The Saints have their backs against the walls. They are on the verge of elimination from the playoff race. Really?

No Reggie? No Deuce? No sweat for Drew Brees, whose decisions and accuracy are turning role players into menacing threats at a crucial juncture in the season for the New Orleans Saints.

{sidebar id=9}No Reggie? No Deuce? No sweat for Drew Brees, whose decisions and accuracy are turning role players into menacing threats at a crucial juncture in the season for the New Orleans Saints.

Brees connected on 86.7 percent of his throws for 315 yards and two touchdowns, keeping the Saints' playoff hopes alive in a 31-24 triumph over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

"We're really getting the best out of ourselves right now," said Brees, who completed 26 of 30 passes to three receivers, a tight end and three running backs. "This is the time to come together."

 

With a loss severely hurting playoff hopes for either team, the game was a high-anxiety affair. Played indoors, it was no less sloppy than some of the weather-affected contests far to the north.

Fumbles by each team set up opponents' scores. Roman Harper's interception of Kurt Warner's tipped pass set up another Saints touchdown.

The victory guaranteed New Orleans (7-7) would remain no worse than one game out of the wild-card race behind Minnesota (7-6), which plays Monday night against Chicago. Arizona (6-8), meanwhile, has little hope of a postseason berth after its second loss in a row.

"It was just too many mistakes for us today," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "I really believe that we are on the right track. We're getting players in the right situations (but) we're not making those plays. ... Maybe we could use a little more confidence."

New Orleans is increasingly confident after winning two straight without Deuce McAllister, who went out for the season in Week 3, or Reggie Bush, who missed his second game of the season with a partially torn left knee ligament.

 

 

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Here's the latest confounding result for the maddeningly inconsistent New Orleans Saints: Their most impressive rushing performance of the season came without either of their star running backs.

With the discovery of Reggie Bush's torn knee ligament last week and with Deuce McAllister having gone out for the season back in Week 3, the Saints lined up in Atlanta on Monday night with a running back tandem of veteran third-stringer Aaron Stecker and undrafted rookie Pierre Thomas.

Combined with Devery Henderson's 15-yard gain on an end-around, New Orleans rushed for 145 total yards, better than in any of their previous 12 games.

"We have guys that stepped up and played real well last night," Payton said Tuesday after he reviewed game film. "You're going to lose some players. ... You know you're going to have to rely on some other players during their time off. That's just the reality of our game. Hopefully you can still have consistency within your attack, either on defense or offense and in your kicking game."

The Saints aren't saying whether they think they'll get Bush back at all this season. Payton said he expected to have some sort of update on Wednesday afternoon.

Bush has a torn left posterior cruciate ligament, which does not require surgery but likely would require at least a month to heal enough for him to play again.

The Saints have only three games left in the regular season, but at 6-7 still remain only a game behind Minnesota for the final wild-card playoff spot in the NFC.

Should the Saints place Bush on injured reserve it would mean they believe his injury is serious enough that he could not help even if New Orleans made the playoffs.

{sidebar id=9}Here's the latest confounding result for the maddeningly inconsistent New Orleans Saints: Their most impressive rushing performance of the season came without either of their star running backs.

With the discovery of Reggie Bush's torn knee ligament last week and with Deuce McAllister having gone out for the season back in Week 3, the Saints lined up in Atlanta on Monday night with a running back tandem of veteran third-stringer Aaron Stecker and undrafted rookie Pierre Thomas.

Combined with Devery Henderson's 15-yard gain on an end-around, New Orleans rushed for 145 total yards, better than in any of their previous 12 games.

"We have guys that stepped up and played real well last night," Payton said Tuesday after he reviewed game film. "You're going to lose some players. ... You know you're going to have to rely on some other players during their time off. That's just the reality of our game. Hopefully you can still have consistency within your attack, either on defense or offense and in your kicking game."

The Saints aren't saying whether they think they'll get Bush back at all this season. Payton said he expected to have some sort of update on Wednesday afternoon.

Bush has a torn left posterior cruciate ligament, which does not require surgery but likely would require at least a month to heal enough for him to play again.

The Saints have only three games left in the regular season, but at 6-7 still remain only a game behind Minnesota for the final wild-card playoff spot in the NFC.

Should the Saints place Bush on injured reserve it would mean they believe his injury is serious enough that he could not help even if New Orleans made the playoffs.

 

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The 2007 New Orleans Saints are in a position without much "wiggle room."  With their disappointing 24-10 loss to the resurgent Houston Texans, the Saints are on the receiving end of a firestorm of commentary from local fans and national media.  The 2006 "Media Darlings" have seemingly fallen from the favor of many, and are derided by pundits and rivals around the league.

Earn It:  The Mantra the Saints Never Rejected

The 2007 New Orleans Saints are in a position without much "wiggle room."  With their disappointing 24-10 loss to the resurgent Houston Texans, the Saints are on the receiving end of a firestorm of commentary from local fans and national media.  The 2006 "Media Darlings" have seemingly fallen from the favor of many, and are derided by pundits and rivals around the league.

What has happened to the Saints?  That's the question that many continue to ask.  Is there an answer?  After all, isn't this largely the same team that made it all the way to the NFC Championship game in 2006?  The answer is:  Yes.  And without fanfare, I will give you a synopsis of why I believe the 2007 Saints will make a serious run for the postseason.

Reason #1:  The fan base is the best in the NFL.

