So I wake up this morning.....
 

...and Im ironing my clothes, watching ESPN and smoking a cigarette like i do every morning, and they start talking about the Saints. They talk about them for a good 2 1/2 minutes, which you Saints fans know is a pretty long time for them. All I hear is how the Saints are "Pretenders" and their defense is bad and that will be exposed by the best team ever in the NFL (being sarcastic) the Atlanta Falcons. They basically said the offense is fun to watch, but we are pretenders and will not make the playoffs. Now, at first, I admit i was pissed at this, like the power rankings a week or so ago where we were dead last, but some of you guys opened my eyes. I like the underdog role. It seems like every year we are picked to do good, we blow it, and when no one expects us to pull it off, we do. The question is, how long, who do we have to beat, and by how much to prove that we are not the worst in the NFL. As far as names on defense go, we have the worst D. But we are ranked #3 in NFC on rushing defense, #6 overall in rushing D. Now, when you keep a team from rushing, their only chance is thru the air, and we gave up alot of yards to Farve last week thru the air. He had to throw 55 times to get that. They didnt throw the ball because they had SO much success doing it, they had no choice. He threw for a lilttle over 50%, doesnt make us that horrible on pass defense. We will get a true test Monday when a RUNNING, not passing team comes to town. If we can stop the running game, can Vick beat us with his arm? I dont think so. We dont have alot of big time passers on our schedule this year, so as long as we shut down the running game, we will be alright. Yea, this was long and rambling, but had a lot in my head about the Saints today......sorry


Saintsfan1313

To answer your question about who do we have to beat to get respect, the Falcons. If we can pull off a win Monday night, people will know we are a good team. As much hype that is being brought to the Falcons right now, we would be considered one of the better teams in the league if we beat them. I hear alot of people saying that the media is trying to make the Saints seem like a bad team, I don't beleive this at all. The truth is, we did beat two bad teams to get our 2-0 start, so we can't expect the experts and media to give us alot of respect for that. But, like I said, beating ATL would be a huge step in getting that respect.

2nd hand, but read Jaws was on PTI saying the Saints are for real.

Didja catch Kornheiser going on and on about the game last night being a strong statement by the Jags and thus, their coming out party? If that was the case for a 12-4 team "coming out", how much more will it be for a 3-13 to start out 3-0?

Cheers!

Ya know I am dreaming Theisman could get run off. As much of a ***** as he is I hope anyone who sees him around when here gives him a good "Whooop, Go Saints!". Kornheiser has that big green bus that will be easy to find. I hope the NOLA crowd can show the DC dude what partying is all about and that this is a Saints football crazy area.

Well that's good to hear.

Truthfully, I don't think that it's critical for the Saints to be considered contenders by the national media. However all undefeated teams, especially teams who win games on the road, should at least be a part of the conversation.

Kornheiser is aping for the populist football watcher, who actually believes the only good teams are the ones that the national media hypes up. I think that Theisman had to point at somewhere near there that the Jags had in fact made it to two AFC championship games early in their tenure.

The problem I have with national media is their inertia. With staff changes and extreme player movement in the NFL it's possible to totally remake a team in an offseason now. But all they have on their minds is last years is the Haz, Venturi, Katrina dispersed team.

It's truly the one thing I love about sports. Each season hope springs anew for everyone. Especially in the NFL where due to free agency and the salary cap, teams are on a somewhat level playing field.

SFIAH

yeah technically they are right at this point, we haven't really beaten anyone! Browns suck, by all other accounts Packers suck so... we beat to sucky teams big deal. However, it does set a precident that finally we are going to beat teams we should and not play to their level although it didn't look like it at the beging of the Pakcers game.

All I know is this the 12th man will have great influence in this game. In most games if you score first you silence the crowd a little. The fans have much more to cheer about and be rowy about this game. The fact that the Dome is back!!!!!!!!! Vick will have problems hearing himself think they better better have them plays coming into his helmet amplified to the to the utmost degree because his ears are going to be ringing!!!!!!!! So far teams have had to pass to comeback because the Saints have been stopping the run. When vick has to remain to the most part on his arm he has major problems. Time of possesion, and turnovers will play the most part in this game. Another thing if you can keep vick from rolling to his left and keep him to his right he usuall gets sacked when he tries to scramble. Keep a team to under 100 yards a game they usually lose this truely is the measuring stick. At one time it was San fran now it is Atlanta.

Saintsfan1313 wrote:

Well, let's see. We've got Carson Palmer, Eli Manning, Jake Delhomme(twice), Ben Rothlesberger, Steve McNair, Drew Bledsoe and Donovan McNabb left to go. What are you using for your definition of 'big time passers'? The only top qb missing from that list is Payton Manning.

We're in more of a world of hurt if our defensive backfield doesn't improve in a hurry.

lets be honest here. 2-0 is great but it came from teams that will be drafting in the top half of the draft in 2007. This week we have more headaches than Frye's scambling gave us, but less stress than Brett's arm presented. We will have to committe heavily to stopping the run from one of the best OL in the NFL. This game will tell use if we are in the bottom or top half of the NFL.
The DL has it's work cut out for it, that's for sure. I think they will do a good job, as will the LB. What the Falcons will expose is our sub par secondary even worse than GB. We can not let M&M and company let the Falcons convert on 3rd and long like GB did. This will be the difference between winning and losing.
The OL can not play the way they did in the first two games. If they do it will be a long night. I hope they put it all together for this game. 3 sacks and 3 turn overs means we will not win this game.
Atlanta's defense is playing well. Drew and the WR better be on the same page or the Falcons will jump all over us. Atlanta has kept Carolina and Tampa Bay from scoring a touchdown in two games. On the good side of this neither team has as good offense. Injuries and poor play have destroyed these two. So this could be the first real test the falcons defense will have this year. If the OL can show up and play as unit we have a chance to win a shoot out. If the LB and secondary step up their play then we can win a slug fest.
I vote for the slug fest myself.
I am betting on Drew to keep this game under control. It is up to him and his experience to cut down the mistakes. Veteren leadership will be the difference if the others show up to play as a unit.

Well, at least there is hope. Our linebacking corps seems vastly improved, no longer the complete and utter embarrassment it was under Haslett. That could be a difference maker.

Rothlisberger is not a big time passer, just a game manager. So hes not a worry. So far Delhomme hasnt been an issue. McNair is a game manager who is relying on the defense to win games. He has no huge threats at WR, so hes out. The only dangerous ones are Palmer, McNabb, and Manning. Bledsoe is 96 years old and hasnt done jack this season. So 3 out of our 16 games have big time passers. Thats what I meant by big time passers......