Another Saints game like the last two and we’ll all need defib paddles under the Christmas tree if we want to see January. As crazy-making as the Redskins and Falcons games were, here’s some perspective.

Since we rolled teams up by 40-plus, we lost starting tackle Jamaal Brown, starting fullback Heath Evans for the season, and we’ve lost each member of the running back trio for at least a couple of games. The Pro Bowl ballot lists tight end David Thomas as a fullback because he filled in while we were between Evans and current, barely visible fullback Marcus Mailei.

On defense, we lost starting defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy for the season, and that loss was significant as replacement Remi Ayodele seems to get pushed around in the running game. At linebacker, Scott Fujita’s been injured, and backup Jo-Lonn Dunbar’s on Injury Reserve and out for the season. As a result, Troy Evans had to start Sunday. Our defensive backfield has suffered injuries to almost everybody at one point or another, which has to affect chemistry and continuity in the backfield.

All of that doesn’t make the Saints unusual. At this point in the season, all teams have injuries and have gone through changes. What it does, though, is make the ongoing win streak more impressive because they’ve had to keep it going with so many personnel changes. And all these close games mean the team – and us – will be battle-tested when things get close in the post-season.

All that said, can’t we please just crush one more team? For my ulcer’s sake?