How do you spin it?
 

Well, no one is happy about this Saints season right now. That's no surprise. However, this season is not so cut and dry. The Saints have been almost impossible for me to get a hold of this season. Who are they? Let's consider:

The Negative:
It's easy to call this team terrible. They're on pace to 6-10. The defense still seemingly can't stop anyone, especially on the ground. The offense has not been playing even close to its potential, and the only teams we've beaten are the 2-5 Texans, 2-5 Bears, and 1-6 Falcons.

The Positive:
Not so fast - maybe this team isn't as bad as we all think. If you take away the two bad calls that cost the Saints 9 points in regulation, and the one missed call in OT that would have equated to a first and ten on Carolina's 38, then the Saints are sitting here at 4-4 today. 4-4 after a 1-4 start. 4-4 on a three game winning streak. 4-4 having just beat the division leading Panthers, a team that now sits at 6-1. The offense is ranked 11th? The D is in the top 15. This paints a different picture. Four losses in the first five weeks to the 5-2 Seahawks, 5-2 Titans, 6-1 Panthers, and 6-1 Colts, followed by three straight wins and a win against the division winner and this team is looking damn good.

Sure it's easy to say, well, this is the Saints. Always one missed opportunity away. Always a few bad calls away. The ball never seems to bounce our way does it?

Let's hope the Saints can pull a big one out today in Tampa. If they win, it's huge. 4-5 with Atlanta out of the bye should bring us to 5-5. 5-5 having won 4 of 5. Having played Carolina damn tight and beaten Tampa in Tampa. I'll take it, but it all starts today. If they lose today, it's hard to believe that they really have a shot. 3-6 and it is seemingly all over. 4-5 and there's a chance. Keep hoping boys. The next four hours may change the course of our season. I thought last week was a make or break. The Tampa game may turn out to be that game if we win it. If we lose it, then yes, last week was the one that broke us.

How do you spin it?
 

You can\'t really use the expression \"on pace\" in football. That is a baseball phrase for a sport that is based on stats. Football you have to take into account of your opponets and any team can beat any given team on any given Sunday. I personally like the Saints\' chances at winning out the rest of the games are losing 1-2 and still getting in the play-offs hell winning the Super bowl. This team unlike past teams have been built for a late season run... lets see it. We have been faced with injuries, we have been faced wiht blow-outs, we have been faced with adverse penalties... now we have all this behind us lets move on and up.

How do you spin it?
 

You know the whole world has been down on the Saints since the beginning. I guess it is hard for us diehards not to be inflicted by the anti-Saints attitude sometime or another. However, as previously stated, we were affected by many key injuries at the start of the year, which made hope to seemingly disappear. Alot of negativism came rushing in on our parts, but I really think that they are beginning to right the keel. Case in point, by the NFL admission, we won last week. This week through the 1st qtr. it has been a defensive battle on both sides with the offensive edge going to the Saints. I don\'t think we are as bad as we think we are. We must draw together behind our guys. BTW if we don\'t support them then nobody is for sure. I think at the end of today\'s game we are going to very happy about our team.

How do you spin it?
 

Huge win today!!! Great job Saints. Obviously, the defense deserves the game ball followed by Deuce. Way to find a way to win.

Here are a couple of thoughts...

First, I hate to linger on what COULDA, SHOULDA, WOULDA been, but I just can\'t help it in this case. If the refs in the Carolina game make the RIGHT call on any one of the three botched calls they made last week, the Saints are sitting on a 4 game winning streak after having beat the Panthers and Bucs in back to back weeks. Further, we\'d be 5-4, a half game behind the Panthers who should be 5-3 and a half game ahead of the Bucs who are 4-4. That SUCKS! Still, wins on 3 of our last 4 is nice.

One major concern I have is the offense. Brooks needs to be more consistent. He has this uncanny ability to play like a league MVP one week and a rookie the next. This offense needs to be able to put more than 10 points on the board in a game. That won\'t cut it. They HAVE to come out of the bye week firing. If they can do that, and the defense keeps playing like that, then they have a real shot. I don\'t know if I\'ll say I\'m a believer just yet. They\'ve got a lot of tough games left, but at least they have a chance. Great job today Saints. Keep it up.

How do you spin it?
 

Brooks really didnt have much of a chance today. Joe Horn was used as a decoy most of the day. Michael Lewis was able to get open and capitalize on the double coverage that John Horn demands. The Bucs defense played one hell of a game, however we came up with the bigger plays. Great win for the Saints, hopefully we can get healthy over the bye week.

How do you spin it?
 

Interesting question WhoDat, I don\'t know what to think of this team yet. Just when it seems they are headed for the morgue we see signs of a pulse. While scratching out a win aginst an erratic, flat team that commits six turnovers is\'nt cause to start printing playoff tickets just yet, it was a gutsy hard fought preformance that showed heart and desire. This team fought back when it would of been easy to give up, it showed the very quality it is going to need most if they are to have a chance to over come there own erratic play and tough opposition yet to come.

The inconsistant play of our reciving corp as a whole is troubling and hard to understand. Their unstable preformances coupled with Brooks shifting level of play make for plenty to worry about. However the O line is giving Brooks adaquate time and giving enough daylight for Deuce to show he is a complete athlete worthy of building a team and a season around. His attitude and play show the way for everyone on this team. With a bye to help heal, a defense starting to show something and a little pride returning from a determined win maybe this team can turn it around or maybe they just did.

How do you spin it?
 

Once again, alot of dropped passes and a run up the middle on 4th and 1 (against the Bucs defense). Don\'t do that. The win was huge and got my hopes up a bit.
It\'s a shame that it just make the Carolina game from last week hurt more.
Going into the bye I\'m optimistic. The rest of the games are all possible wins.
Heyooooo!!!!