For those around then, how heartbreaking was the final game of the 1983 season?

I still remember it well. Was just eight years old at the time, but it’s fresh enough. Watched it at my paternal grandparents’ house in Marrero. Also remember it being rainy outside.

All the other posters of a certain age got it pretty much spot-on. The ‘83 Saints featured the young Dome Patrol when they were just starting out. It wasn’t four dominant linebackers just yet, as Rickey Jackson was joined by some mostly-forgotten solid vets like Dirt Winston and Whitney Paul. They were indeed the No. 2 overall rated defense in the league, behind only the eventual champion Raiders (yes, kids, the Raiders were once elite, ha). First time in Saints history up to that point the defense was that stellar.

The offense, on the other hand, was the real reason they went 8-8 and fell short of the playoffs. Not so much a total lack of scoring, but a QB who was a used-up version of his Raiders days and a backup in Dave Wilson who never got the proper coaching-up he would’ve gotten with another team. And the turnover ratio was terrible. Can’t remember the exact figure, but it was fairly deep into negative numbers.

The Saints’ official NFL Films doc lives on, on YouTube. (Click on “watch on YouTube to get past the silly NFL). The kids out there should view it as historical homework as Saints fans. The sound of the great John Facenda saying the names of our own local heroes like Rickey Jackson, Hokie Gajan and the recently-deceased Wayne Wilson make your head tingle. But be sure to have Kleenex ready for the end. It’ll have you weeping right along with the players shown doing the same.