The New Orleans Saints, having been decimated by a rash of injuries, are facing an impasse when they march into Kansas City to play the Chiefs. In a season that finds the team many favored to win the competitive NFC South in LAST PLACE, the Saints will find out what they are made of as a team.
Black and Gold Fan Shop
The New Orleans Saints, having been decimated by a rash of injuries, are facing an impasse when they march into Kansas City to play the Chiefs. In a season that finds the team many favored to win the competitive NFC South in LAST PLACE, the Saints will find out what they are made of as a team.
Kansas City is traditionally one of the most difficult places for a visitor to emerge with a win. Their raucous fans are loud, spirited, and inspire their team to play a notch or two above the norm. For the Saints to win the game, they must (above all else) play a the game without a turnover. This is because the Saints, under Sean Payton, are undefeated when the they have ZERO turnovers. It is even more important in this game where the Chiefs are second in the NFL only to the undefeated Tennessee Titans in turnover differential… impressive, indeed.
The Saints will also have to be deliberate and patient in the ground game. The Saints are 3-17 when they pass 40+ times in a game. And surprisingly, the Saints abandoned the run vs. Atlanta, despite have a superior YPC average in the game. This means that Deuce, Stecker, Pierre Thomas (and possibly Reggie Bush) may have to share the load by committee. But if they control the ground game and don’t turn the ball over, you have to really like their chances.
Larry Johnson, a fearsome runner for the Chiefs, returns in this game after a one-game suspension. Sedrick Ellis needs to be stout in the middle, and the entire defensive line needs to be disciplined in maintaining their lanes. If they do, the linebackers will be able to help effectively, and the secondary won’t have to be overly concerned about run support. But if the Chiefs’ offensive line controls the line of scrimmage, it might be a long day that will wear-down the Saints’ defense.
Drew Brees, who is about 300 yds. AHEAD of Dan Marino’s record-pace for most passing yards in a regular season, needs to average 300 or more yards for the remaining seven games to be atop that statistic in the NFL record book. While we all pull for Brees to gain this prestigious personal record, I’m sure that he, his teammates, and the fans would trade all of that for a trip to the postseason this year. And if that sounds impossible, you can pretty much say that the Saints control their own destiny. If they win out (and finish at 11-5), they’ll make the playoffs. This is because every 11-5 team has made the playoffs since the NFL went to the expanded 16-game schedule. It’s an uphill climb, but it is attainable. The Saints just have to take it one-game-at-a-time.
I have a “gut feeling” that if they are able to play within their abilities, and emerge with a win at Kansas City, they will have momentum. And assuming that, fast-forward to the following week when they play the Packers in the Superdome on Monday Night Football. The place will be “electric,” and they will be able to put themselves back in the playoff hunt by emerging (after the MNF game) with a 6-5 record (with 5 games to go).
Again, the team has put themselves in a bit of a hole. But all they have to do is pull together and believe in each other. Forget what the so-called “football experts” have to say. And forget what any other team thinks. For right now, they are still a contender, and the Who Dat Nation is in their corner.
