Reason, not excuse. The drop-off in performance is most likely due to the lack of preparation coupled with the inferior talent of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th string replacements. Every single game in this streak we've had no fewer than a half dozen players that haven't had more than two or three (limited) days of snaps with the 1st string. All continuity has been thrown out the window. There is ultimately a point of greatly diminished returns. Replacing two or three players can be accomplished with limited negative affects. The same cannot be said for replacing 40% of the starters. We've been seeing pretty much what I was expecting regardless of my "rosy" rhetoric.

There are currently ten teams in the league with the same or fewer wins as the Saints. That's a 3rd of the league and all have been affected more or less by the same issues we have faced as a team.

I do understand, however, that this doesn't make it any easier to stomach for many fans. I'll assure you that it doesn't make it any easier to stomach for the players, coaches, and front offices either. Unfortunately they all know that there's no easy immediate solution.