Heartbreak
 

To lose in this fashion - to be out-coached, outplayed, out muscled, and out "hearted" is a terrible way to end the fairy tale season. If we had just played it hard and lost, we could walk away with honor. As it is, the sports-writing community will just say it's 2000 all over again and we've essentially proved nothing. I know it shouldn't matter, but in our seemingly never-ending search for respect on a National theatre - we've just undone everything that we worked so hard for this season.

I place the blame squarely on our coach. He was joking around with a very serious Lovie Smith prior to the game - and I turned to my wife and said, "I only know a great coach by what I've seen in the past. All the great ones were all business during clutch time. Our coach acting this way makes me nervous." Our team did not look prepared for this game - not the weather, not the environment, and not for the Bears.

RE: Heartbreak
 

oh i am not jumping on that damn bandwagon. it was a great season and payton and the team got us to where we were. they lost together today too. simple as that. dropped balls, and fumbles did not help. we lost, it happens. we willbe back next year. we are a force. we did not expect to be here and i thank them for the ride. i am not blaming anyone for the loss. we had chances to win this game. we did not execute. it wasn't our day and that comes aorund. it is a learning experience and guess what this loss keeps us hungry. win to fast and maybe the hunger leaves. lose when it is so close and maybe you appreciate it. we will be back.

oh and um can we draft a corner please!!!!!!

RE: Heartbreak
 

I will not blame Payton for the loss, he was one of the reasons the Saints got this far into the playoffs, let's not forget the 3-13 season we had last season.
Fred Thomas on the other hand has got to go, he was terrible out there today.
Brees didn't have protection today, something he had all season, I give credit to the Bears front 4, they brought the pressure all afternoon.

FRENZY Relax - and rethink how you feel after the defeat is not fresh.
Though some of your statements are true. This coach is fine - Put yourself back in late August-- because you sound like the ridiculos Yankee fans I have out here in New York.
Thats probably why I do not root for a home team here in NY in the first place.
I feel crappy too right now - I always liked F.Thomas --but Priority one is a CB.
SOUNDCHASER

I'm really proud of the season and what the team has accomplished but this game was just plain horrible. Bad tackling, dropped balls, fumbles, all the ingredients for a defeat. Every team can have a bad game, I'm just sad this game had to be the worst of the year. I'm sure the Saints will be back next year thou. I've got FAITH!

Its possible my thoughts about what I saw on that field today may change with the perspective of time. Time to think, time for the shame to ease - but I doubt it. We played well enough all year, and I won't forget what got us here. But what defines you in life is how you finish the things you start, not how you go along the way. Look at Peyton Manning for a prime example; if he loses to Brady and the Pats today - its the same old story and all you fans know what I mean.

I expected to see a bunch of "Fred Thomas needs to go" garbage after the game. Though I happen to agree that he's past it, his play had NOTHING to do with today's performance. Five fumbles (four lost) added to the INTs - had nothing to do with Thomas. The defense (and Thomas included) kept us in that game. It was the poor performance by our offense that put it out of reach.

There's no doubt that I won't ever forget this season, and I hope to see similar performance next year. I wasn't one of those running my mouth about how we were going to beat Chicago - talking trash. Even so, I feel like I should be eating crow for how badly their defense and their coaching made our vaunted offense look so bad. So with that in mind, I'll say right in plain written English - the Bears schooled our team today.

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STILL PROUD TO BE A SAINTS FAN! Thank You Thank You Thank You Boys! 39-14 Bears I dont give a damn Im Still A SAINTS Fan! Hold your heads High. 3-13 to the NFC Championship. Come On give some love to "OUR" Boys.
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Theres always the heartbreak.....this year it came in the NFC championship game and not our usual elimination by week 7. Sure this loss hurts, but its a step forward, a HUGE step forward and Im damn proud of our boys.

They schooled us today, but I fail to see how you can place this loss on Payton's shoulders. Whether or not you felt he was "joking" with Lovie Smith, he didn't fumble the ball 4 times. When you turn the ball over that many times, you lose the game, simple as that. I don't care who you are.

That said, I'm still very proud of the entire team, and look forward anxiously to next year.