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For most of this past weekend, it was all going so right. For those of us who were living in eager anticipation of the two premier football games that were taking place on Saturday & Sunday, the ones featuring the LSU Tigers & the New Orleans Saints, it would turn out to be a case of experiencing the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. (Disclaimer: While I do understand that this is a Saints message board that caters primarily to the interest of the Saints, I am writing this from the prospective of a lifelong, diehard fan of LSU & Saints football, of which a fair number of readers here do share the same sentiment. Thus I respect that your personal favorite college team may not have produced the same emotion that will be described here.)
Looking back at the dust settling in the aftermath of these two football contests, it’s impossible not to relive some of the bigger plays and moments of both games. Of course the first game left no doubt of what the outcome would be long before the final gun sounded (not that there is a concluding shot fired any longer), and it was Purple & Gold that was the remaining colors of choice for those dancing among the red seats during that 4th quarter inside the Mercedes Benz Stadium. And now we all know that the frenzy will continue all the way back to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl and a December 28th date with the Oklahoma Sooners! Yes, the LSU victory on Saturday was indeed an incredibly exciting (and defining) game for Tigers fans everywhere!
Several hours later, the big game on Sunday began just the way we had all hoped. Our well-oiled offense put together an opening touchdown drive that was reminiscent of our great teams of the past. But we quickly realized that our Saints would need to produce a non-stop barrage of such drives just to stay relevant in this game. San Francisco came to play and they showed it by pulling out all the stops in order force the Saints to score like an old pinball machine just to keep the game close! But in the end, as has happened so many times before, the last seconds of the game would tell the tale. A series of critical defensive mistakes would prove to be the difference between leaving the field (and the fans) in ecstasy, and seeing the dream of a #1 Seed turn into a certifiable nightmare. No matter how ‘colorfully we paint our room’ (<- not everyone will get this reference), it’s now very unlikely that we will have the dream of hosting another NFC Championship game this season.
For people who are merely fans of pro football, this was a great NFL game to watch. It had just about every twist and turn you could ask for in a clash between two of the best teams in the league this year. But simply because of the way the final 50 seconds played out on Sunday, Saints fans cannot say the same. Long before and long after making this post we all know that the SSF will be filled with threads describing what went wrong and what has to change to make the goals and hopes for the Saints and their fans come true this season. This thread is certainly one of those. But there is no doubt that this game on Sunday was all about the holes that need to be fixed… the holes in the play calling, the holes in the execution, and the deep hole where we now find ourselves in the standings in the NFC.
Yes, it was an almost perfect weekend of football in south Louisiana. We were so close to being in the best possible position as fans both in the college and pro ranks. Though it will be a few weeks before we’ll learn if the Tigers can take advantage of the peak they have placed themselves upon, it will only take until Monday night to see if the Saints will begin to emerge from the huge hole they have created for themselves. But the Saints can get it fixed in time. And if they do, they will simultaneously fix the other hole that resulted from the Sunday’s loss… the one in our hearts.
Bears (7-6) at Packers (10-3) – This game could turn out to be one of the most important games down the stretch for the Saints. Everyone knows that the Packers are in the best position to take one of the two postseason Byes particularly because they have a very favorable ‘Final 3’ this season. If Chicago (or Minnesota later) can’t hand Green Bay another loss, someone is going to have a January ‘vacation’ at Lambeau Field. Since I personally don’t even want to contemplate such an eventuality, I’ll just be pulling hard for the Bears to win this one. So I’m making a Pitch For Mitch. He needs all the support he can get!
Seahawks (10-3) at Panthers (5-8) – The Panthers are dead in the water right now as they have nothing else to do but to look forward to what’s ahead on the coaching front. The players have literally nothing to fight for but a chance to keep their jobs next year. This is good news for the Saints since it would be to our advantage for Seattle to win the West and then we can win out to end in a tie with them. If this happens, then we would receive no worse than the #2 Seed, which gives the Saints that vital 1st round Bye. So let's get revved up to pull for the Seahawks once again! A win against the Coach-less Cats will do wonders for our seeding!
Eagles (6-7) at Redskins (3-10) – After seeing Monday night just how putrid of a team the Eagles have become since taking home that Lombardi trophy, all I can think of right now is how much I want to see them bump the Dallas Cowboys out of the top spot in the NFC East ‘race’ (which is actually looking more like a crawl). While I’m not in favor of changing the rules on how the playoff teams should be determined, it’s really going to chap some team when they have to watch a playoff position get handed to a team with possibly 3 or 4 more losses than they have. It’s likely that the eventual East winner will be determined by the head-to-head matchup game in two weeks. But personally I do not want the Eagles to fall so far behind that they can’t kick the Pokes out of the playoffs. So I’m asking all to pull for the Eagles in order to help keep my dream alive. Hopefully seeing some dejected Dallasians is your dream as well.
