3rd quarter report card
 

Interesting read from pass the Jelly .

New Orleans Saints (8-4)
Before last weekend's critical victory over Tampa Bay, the Saints were playing more like the Sinners, with quarterback Aaron Brooks looking nearly as suspect as the team's No. 24-rated defense. Whether the win over the Bucs serves as a springboard for the rest of the season, or turns into a swan dive off the 10-meter platform, remains to be seen. The Saints can be up and down, but possess enough big playmakers, mostly on the offensive side of the ball, to be troublesome in the postseason. A noted streak shooter, Brooks is the key to a potentially explosive offense, one in which tailback Deuce McAllister has become a centerpiece. But the Saints are at their best when spreading the field, and using big line gaps for McAllister, and coordinator Mike McCarthy or head coach Jim Haslett haven't always done that in recent weeks.
Grade: B. (First-quarter: A-; Midseason: B+)