game to move to another level in confidence as well as respect, but I to don't think it is a must win games or the season is shot. I hope we kick some butt and get this thing moving further in the right dirction. With a win not only the fans but the team comes away more confident and knowing we are headed in the right direction.

 

[zatsnzapps]

If Atlanta goes 16-0 and we go 14-2 this season I'll be OK with that. We will just kick bird butt in the third game we play. Besides the refs stole the first two games from us.

This presents quite a conundrum.

On one hand, we would be 14-2 and we would (almost) certainly be guaranteed a wild card playoff. We would have beaten Tampa twice, Carolina twice, the Pats, and the Cowboys.

On the other hand, we would have lost to the Falcons twice.

I hate the Cowboys and I hate the Falcons; although, I hate the Falcons exponentially more.

I would probably consider it a draw.

 

[JGunn]

I wouldn't holla SOS unless we lost 2 games in a row pretty badly. I have a feeling the defense might be the highlight reelers this week.

The only thing I don't like, is there is not enough known on tape on Kolb in the pros, so Im not gonna act like I know what he is gonna do. This is a NFL game still, anything can happen.

 

[bobad]

If we lose this game, a lot of fans will come crashing back down to earth. If we win, they will go into a higher orbit.

I don't know which is worse.

It would be nice to win this game. It would help validate us as a good team. Depending on how well we play, losing probably won't make us a bad team.

 

[mikaloyd]

If we lose this game, a lot of fans will come crashing back down to earth. If we win, they will go into a higher orbit.

I don't know which is worse.

Losing is worse. Im absolutely positive of this.

 

[JGunn]

Whoever wins the turnover battle will win this game. And if there is a clean no TO game. We should be able to win by at least 10, even if Mcnabb were healthy.

 

[stevend]

Well, 16-0 and 15-1 in the same division is statistically impossible anyway. If Atlanta went 16-0, the best that we could do is 14-2.

And, if that happened, we could only blame ourselves for not beating them.

Exactly why I will believe the NFL would be absolutly cheating!

 

[Optimusaint]

So if Atlanta goes 16-0 and the Saint go 15-1 and don't win the division, I will believe the NFL is absolutly cheating!

yeah, those sneaky ******** at the NFL have figured out a way for two teams to win the same game.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

I'm not usually a MUST-WIN guy until you get down to mathematics at the end of the season.

HOWEVER ...

I really have the same feeling about this game. The Eagles have injuries to key people, and are confused about the key position on the team -- quarterback.

Plus, Sean Payton's team has had a BAD habit of up-and-down win-one-lose-one kind of football that leads to a .500 season and missing the playoffs. If this team REALLY is a Super Bowl contender, they'll win this game.

If the Saints lose, are they mathematically OUT? Of course not, but MATH never got anybody into the playoffs. A team has to have an identity as winners. I really believe the Saints MUST WIN this game in order to have confidence in themselves that they can be that team that dominates the NFC, gets home-field advantage and wins the Super Bowl.

Because, believe me, if we don't get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, WE WON'T GO TO THE SUPER BOWL. We are not built to be an outdoor road team in the winter. We will be looking at Philly or Chicago or Green Bay or New York square in the face. We have a BIG disadvantage in those places in January.

To avoid those environments in January, we'll need home-field advantage. This is definitely one of those games you MUST WIN if you're going to lock up home-field advantage for the playoffs.

Let's put it this way. If we don't win, I won't lose my enjoyment for watching the team, but I won't be a believer that we are Super Bowl bound. In fact, my old feeling will return that we're just a finesse front-runner team that can't win the tough games on the road unless we jump out to a big lead early and force them to play catch-up.

Great post imo. Agree about home field.

 

[DangBeast]

Week 2 is never a MUST WIN. That is just idiotic to even say. We have beat the when it counts (NFC champs!!!) Also, they only lost mcNabb. They still have 20 other weapons. If we were to lose Brees, we would still have Colston, Moore, Henderson, Bush, and others....doesn't mean we are going to lose every game until he comes back. McNabb is important, but not that much.

 

[DangBeast]

I think instead of a

MUST WIN!

it's a

SHOULD WIN!

 

[Bartyboy]

I will be hart broken if the Saints loose this week.
Does that mean the season is over? No.
Does it mean we can't get home field advantage? No
Carolina and Atlanta at home are more important than this one.
If we loose to either of them at home our chances of a division title go down drastically. Those 2 games are must wins. This one is important for our over all record, respect around the league and confidence. Important yes must win no.

 

[A.D.Rock]

I don't believe its a must win,but I do see what your getting at.Yeah there have been teams that have had bad games early and have gone on to do great things or even win superbowls,but not us.If we get beat soundly by another physical team,we know that we are still too soft.That's the main thing I'm looking at... is how physical we play and how we handle that physicality.If we do lose(God forbid),then you better get ready for the press to drop us like a bad habit and start calling us the same old Saints.....and I wouldn't blame them.

 

[Kris]

Not a must win, those only come after week 13 typically, and even then not definate must till 15 or 16 or even 17. However I do agree that the Saint's need to play respectable ball to be taken seriously both by the medai and myself. In the past few years the Saints have taken the step of beating the teams they should beat, but have not moved up to winning the close ones.
Typically the Saint's lose to teams with good defenses because they don't score as much and they can't stop the other team from scoring. Hopefully this defense can do better. The Saint's offense will still score as I don't think there is a D good enough to stop Drew Brees and company completely. Unfortunately good defenses usually limit the Saint's to 21 to 27 points, and in the past the Saint's rarely limited any quality team to less than 24.
I hope tomorrow shows us a reason to hope that our D can step up and hold em to 20 and our special teams don't give anything away. Then we will be taken seriously. So far the Saint's have not had a history lately that leads me to believe that is what they will do. This is a big test for this team, not a MUST WIN scenario.

Kris

 

[Optimistic Ozzy]

I've skipped alot of posts to say this; if we win it's great, if we don't, we have to look at the next game, if we lose to Buffalo and the Jets, then it becomes a much larger game in hindsight.
The same can be said in reverse, we win and lose the next two, it becomes a non-issue.
Lets just win and be consistent, things will work themselves out.