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The statement of ‘holding a candle’ to something is generally used in reference to comparing one thing against another. Since Sean Payton’s arrival in the Big Easy, it was only natural that Saints fans would immediately start to wonder if the organization made the right choice in selecting the next head coach for the Black & Gold.
At that time it wasn’t likely that Saints fans would have questioned if Payton could ‘hold a candle’ to Jim Haslett, the man he would be replacing, because we expected far more than what Haslett was producing in New Orleans. So for most of us, the question that needed to be answered is whether Sean would be able to ‘hold a candle’ to Coach Jim Mora, Sr. His regime was our gold standard by which the Saints could be judged and considered to be a competitive franchise once again.
But as Sean Payton’s legacy unfolded before our eyes we began to see a side of this team that was far above what we had previously seen (or imagined) during the tenure of any previous coach. Winning playoff games and championships became the new standard for Saints teams. And for better or for worse Payton’s successes became the new expectation in the thinking of Saints fans everywhere. And it is certainly evident here in the thread subjects and discussions on the SSF.
Think about it, we have had threads that discuss whether our current team can ‘hold a candle’ to our SuperBowl team in 2009. Or if today’s offense can match the explosive offense from the 2011 season. We have wondered if we would ever find another running back that could ‘hold a candle’ to Deuce McAllister. And we have questioned if any new wide receiver would ever be able to ‘hold a candle’ to Marques Colston. And of late the talk has been about who can ‘hold a candle’ to Drew Brees whenever his successor is finally revealed. Obviously some questions have been answered and some have not. But in most cases the correct answer is simply a matter of who you ask.
Like it or not, comparing records & stats, players & coaches, and one of our great teams against another of our great teams will always be a ‘hold a candle’ moment that will be debated by fans both young and old. But the biggest comparison will always come between reality and the personal dreams we have for our team. We are generally a happy bunch who simply wants our Saints to be the best… always! Is that too much to ask?
Yes, we certainly have big dreams in New Orleans among the Who Dat! Nation, and there is nothing wrong with that. But never forget how big our dreams can be sometimes. It never hurts to keep in mind that if the Saints’ candle is the only one lit at the end of the year in Miami, then the ups & downs of the season doesn’t really matter regarding what we dreamed of along the way. Ours will still be the brightest candle around!
Lions (3-6-1) at Redskins (1-9) – This is one of those games that we list only because it is an NFC game that may, perhaps in some perpendicular universe, have some bearing on how the Saints’ season will turn out. I’m calling for everyone to pull for the Redskins in this one mainly because I am a Joe Burrow fan. If a Washington victory here can limit the possibility that Joe will be stuck playing at FedEx Field… then that’s a good enough reason for me.
Giants (2-8) at Bears (4-6) – The most difficult thing for Chicago about having picked Mitch Trubisky so high in the draft is that there is no way to get rid of him without admitting how lousy your franchise is at finding good talent. Both of these NFC team are nearly as messed up as the two teams playing above. I say that we should pull for the Giants simply because there's nothing like seeing more burning ahead for Chicago. Goodbye Bears.
Seahawks (8-2) at Eagles (5-5) – Frankly, having only a tiebreaker advantage over the Seahawks at this point does not sprinkle me with comfort or confidence. This is actually one of the key matchups for the Saints this weekend. Seattle is one of those teams that could really mess things up for the Saints down the stretch and few things would please me more this week than for the Saints to get a little more insurance that we won’t have to make another trip to CenturyLink this year. Besides, someone has to make Dallas work a little harder to win the NFC East. So let’s pull for Philly to get their season back in gear, while giving the Saints some room to breath.
Buccaneers (3-7) at Falcons (3-7) – When thinking about this game one has only to consider two things. One is, ‘How legitimate were the back-to-back victories by the Falcons these last two weeks?’ The other is, ‘How would a third win in a row this week affect the Thursday Night matchup the Saints have with them in Week 13?’ I feel like the Falcons are playing with house money right now and that any momentum they build up now is only going to help them to put their best foot forward in the future. On paper Atlanta is a much better team than the Bucs which is another big reason I’d rather see the Falcons lose. If you need another good reason to pull for Tampa Bay, just keep in mind that they’re playing the FALCONS! Go Bucs!