Buccaneers (6-7) at Lions (3-9-1) – While this game doesn’t really effect the Saints seeding, it does have an impact on the position where a division rival will be selecting players that we’ll be going up against us in seasons to come. As the 2nd place team in the NFC South right now, it doesn’t bother me at all for them to stay there and drop back a few spots in the draft rotations. Pull for the Bucs. This should be an easy pick for us and an easy win for Tampa Bay. I mean, this isn’t the Super Bowl… This is Detroit!
Vikings (9-4) at Chargers (5-8) – This game is a case where another AFC team has a chance to give the Saints a world of help to keep another playoff team off of our backs. True we are going to need some real help from the Vikings when they meet for a big showdown against the Packers later this year. But perhaps a loss this week will make them even more desperate to win an all-important battle for a playoff spot, even if it’s no longer for North supremacy. Pull for the Bolts to zap the Vikings!
Rams (8-5) at Cowboys (6-7) – Interestingly, this game will have no impact on the Saints position at all no matter who gets the victory. The only effect it could have is who we may have to play down the road if either of these teams make the postseason. As a result, I’m all for helping to put the worst of the two teams in the postseason in the event that we might eventually be matched with them. I believe that by far the Rams are the better team and would present the biggest threat as a playoff opponent. So I’m thinking it would be best to pull for the Pokes to help throw some water on this currently red-hot Los Angeles fire.
Falcons (4-9) at 49ers (11-2) – It may only happen once every four years, but here it is… our two most hated rivals going head to head. How wonderful that at this stage of the season that we are able to laugh off one of these teams as being of no consequence to us at all. Since the Falcons are dead & buried for the year, it would be the best favor that we could ever receive if Atlanta could somehow help the Saints to get one more shot at the #1 Seed by taking down the team that just vanquished the Saints and took away our top spot. I know that you really don’t want to, but pull for the Falcons to give our Saints the boost we need to help get us back in the driver’s seat.
Colts (6-7) at Saints (10-3) – At least we now know that any additional losses this year will practically eliminate the Saints from achieving the goal of a first round Bye in the NFC playoffs. We will be on the ‘big stage’ once again as we try to get that bad taste of a big defensive letdown out of our collective mouths and show the league that the Saints are still who they thought we were. Nothing will get the Saints back in ‘playoff gear’ better than a dominant victory over Indy this week. But by the same token, nothing would be more disastrous than losing a game that we certainly must win. So let’s get that hole fixed this week and get us back to making our SuperBowl dreams come true!
***Please note that two games this week which feature NFC teams are not being considered in this write-up this week simply due to having no importance or meaningful relevance to the Saints’ standing in any way. Additionally all future games that have no effect on the Saints’ seeding may be omitted from the column as well.
Looking back at the dust settling in the aftermath of these two football contests, it’s impossible not to relive some of the bigger plays and moments of both games. Of course the first game left no doubt of what the outcome would be long before the final gun sounded (not that there is a concluding shot fired any longer), and it was Purple & Gold that was the remaining colors of choice for those dancing among the red seats during that 4th quarter inside the Mercedes Benz Stadium. And now we all know that the frenzy will continue all the way back to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl and a December 28th date with the Oklahoma Sooners! Yes, the LSU victory on Saturday was indeed an incredibly exciting (and defining) game for Tigers fans everywhere!
Several hours later, the big game on Sunday began just the way we had all hoped. Our well-oiled offense put together an opening touchdown drive that was reminiscent of our great teams of the past. But we quickly realized that our Saints would need to produce a non-stop barrage of such drives just to stay relevant in this game. San Francisco came to play and they showed it by pulling out all the stops in order force the Saints to score like an old pinball machine just to keep the game close! But in the end, as has happened so many times before, the last seconds of the game would tell the tale. A series of critical defensive mistakes would prove to be the difference between leaving the field (and the fans) in ecstasy, and seeing the dream of a #1 Seed turn into a certifiable nightmare. No matter how ‘colorfully we paint our room’ (<- not everyone will get this reference), it’s now very unlikely that we will have the dream of hosting another NFC Championship game this season.
For people who are merely fans of pro football, this was a great NFL game to watch. It had just about every twist and turn you could ask for in a clash between two of the best teams in the league this year. But simply because of the way the final 50 seconds played out on Sunday, Saints fans cannot say the same. Long before and long after making this post we all know that the SSF will be filled with threads describing what went wrong and what has to change to make the goals and hopes for the Saints and their fans come true this season. This thread is certainly one of those. But there is no doubt that this game on Sunday was all about the holes that need to be fixed… the holes in the play calling, the holes in the execution, and the deep hole where we now find ourselves in the standings in the NFC.
