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!

Black and Gold confirms a report written at 2am this morning that LB Jonathan Vilma is officially a New Orleans Saint.  This also confirms a report almost 2 weeks ago that the Saints were interested in LB Jonathan Vilma and CB Asante Samuel.  

 

Details of the deal are in this article.  Black and Gold also hears, as well as reported sparsely on the internet, that the New Orleans Saints are interested in further beefing up their defense- including meeting with Patriots DB Randall Gay.

Details of the trade for Jonathan Vilma have been sparse but ESPN's John Clayton reports "it is believed Vilma will go to the Saints for a fourth-round pick in 2009 that could be upgraded to a third-round based on how he plays in 2008. Vilma is in the final year of his contract and he goes to New Orleans without a new deal."  Clayton also reports that Vilma wasn't a very good fit in New York because they switched to a 3-4 from a 4-3 defensive set, and Vilma was drafted to be a middle linebacker that fits better in a 4-3 set.

 

 

Sources tell Black and Gold that the Saints are shopping for more improvements to the defense and a real surprise on offense.  We hear that Tennessee Titan DE Travis LaBoy, Jacksonville Jaguar DE Bobby McCray, New England Patriots DB Randall Gay, Dallas Cowboys CB Jacques Reeves and Dallas Cowboys WR Terry Glenn are scheduled to visit the New Orleans Saints tomorrow or within the next few days.

 

 

 

We reported here that the Saints were looking at CB Asante Samuel, but he may come at too high of a price for the Saints.  We confirm that he may be out of the picture and has already signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.  This may open the door for the Saints to further beef up their defensive secondary by visiting with DB Randall Gay and CB Jacques Reeves.