Cowboys (6-4) at Patriots (9-1) – Even if you are a card carrying Patriots hater, it’s still okay for you to pull for New England in this game. As far as our Saints are concerned, a 6-5 NFC team is far better than a 9-2 AFC team in regard to the playoff standings. The NFC East crown is going either to Philly or Dallas, it’s that simple. So they may as well keep it close and duke it out all the way to the final whistle of the regular season. Besides, I’m always a bit happier whenever the Cowboys are forced to realize that what happened in the last millennium doesn’t make them who they think they are today. Pull for the Pats!
Packers (8-2) at 49ers (9-1) – After the Saints game earlier in the day, don’t forget to pull a chair up to your TV set to watch this game-of-the-week on Sunday Night! We should learn a lot of important things regarding who may be our biggest challenger for the NFC crown. As hard as it might be for us to do, it really will be to the Saints’ advantage if we all pull hawd for the 49ers to get the best of the Packers in this one. A San Fran win will not only give us a better chance of avoiding a trip to the Frozen Tundra in January, but it will immediately give us control of our own destiny if we beat the Panthers earlier in the day. Rather than cheer for the 'Niners, we may find it a bit easier to pull for the Green Bay Rodgers to LOSE. But no matter how you call it, let’s just hope that by the end of the day, the future is in our hands once again!
Ravens (8-2) at Rams (6-4) – This Monday Night matchup is really going to show everyone what the Rams are really made of. Right now the Ravens are arguably the hottest team in the league and they are likely going to continue to expose the Rams as being the biggest frauds in the NFL. But that can only be established if Baltimore hands them another crushing defeat this year and makes L.A. a no-show in the NFC West…. and the postseason. Not that I should have to tell anyone this but, Geaux Ravens!
Panthers (5-5) at Saints (8-2) – Carolina has done one of the best ‘rollercoaster impersonations’ of any other team in the league this year. When they’ve been ‘up’, they have actually turned some heads. When they’ve been ‘down’, even the Vegas bookmakers quit on them. The Saints are up against another division rival this week, and it's one that has rarely had a lopsided loss to the Saints. Yet the spread has been in the 9 - 10 point range all this week. The Panthers currently own the all-time series against the Saints 25-24, and I seriously want to see that record evened up this Sunday. Depending on the Sunday Night game this week, this could truly be a statement game and a major turning point for our season. Yes, it has to begin here!
P.S. – This post is dedicated to Joshua, aka “Humperdoo”. Please keep him in your thoughts folks.
At that time it wasn’t likely that Saints fans would have questioned if Payton could ‘hold a candle’ to Jim Haslett, the man he would be replacing, because we expected far more than what Haslett was producing in New Orleans. So for most of us, the question that needed to be answered is whether Sean would be able to ‘hold a candle’ to Coach Jim Mora, Sr. His regime was our gold standard by which the Saints could be judged and considered to be a competitive franchise once again.
But as Sean Payton’s legacy unfolded before our eyes we began to see a side of this team that was far above what we had previously seen (or imagined) during the tenure of any previous coach. Winning playoff games and championships became the new standard for Saints teams. And for better or for worse Payton’s successes became the new expectation in the thinking of Saints fans everywhere. And it is certainly evident here in the thread subjects and discussions on the SSF.
Think about it, we have had threads that discuss whether our current team can ‘hold a candle’ to our SuperBowl team in 2009. Or if today’s offense can match the explosive offense from the 2011 season. We have wondered if we would ever find another running back that could ‘hold a candle’ to Deuce McAllister. And we have questioned if any new wide receiver would ever be able to ‘hold a candle’ to Marques Colston. And of late the talk has been about who can ‘hold a candle’ to Drew Brees whenever his successor is finally revealed. Obviously some questions have been answered and some have not. But in most cases the correct answer is simply a matter of who you ask.
Like it or not, comparing records & stats, players & coaches, and one of our great teams against another of our great teams will always be a ‘hold a candle’ moment that will be debated by fans both young and old. But the biggest comparison will always come between reality and the personal dreams we have for our team. We are generally a happy bunch who simply wants our Saints to be the best… always! Is that too much to ask?
Yes, we certainly have big dreams in New Orleans among the Who Dat! Nation, and there is nothing wrong with that. But never forget how big our dreams can be sometimes. It never hurts to keep in mind that if the Saints’ candle is the only one lit at the end of the year in Miami, then the ups & downs of the season doesn’t really matter regarding what we dreamed of along the way. Ours will still be the brightest candle around!
