Very encouraged by this preseason

I gave my tickets to my youngest son for this game. He is back from a year in Spain where he taught English for a year in a small town. He and his girl friend are taking two LSU exchange students from Madrid to their first US football game.

My other son just left our NO condo where I am happy as can be with a plate of cheese and glass of wine watching the pregame. He is going to game and just left. Before he left he asked me our annual question, " hey pop, how we gonna do this year?"

Let me preface my response with a confession. Every year for the last forty nine years I have rationalized some path for the Saints to do well. I am the opposite of objective.

That being said, this year I think I have a case to make we will have a much more fun team to watch this year. Why? Somehow, some way, we seem to have a bunch of young and aggressive defensive players mixed in with a few veterans that gives me hope we could have at worst an average defense and at best, a good one.

During the Mora years when we had a great defense and an awful offense I yearned for a good offense. Offenses are more fun too watch. Of course everyone wants a great offense and great defense, but for most teams you get one or the other, not both.

We have been spoiled during the Brees years with for the most part of that time an outstanding offense. But the last few years have been painful to watch as our defense has been historically bad. I find myself yearning for the dome patrol. Good defense is just as fun to watch for me.

So in answer to my sons question about how we are gonna do this year, my response is that things are looking up.

The defense in preseason has exceeded my expectations by a mile. Yes the offense has struggled, but somehow that doesn't worry me that much. There has been no year, not one, in the Brees era that our offense has not been good. Even in down years, our offense has been better than most.

I have little doubt the offense will come around. I think we see that trend turn around tonite. I just hope the defense is as improved as it looks so far. Pouring me another glass of wine now and about to find out.