Yes, it was an almost perfect weekend of football in south Louisiana. We were so close to being in the best possible position as fans both in the college and pro ranks. Though it will be a few weeks before we’ll learn if the Tigers can take advantage of the peak they have placed themselves upon, it will only take until Monday night to see if the Saints will begin to emerge from the huge hole they have created for themselves. But the Saints can get it fixed in time. And if they do, they will simultaneously fix the other hole that resulted from the Sunday’s loss… the one in our hearts.
Bears (7-6) at Packers (10-3) – This game could turn out to be one of the most important games down the stretch for the Saints. Everyone knows that the Packers are in the best position to take one of the two postseason Byes particularly because they have a very favorable ‘Final 3’ this season. If Chicago (or Minnesota later) can’t hand Green Bay another loss, someone is going to have a January ‘vacation’ at Lambeau Field. Since I personally don’t even want to contemplate such an eventuality, I’ll just be pulling hard for the Bears to win this one. So I’m making a Pitch For Mitch. He needs all the support he can get!
Seahawks (10-3) at Panthers (5-8) – The Panthers are dead in the water right now as they have nothing else to do but to look forward to what’s ahead on the coaching front. The players have literally nothing to fight for but a chance to keep their jobs next year. This is good news for the Saints since it would be to our advantage for Seattle to win the West and then we can win out to end in a tie with them. If this happens, then we would receive no worse than the #2 Seed, which gives the Saints that vital 1st round Bye. So let's get revved up to pull for the Seahawks once again! A win against the Coach-less Cats will do wonders for our seeding!
Eagles (6-7) at Redskins (3-10) – After seeing Monday night just how putrid of a team the Eagles have become since taking home that Lombardi trophy, all I can think of right now is how much I want to see them bump the Dallas Cowboys out of the top spot in the NFC East ‘race’ (which is actually looking more like a crawl). While I’m not in favor of changing the rules on how the playoff teams should be determined, it’s really going to chap some team when they have to watch a playoff position get handed to a team with possibly 3 or 4 more losses than they have. It’s likely that the eventual East winner will be determined by the head-to-head matchup game in two weeks. But personally I do not want the Eagles to fall so far behind that they can’t kick the Pokes out of the playoffs. So I’m asking all to pull for the Eagles in order to help keep my dream alive. Hopefully seeing some dejected Dallasians is your dream as well.
Buccaneers (6-7) at Lions (3-9-1) – While this game doesn’t really effect the Saints seeding, it does have an impact on the position where a division rival will be selecting players that we’ll be going up against us in seasons to come. As the 2nd place team in the NFC South right now, it doesn’t bother me at all for them to stay there and drop back a few spots in the draft rotations. Pull for the Bucs. This should be an easy pick for us and an easy win for Tampa Bay. I mean, this isn’t the Super Bowl… This is Detroit!
Vikings (9-4) at Chargers (5-8) – This game is a case where another AFC team has a chance to give the Saints a world of help to keep another playoff team off of our backs. True we are going to need some real help from the Vikings when they meet for a big showdown against the Packers later this year. But perhaps a loss this week will make them even more desperate to win an all-important battle for a playoff spot, even if it’s no longer for North supremacy. Pull for the Bolts to zap the Vikings!
Rams (8-5) at Cowboys (6-7) – Interestingly, this game will have no impact on the Saints position at all no matter who gets the victory. The only effect it could have is who we may have to play down the road if either of these teams make the postseason. As a result, I’m all for helping to put the worst of the two teams in the postseason in the event that we might eventually be matched with them. I believe that by far the Rams are the better team and would present the biggest threat as a playoff opponent. So I’m thinking it would be best to pull for the Pokes to help throw some water on this currently red-hot Los Angeles fire.
Falcons (4-9) at 49ers (11-2) – It may only happen once every four years, but here it is… our two most hated rivals going head to head. How wonderful that at this stage of the season that we are able to laugh off one of these teams as being of no consequence to us at all. Since the Falcons are dead & buried for the year, it would be the best favor that we could ever receive if Atlanta could somehow help the Saints to get one more shot at the #1 Seed by taking down the team that just vanquished the Saints and took away our top spot. I know that you really don’t want to, but pull for the Falcons to give our Saints the boost we need to help get us back in the driver’s seat.
Colts (6-7) at Saints (10-3) – At least we now know that any additional losses this year will practically eliminate the Saints from achieving the goal of a first round Bye in the NFC playoffs. We will be on the ‘big stage’ once again as we try to get that bad taste of a big defensive letdown out of our collective mouths and show the league that the Saints are still who they thought we were. Nothing will get the Saints back in ‘playoff gear’ better than a dominant victory over Indy this week. But by the same token, nothing would be more disastrous than losing a game that we certainly must win. So let’s get that hole fixed this week and get us back to making our SuperBowl dreams come true!
***Please note that two games this week which feature NFC teams are not being considered in this write-up this week simply due to having no importance or meaningful relevance to the Saints’ standing in any way. Additionally all future games that have no effect on the Saints’ seeding may be omitted from the column as well.