Lions (3-6-1) at Redskins (1-9) – This is one of those games that we list only because it is an NFC game that may, perhaps in some perpendicular universe, have some bearing on how the Saints’ season will turn out. I’m calling for everyone to pull for the Redskins in this one mainly because I am a Joe Burrow fan. If a Washington victory here can limit the possibility that Joe will be stuck playing at FedEx Field… then that’s a good enough reason for me.
Giants (2-8) at Bears (4-6) – The most difficult thing for Chicago about having picked Mitch Trubisky so high in the draft is that there is no way to get rid of him without admitting how lousy your franchise is at finding good talent. Both of these NFC team are nearly as messed up as the two teams playing above. I say that we should pull for the Giants simply because there's nothing like seeing more burning ahead for Chicago. Goodbye Bears.
Seahawks (8-2) at Eagles (5-5) – Frankly, having only a tiebreaker advantage over the Seahawks at this point does not sprinkle me with comfort or confidence. This is actually one of the key matchups for the Saints this weekend. Seattle is one of those teams that could really mess things up for the Saints down the stretch and few things would please me more this week than for the Saints to get a little more insurance that we won’t have to make another trip to CenturyLink this year. Besides, someone has to make Dallas work a little harder to win the NFC East. So let’s pull for Philly to get their season back in gear, while giving the Saints some room to breath.
Buccaneers (3-7) at Falcons (3-7) – When thinking about this game one has only to consider two things. One is, ‘How legitimate were the back-to-back victories by the Falcons these last two weeks?’ The other is, ‘How would a third win in a row this week affect the Thursday Night matchup the Saints have with them in Week 13?’ I feel like the Falcons are playing with house money right now and that any momentum they build up now is only going to help them to put their best foot forward in the future. On paper Atlanta is a much better team than the Bucs which is another big reason I’d rather see the Falcons lose. If you need another good reason to pull for Tampa Bay, just keep in mind that they’re playing the FALCONS! Go Bucs!
Cowboys (6-4) at Patriots (9-1) – Even if you are a card carrying Patriots hater, it’s still okay for you to pull for New England in this game. As far as our Saints are concerned, a 6-5 NFC team is far better than a 9-2 AFC team in regard to the playoff standings. The NFC East crown is going either to Philly or Dallas, it’s that simple. So they may as well keep it close and duke it out all the way to the final whistle of the regular season. Besides, I’m always a bit happier whenever the Cowboys are forced to realize that what happened in the last millennium doesn’t make them who they think they are today. Pull for the Pats!
Packers (8-2) at 49ers (9-1) – After the Saints game earlier in the day, don’t forget to pull a chair up to your TV set to watch this game-of-the-week on Sunday Night! We should learn a lot of important things regarding who may be our biggest challenger for the NFC crown. As hard as it might be for us to do, it really will be to the Saints’ advantage if we all pull hawd for the 49ers to get the best of the Packers in this one. A San Fran win will not only give us a better chance of avoiding a trip to the Frozen Tundra in January, but it will immediately give us control of our own destiny if we beat the Panthers earlier in the day. Rather than cheer for the 'Niners, we may find it a bit easier to pull for the Green Bay Rodgers to LOSE. But no matter how you call it, let’s just hope that by the end of the day, the future is in our hands once again!
Ravens (8-2) at Rams (6-4) – This Monday Night matchup is really going to show everyone what the Rams are really made of. Right now the Ravens are arguably the hottest team in the league and they are likely going to continue to expose the Rams as being the biggest frauds in the NFL. But that can only be established if Baltimore hands them another crushing defeat this year and makes L.A. a no-show in the NFC West…. and the postseason. Not that I should have to tell anyone this but, Geaux Ravens!
Panthers (5-5) at Saints (8-2) – Carolina has done one of the best ‘rollercoaster impersonations’ of any other team in the league this year. When they’ve been ‘up’, they have actually turned some heads. When they’ve been ‘down’, even the Vegas bookmakers quit on them. The Saints are up against another division rival this week, and it's one that has rarely had a lopsided loss to the Saints. Yet the spread has been in the 9 - 10 point range all this week. The Panthers currently own the all-time series against the Saints 25-24, and I seriously want to see that record evened up this Sunday. Depending on the Sunday Night game this week, this could truly be a statement game and a major turning point for our season. Yes, it has to begin here!
P.S. – This post is dedicated to Joshua, aka “Humperdoo”. Please keep him in your thoughts folks.
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