timespicayune -
MIKE TRIPLETT: The way I understand it, Ross, the league offered the Saints the opportunity, and the team enthusiastically accepted. … It doesn’t help from a competitive standpoint, but team executives and local business leaders are very excited about the opportunity to market both the team and the city throughout the months and weeks leading up to the game.
It really should be good for the city. … Hopefully it won’t come at the expense of the team. That will be a very, very important week for the Saints’ psyche. If they win, that’s a big win against a tough opponent. If they lose, they’ll have a long flight home and a long two weeks with the bye to sulk over how unfair it was.