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- I have always in my mind divided the season into four 4 game mini-seasons. I figure if you go 3-1 in each mini-season you end up at 12-4, probably win your division and maybe even get a bye. Its hard to win 12 games in the NFL. 7-1 is a great mid season record. Before the season started I would have taken 6-2 in a heartbeat.
- After Brees got hurt I was hoping for 5-3 and thinking even at 4-4 we were in the hunt for the West with 2 games each left with Atlanta and Carolina. I did not see 7-1 coming after L.A. game and then road trip to Seattle. Not in my dreams did I foresee 7-1.
- I wrote earlier this year the biggest news that happened which passed with little fanfare was the signing of Sean Payton to a new deal. I rue the day Drew retires, but I think as long as Payton is our coach we will be competitive. His coaching work with Brees hurt has been the best of his career, and that is saying a lot.
- I have this image in my head of Payton waking up on Mondays with a mad scientist hat on figuring out what devious new play he will design for his swiss army knife, Taysom Hill. I am still waiting for the end around flea flicker where Taysom takes the handoff and throws a bomb to himself.
- Insurance can be expensive and you often regret paying it because you so rarely need it. The Saints paid a very large sum to Bridgewater the last two years for an insurance policy in case the the historically durable Brees got hurt, god forbid. Did that turn out to be a great move or what? Bridgewater got the keys to the Ferrari and Payton made sure he never wrecked it.
- For anyone in the media or otherwise thinking Bridgewater should play over Brees so long as he was winning, watch more football. Bridgewater is a great backup. Brees is a first ballot hall of fame starter. That debate, if there ever was one, was over half way through the Arizona game.
- I am not one for giving big above market contracts to players to keep them from leaving. More than not, players under perform their monster deals and some lose their work ethic with money in the bank. The Saints made the right move in showing "cant cover Mike" Thomas the money. He is working just as hard or harder than ever. How is it teams let him get open? Is it a secret we have no real wide out weapons behind him?
- Speaking of never taking plays off, is there anyone on the Saints with a higher motor than Cam Jordan? The dude is relentless. And he is still relentless in the fourth quarter. His number needs to hang in the dome one day, next to Ricky Jackson.
- I cannot remember a better Saints offensive line across the board than this one. Every player is solid. McCoy was a draft steal. Their ability to let us run the ball while Drew as out saved the day.
- Or was it a smothering defense that saved the day? I thought we were in for a long season after our first two games with the Texans and Rams. It was the defense that saved our butts while Teddy was finding his sea legs. I hope no other team notices the job Dennis Allen has been doing. Enjoy it now, I think he is a head coach somewhere next year. In the AFC I hope.
- I cant believe I am this many bullet points into my random thoughts and haven't mentioned the human gyroscope, Alvin Kamara, the best all around back in the game. And what about Latavius Murray? Murray has sure lessened the blow of losing Ingram. Murray gets better each game, he is going to take some of the load off Kamara as we enter the second half of the season.
- Who remembers the forum nickname for Mickey Loomis when he got hired? It was bean-counter. The collective consciousness of the super forum (the borg I like to call them) had decided the Saints had hired an accountant instead of a football man to run the team. Well the buck stops with the GM, and right now this is about as talented a roster as the Saints have had.
- December 8 is circled on my calendar, outside of playoff games it could be one of the biggest games in dome history when the 49ers visit. Young Saints will never know how much us old timers hate the 49ers.
- Best Saints team ever? Not until they win the super bowl, they aren't. But right now at this moment in time, its one of the most complete Saints teams we have ever had.