Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

I think man for man the Saints or just plain better than the colts. WE WIN!! (the score don't matter)

Longtimefan...Your Avatar is a beast! (my new desktop background)

who dat

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

[QUOTE=ssmitty;137320]manning should have little trouble finding the endzone
against the saints defense.[quote]

You keep saying this like it's a foregone conclusion.

The Colts offense isn't as good as you think and our defense isn't nearly as ineffective as you think.

The Saints biggest defensive liability from last year isn't going to be on the field in the same position as last year. The guy that's likely to be there has been practicing against Manning and the Colts receivers for the last four years.

We are still talking about a team in the colts that split their division last year. And only Jacksonville's defense is even nearly in the same category as ours.

Oh you mean the #1 offense in the NFL last year? Against the #32 defense against the run?

You mean a defense that's been decimated by free agency and injury?

I think they'll keep up.

The Manning worship is killing me! He's clearly the #1 (or #1A) QB in the NFL. But he doesn't play by himself.

That's the point I think you keep missing. The Saints have a far superior overall team than the Colts at this time. And our QB is either 1A, 2, or 2A on the list (depending on where you want to slot him relative to Brady and possibly Palmer).

The Saints offense is going to tear up the Colts like tissue paper. Think about the Dallas game last year. The Cowboys had (and have) a far superior defense than the Colts.

No doubt. But the Colts have been severely weakened over the offseason, while the Saints have not only maintained coheasiveness, but have improved on the defensive side of the ball.
I'll bet the score will be reversed with the Saints totally dominating the time of posession.

I fervently believe that you have the wrong focus. The Colts defense won't be able to stop the little Sisters of the Poor much less the most dynamic, potent, offense in the NFL.

You still haven't bothered to account for the matchup between the unproven rookie (Ugoh) against the Pro Bowl defensive end on Manning's blind side. I'll take the Fresh Prince for $1000 please Alex!

We are good enough. We are better than the Colts on both sides of the ball. We have a caretaker in Brees.

Go back and take a look at the result the last time Brees played the Colts in Indy. A recap discussing Brees and the Colts can be found here:

Scout.com: Looming Large: Drew Brees

The Saints are no longer a fluke. They don't need fluky plays to play with the best teams in this league any more. All we need is for the offense to be themselves and not turn over the ball and the defense to limit the big plays and generate a few stops and a turnover or two. That's all. Given that, the Saints will be very successful...

Even against the Almighty Manning.

SFIAH

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

Bravo, SaintFan. Easily the post of the day.

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

i am not looking to ruffle feathers on my take of this game......
all i am saying is the saints have to prove they can take it
to the next level..........
i was there for the first kickoff in tulane stadium and will be
there til they bury me........
i have never, never been more proud of them......
with that said, i stick to what i said......
i hope the saints kill em.......
but this is a tough test to say the least.......
while i am the utmost diehard fan, i have mellowed
through the years and learned to take everything with
a grain of salt.....
i hope everyone has a field day mocking me friday
if the saints win, (i will soak it in like a sponge)
but i will not be discouraged if they lose...
there are many tests ahead, this is just one...
and the more they pass those tests, the more
i see em taking it to the next level.
and that is what i want..............smitty

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

The 1st quarter will set the tempo.
We stink then, the Colts will run riot.
If there is only a FG or so difference and the losing team is in possession, then it is down to the wire and it will be a gr8 game for TV and the eventual winners.
We are up and gelling, then we will start to control the game for a wonderful start to the season.

Geaux Saints!

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

This isn't Chicago outdoors in the dead of winter fellas. This is a horrible run defense that is worse with the loss of McFarland. Duece and Reggie will run for over 200 yards combined, we will double the Colts in time of possession, and Tony Ugoh is going to get a baptism by fire when the Manimal is on him play after play. This is the game where all eyes will be opened to the kind of team we have this year. Have Faith men!

I am so jacked for this game, I'm going to watch "300"

"This is where we fight....This is where they die!"

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

RUN THE BALL

For us is the key. Keep it more run, and West Coast style of play. Keeps the Colts D on the field, and tired and that keeps Manning off the field. If it comes down to us playing possy w/Indy. I wont be worried w/Reggie, Henderson, and Colston's Big play ability

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

There`s no doubt Manning is hard to beat. He is a master at sizing up the defense and making adjustments before the snap and making DB`s bite on the run and then burn them for huge chunks. Sean Payton knows this and I expect he has a few surprises for Mr. Manning. If our defense can out-scheme and short-circut Manning's playbook and hold Indy to 24 pts, we get the W.

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

I understand that. But you're talking about a team that was one game removed from making it to the SB last year. A team that didn't make it to the SB because they were shut down by a superior defense in conditions that the team had never played in.

The Colts are neither. It's taken the Colts nearly a decade to finally get over the hump and that took a total defensive turnaround to pull off. A defensive turnaround that they are not likely to duplicate this season due to the fact that they no longer have the same personnel.

I was 2 and in Louisville KY at that first kickoff. I became a long time season ticket holder as a kid in 1972. I remember touring the SuperDome when it first opened in 1975.

I know the feeling of being a Long Time Saints Fan.
Here's where we disagree. It became clear during the course of the 2006 season that this current edition of the Saints has problems against outstanding defenses, not outstanding offenses. Defenses that can pressure Brees from the interior of the line and clog of throwing lanes. Defenses that have LBs that can both stuff the interior run and can sweep to the flat and cover Reggie out there. Defenses with physical corners that make life tough for our WR.

But there are only 4 or 5 such defenses in the NFL and we faced all virtually all of them last year: Baltimore, Chicago, Pittsburg, Carolina. Jacksonville probably qualifies too. We'll see three of them again this year in Chicago, Carolina, and Jacksonville.

Sean Payton's Saints offense puts so much pressure against opposing teams that our defense only needs to be a bit above average to be successful. We're talking about a team here that went deep into the playoffs and yet finished second to last in turnovers. If our defense can just get to an average number of turnovers, along with the way that Brees and the offense takes care of the ball, then we'll be even more successful than last year.

It's all good. I just caution you to take Indy with a grain of salt. While Manning is clearly a HOF QB, he's currently on a team that has a difficult time stopping anyone. That decimated defense simply cannot maintain the emotion of a playoff run over a 16 game regular season.

Simply put on Thursday our defense will get a couple of stops, and possibly a turnover or two. Their defense won't get either. And that will be the margin of victory.

SFIAH

Re: final take on saints/colts game.........
 

that is where we disagree......
i believe manning will shred our defense but if whatever
scheme payton and the defense has in place works,
then we take it to the next level.....
in a shootout, i'll have to go with manning.......
he's done it against the best defenses, we have not....
brees somehow loses his cool and gets rattled
against the better defenses, manning just keeps coming,
and although it may not be all brees' fault, he has to find
a way to step up, ( he is the leader)
granted we are not talking about the best defenses here,
which favors manning more than brees imo......
but, i am looking for a step up.........
this is the way to the s.b..............
and we need to find a way........