Fans endured the early years at old Tulane Stadium.
Fans endured two false hope 8-8 seasons on the brink of the playoffs.
Fans rejoiced with a breakthrough first-ever playoff appearance in 1987.
Fans lamented a Dome Patrol era overshadowed by the dynasty of the 49'ers.
Fans were betrayed by the false promises of Mike Ditka's "Iron Era."
Fans were ecstatic over a Milne recovery of a muffed punt for 1st ever playoff win.
Fans witnessed the roller coaster ride of Haslett-Brooks all the way to post-Katrina.
Fans were rewarded with a "miracle season" of 2006 that was PERFECT timing!
Fans now have an opportunity to see what this 2007 team is made of at crunch time.

Reason #2:  The coach is Sean Payton.

Somewhat of an unknown, Sean Payton impressed the Saints' front office with his interview prior to the 2006 season.  We have seen what he's made of, and the impressive thing about him is that he DOES NOT pass the buck.  And no matter how difficult the situation or circumstances, he holds everyone accountable …including himself.  He is truly at his best when the Saints have the lead.  But he is also showing that he can direct a comeback strategy when the going gets rough.

Reason #3:  The quarterback is Drew Brees.

If you follow Drew Brees' football pathway from high school, to setting records at Purdue, to his current stint in the pros, he has NEVER been a loser.  His NFL-best performance in 2006 among active QB's should not be downplayed.  And if you think he's ready to "tank" in 2007, consider his performance vs. the stout defense of the Jaguars in week 9.  Yes, there have been rough spots, but when it comes down to leading a team that's in the thick of things; we won't regret having #9 calling the signals.  Just watch the results for the remainder of the season, folks. 

Reason #4:  The featured back is Reggie Bush.

Reggie is one of the most committed and dedicated athletes in all of professional sports.  If you follow his work ethic, you'll find that few humans on the planet would be able to keep up with his rigorous workouts.  That's Reggie's standard.  He is tough on himself and some think that he's trying to do too much.  But who would you rather have on your team?  Despite his athletic gifts, he is not too proud to take advice from veterans and coaching tips from the coaches.  Reggie is the first to tell you how much he appreciated the leadership and mentoring offered by Dulymus "Deuce" McAllister.  And now in his second season, Reggie has been thrust into the lead role at running back with a bulls-eye target placed on him by opposing defensive coordinators.  Despite all of the distractions and nay-saying, Reggie still puts forth 100%.  Somehow, I think the man wearing #25 for the Saints will take his game up another notch or two between now and season's end.  Believe it, folks!


Reason #5:  The players are teammates that believe in each other.

There is a nucleus of players in the Saints' locker room that is solid.  If there is dissention, you don't hear it outside of their private domain.  That is a healthy thing, and absolutely essential if a team is to turn things around.  The team seems to feed off each other's efforts, and they will be absolutely DANGEROUS to the opposition when they start clicking down the home stretch.  There are veterans with Super Bowl rings that do NOT brag on it.  Rather, they strive to lead by example.  They also "have each other's backs" no matter what is going on.  This helps and doesn't hinder a team in making a serious move toward the postseason, and it starts with leadership and locker room cohesiveness.  The Saints certainly have that.

Reason #6:  They have already survived adversity.

The Saints have done what only one other team in NFL history has done:  Won four straight after dropping the first four games of the season.  There have been boatloads of teams that have started out 0-4.  If you think about it, there is a reason why it has only been done once before.  That's because it's a nearly impossible mountain to climb.  Well, this team demonstrated a lot of character in this accomplishment.

Reason #7:  "Earn It" is more than a catchy slogan.

Adversity separates the men from the boys.  When the preseason predictions pump you up and say that you are head-and-shoulders above the rest of the conference, it's easy to get out there and smile before the cameras. 

Sean Payton and the coaching staff did something that emphasized that the Saints will not get a "cakewalk gift" to the NFC Championship:  They had a "mock burial" of 2006 awards and recognition.  And to their credit, Coach Payton didn't let pride get in the way of symbolically digging-up the 2006 accomplishments after the team's rough start this year.  The thing that we should remember is that the 2007 mantra of "Earn It" is now engrained in the Saints' mindset, and they take nothing for granted.

The "empty bandwagon" nestled in the corner of the team's Airline Highway indoor practice facility is a constant reminder that it takes a commitment from all 53 on the active roster (along with a dedicated coaching staff).  The display was not intended to send a message that they don't care about fan support.  Instead, it underscored the fact that there are some who will be in your corner when things are going well.  But when the chips are down, you find out who really believes in you.  Rest assured, there is still a remnant of loyal Black and Gold fans who have their feet super-glued to the platform of that "Who Dat" Nation bandwagon.

The Saints have a precious six games left on the schedule.  The march for the postseason begins with three consecutive NFC South opponents.  And if you're into tiebreakers, there are many who don't know that there are only four (4) NFC teams with FEWER conference losses than the Saints- Cowboys and Packers included. 

I like their chances.  This team knows that if they "bring it" with a solid effort, they pretty much control their own destiny.  But, as the mantra so well puts it, they will have to "Earn It" one-game-at-a-time.

Geaux Saints, Geaux.  Who Dat!

Bashing is the name of the game when the New Orleans Saints lose.  Saints star running back Reggie Bush is not immune.  After fumbling a pitch-back reverse late in the game against the Bucs on Sunday, Reggie Bush reads more like George Bush in the media, forums and Saints blogisphere. 

Bashing is the name of the game when the New Orleans Saints lose.  Saints star running back Reggie Bush is not immune.  After fumbling a pitch-back reverse late in the game against the Bucs on Sunday, Reggie Bush reads more like George Bush in the media, forums and Saints blogisphere.

 

WGSO.COM reports and AP article