I do disagree with that premise that the lights will magically come on now that it is do or die time. I would like to think this, I think we all would, but there is ample evidence otherwise.
Really? Quick scan of 2009 and 2010 primetime games, playoffs, and Super Bowl including this year's NFC contenders. I may have missed one or two games.
New Orleans: 10-1
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Philly: 7-3
Green Bay: 5-5
Atlanta: 2-2
Chicago: 3-4
Seattle: 1-0 (lame)
Weird. It seems the light DOES just magically come on. Does it mean anything that the combined score of those 11 games is 303-185? What if I said that we're 5-0 this year when nationally televised but 6-5 on Sunday afternoon? Some teams really do turn it on when it matters, and the Saints are one of them.