Saints up to challenge of hurt Payton
 

Sheldon Mickles
Advocate sportswriter
October 25, 2011


After what we all witnessed Sunday night, it would be easy to compare the New Orleans Saints to the top-ranked LSU football team.

Much like Les Miles’ Tigers, who have made sidestepping potential distractions an art form, the Saints, more often than not, simply adjust and do what it takes to make the best of a bad situation when they come across one.

Take Sunday’s game with the Indianapolis Colts in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. After taking a 62-7 thumping from the Saints, the Colts would just as soon forget about it.

There was some concern among Saints’ fans that the leg injury that confined Sean Payton to the coaches’ booth high atop the Superdome would affect the workings of the NFL’s second-ranked offense, and perhaps the defense when you consider how active Payton is on the sideline.

At the forefront of their fears were Payton’s ability to radio the play call down to offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr., who would then send it in to quarterback Drew Brees via the tiny speakers in his helmet.

It took all of 10 minutes of the first-quarter clock, however, to lay those concerns to rest when the Saints rolled to touchdowns on their first two possessions.

But they weren’t done.

Full article below.
Saints up to challenge of hurt Payton | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA