Charlie Brown’s got nothing on Saints fans this week. Atlanta’s Lucy act has left us flat on our backs and yelling AAAUGH! Atlanta is a very good team, to be sure – balanced run vs. pass, a savvy QB, and lots of weapons on offense. And with a tough, opportunistic defense that takes the ball away, it seems like they’re what this year’s Saints team was supposed to be. But they’re not. Unfortunately, the Saints have shown the league that they are very beatable, especially when they are making uncharacteristic mistakes, (turnovers/kicking game/playcalling/flags, you name it last week). You might have to play a near-perfect game to do so, but that’s basically what Atlanta did, and in the Dome, no less. If you want to win against the Saints, the key is patience with the running game as well as on defense, and hope the Saints make some mistakes. Until the Saints can stop the run, every game is going to go down to the wire.
Glad it’s over: TE Tony Gonzales destroying whomever the Saints put on him. It was like a bad, recurring joke – Falcons get to third down, I start shouting, “Put someone on Gonzales! He just burned you ten times in a row! He’s going to do it again!” Gonzales makes the catch. “Dammit! Are you kidding me? Come on!” Repeat. He’s still making third down conversions. There goes another one. Come on!
Looking forward to: Carolina quarterback Jimmy Clausen, he’s a rookie right? Gregg Williams loves to feast on rookie QBs, right? The D line as gotta get to the QB this week, right? Right? Come on!
Not looking forward to: Yet another team running it down the Saints’ throats. I had Madden simulate the Saints’ entire 2010 season recently. At the end of the year, the Saints were ranked first in total offense (okay, I’ll buy that), first in passing offense (sure) and fifth in running offense (sorry Madden, there’s no way). However, the Saints run defense was ranked dead last out of 32 teams. I know it’s a video game, but at this point that doesn’t seem too hard to believe. Come on!
Media Prediction: Now that the Saints have been knocked from the top of all the “Power Rankings,” they will not return to number one for the rest of the year – unless they win the Super Bowl.
Discussion Topic: Are TEs the Saints’ Kryptonite? And what is the Kryptonite for Kryptonite? Bonus Topic: Shouldn’t “Power Rankings” be the teams that would make the playoffs if they started today? Next week I’m going to start a list just like this: What should I call it? “If the Playoffs started Today” is so boring. I’m thinking something like “The Super Star Top Giant Kick Ass List”, “The Shao Lin Masters of Football” or maybe even “Sexy Time Party at Roethlisberger’s!” Or something. Suggestions welcome.
Carolina’s got the horses to play the “Keep away/make ’em earn it game” very well, as they have two great backs in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart to pound it out on the ground and shorten the game. Facing Clausen is about the best thing to look forward to this week. Maybe the Saints D can get in his head early with confusing looks and blitzes. Or, maybe we make a rookie look like John Elway, which has happened a lot more than I’d like to remember. Here’s what Madden had to say about the game:
The Saints open with an 80-yard drive that ends with a Shockey TD, but the Panthers respond with two Stewart rushing TDs, one set up by a Brees sack/fumble. Another turnover sets up a Carolina FG to make it 7-17. Brees in the two-minute drill is unstoppable (why aren’t they always in the two-minute drill?) to bring the half to a close with another Shockey TD.
Meachem burns Carolina deep for a TD on play action. It’s a back and forth defensive battle, but Harper seals the game with an INT in the waning moments. Brees is 17/20, 242 yds with 3 TDs, and INT and a fumble, Shockey is 4/57 yds and 2 TDs. Ayodele, Vilma and Dunbar all get sacks as the Saints get back on track in a nailbiter, 21-17.
