Drew Brees playing one good half was more than enough for the New Orleans Saints against the rudderless Carolina Panthers. Brees shook off a slow start to throw for 260 yards and three touchdowns and run for another score as the Saints stayed competitive in the NFC South race with a 31-6 win over the Panthers on Sunday.

Marques Colston caught seven passes for 93 yards and a TD for the Saints (5-6), who snapped a two-game losing streak. They remained two games behind division-leading Tampa Bay heading to Sunday's home game against the Buccaneers.
    
The Panthers (4-7) lost their fourth straight game, dropped to 0-5 at home and were booed again by their fans after another mistake-filled performance that led David Carr to be benched early in the fourth quarter.

Carr, getting the start after 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde was a late scratch with a sore back, threw seven straight incompletions to start the game. He wasn't much better after that, finishing 10-of-22 for 95 yards and two interceptions. He was replaced by rookie Matt Moore after his second pick.

Not that the Panthers had any running game, either. DeShaun Foster rushed nine times for minus-5 yards and lost a fumble.

Brees and the Saints slogged through the first half, as well, before awakening after halftime with three third-quarter touchdowns to turn a 10-6 game into a rout.

 

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Saints coach Sean Payton said Monday that McKenzie tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while nearly recovering Donovan McNabb's fumble in what turned out to be Philadelphia's first touchdown in the Eagles 38-23 victory in New Orleans on Sunday.  

{sidebar id=9}A fluky injury on a crazy play has ended Saints cornerback Mike McKenzie's season, making New Orleans' slim playoff hopes even slimmer. Saints coach Sean Payton said Monday that McKenzie tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while nearly recovering Donovan McNabb's fumble in what turned out to be Philadelphia's first touchdown in the Eagles 38-23 victory in New Orleans on Sunday.

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Wagon on Fire! Stay Back!--Last season the Saints went into the year with no expectations to accomplish anything beyond the locker room or perhaps with some die hard Saints fans who believed in their team.  They used this approach to band together and by adding a few key pieces to the team found a winning formula.  With their success came a slew full of bandwagon fans that quickly jumped on board.

Wagon on Fire! Stay Back!--Last season the Saints went into the year with no expectations to accomplish anything beyond the locker room or perhaps with some die hard Saints fans who believed in their team.  They used this approach to band together and by adding a few key pieces to the team found a winning formula.  With their success came a slew full of bandwagon fans that quickly jumped on board.

You know the ones, the fans who at the start of last season would discuss over the water cooler at work how horrible the Saints will be.  These same fans watched as their so called “favorite team” were destroyed week after week by the Saints and would suddenly pop up after those games with Saints jerseys on and you began to hear strange talk coming out of their mouths.  They began using words like “we” and “us” when talking about the Saints while showing up with Reggie Bush and Drew Brees jerseys on.  Seeing this transformation in people as they jumped on the bandwagon, you could only shake your head and be thankful that you stocked up on your Saints apparel before the bandwagon fans began raiding the stores. 

This season seemed destined for more of the same with almost everyone favoring the Saints either to make it to the NFC title game or the Super Bowl.  We watched as these bandwagon fans showed up in droves for the Saints first and second games, both of which they lost, only to start disappearing with each passing week.  With each loss on the way to the Saints 0-4 start, fewer and fewer Saints bandwagon fans were showing up.  Suddenly almost all of the bandwagon fans began putting on the jerseys of the teams that they swore allegiance to before jumping on the Saints wagon.  Instantly these fans were denying that they ever were Saints fans and that they had been the die hard fans of whatever team they now claimed as long as they had watched football. 

However, that is all changing again with the Saints now having won four straight and put themselves right back into the playoff picture in the NFC South.  With a 4-4 record and the offense now clicking, those nasty words like “we” “our” and “us” are now beginning to be used again by the fans that abandoned the team during its rough start.  However, Saints fans all over would like to share with you a bit of advice before you pull those Saints jerseys out of your closet.  That advice is to keep those Saints jerseys in your closet and keep off our wagon.  For years true Saints fans have suffered through the ups and downs of this team and while everybody else jumped ship already, the true Saints fans have remained by their side.  Last year this team helped to inspire a city and a region.  This year those same people they inspired stood behind this team and let it be known that no matter what type of start they had, we believe.  That support has paid off and the Saints now have rallied to 4-4 and it’s a new season.

So to those bandwagon fans who are ready to jump back on board the Saints wagon, stay off it, you’re not wanted.  The Patriots and Cowboys are both considered to be hot teams, so go take a look for some room on their wagons.  Here in New Orleans, the wagon is all full and we have no room for any excess baggage.  Only those who remained loyal through the good times and bad are welcome; to all others, you missed your opportunity for a great ride, one that still just might turn out to be something very special come season’s end. 

This week’s Player of the Game is Saints quarterback Drew Brees.  I easily could have picked one or two other players, such as Colston or the Saints defense as a whole, but Brees settled any arguments in just half a game of football.  Brees was 35 of 49 for 445 yards and three touchdowns in the Saints victory this week.  He obviously doesn’t look to be pressing any longer when throwing the ball.  Once again he seems confident and secure back in the pocket and appears to be comfortable leading the team.  Overall Drew Brees had an amazing performance today and in what was suppose to be the week where Tom Brady and Peyton Manning played the game that most fans considered to be the big match up of the week, Brees seemed to overshadow them both. 

Q & A is the question and answer section.  If you have a question you would like answered, email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject heading of Q&A and we will try to answer the question to the best of our ability.

Q – JB, thanks for the site and all the work that you and others put in week after week.  My question is along the lines of the running back situation. I have always felt that Deuce has been the heart and soul of the team the last few years, but is tragically a non factor this year.  Do you think Reggie Bush has read too much of the "never will be an every down back" press, when he should he should just relax and play to his strengths of outside and passing game? Also, I saw something in Pierre Thomas that seemed to be "lightning in a bottle" in preseason and a few plays this season.  Maybe he would make the team look bad for investing so much in Reggie, if they play him much more than they have? Thanks – Terry

Saints vs. Rams Game Preview

Psycho’s View

The Saints are continuing to surprise and shock us all as they appear to have completely put the horrible start to the season behind them and are now focused on the task at hand.  However, the one area of concern I personally still have is the kicking game for the Saints.  Orlando Mare is kicking 50% on his field goals and in my opinion this is unacceptable.  I know the team supports him, but it is my belief that he has had his opportunity to work out his problems and with half the season now done eventually his misses are going to cost the Saints.  Overall there are a few kickers out there with some potential or some history that could come in and help the Saints.  Even if the team only got 75% accuracy from their kicker, then it would still be an upgrade over the current situation.  My suggestion is for the Saints once again to audition some kickers and prepare to make a change because eventually this problem could turn into their Achilles heel.

This week’s Player of the Game is Maqcues Colston.  Colston had a solid game today, finishing with 7 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown.  This has been an up and down season for the Saints and Colston, but hopefully this performance will give the team something to build off this week and help the Saints continue to try and become a more consistent contender.  Hopefully the team will be able to review tape from this week of what worked & what was vital in getting Colston involved so that they can use it to their benefit against the Bucs as they make their push down the stretch to try and make the playoffs.