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Playing well, getting healthy priorities for New Orleans Saints
By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
December 31, 2009, 5:00AM
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he didn't watch Monday night's game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears because he didn't really know what to root for.

Sure, he admitted, it was nice to hear that the Vikings had lost, meaning the Saints had clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
But at the same time, Brees kind of liked the idea of treating this Sunday's regular-season finale at Carolina as a "must-win" game.
Instead, the Saints likely will rest some injured players and limit the playing time of several starters, Brees included.
"To be quite honest with you, I was just telling myself the entire time, 'Listen, Minnesota's going to win, we're going to have to win this Carolina game in order to claim the No. 1 seed. And this is the way we want it, this is the way we like it, so that's the way it's going to be, ' " Brees said. "Then all of a sudden, you get the news, 'Hey, Chicago won, you guys got the 1 seed.'
"Now it's like, OK, well, still the same mind-set of needing to fix things and get better. But also the fact that we've already claimed the No. 1 seed, now you start to take into account the fact that we need to get some guys healthy."
Saints Coach Sean Payton didn't reveal his plan for which players will play or how long, but he said, "There may be a guy or two that we elect not to play." And he indicated that backup quarterback Mark Brunell likely will see some playing time.
Payton did, however, say he hasn't changed his mind about how important it is for his team to play well after it struggled in back-to-back losses to Dallas and Tampa Bay.
"What's most important is the process here this week as we get ready. Today we had the pads on and had a good practice with energy, " said Payton.
"I think our players understand that there's really only one way to play a game, " Payton said. "You can't go half-in. It may vary who goes in, but there's only one way to approach this game.
"It's physical. The team we're playing is physical. And the challenge we're facing this week is to prepare with the best plan and go on the road and play Carolina, who is playing well."
This wouldn't be such a dilemma for the Saints (13-2) if they hadn't lost so much momentum the past two weeks. Three years ago, when they were locked into the No. 2 seed heading into a Week 17 matchup against these same Carolina Panthers, their choice to rest players was much simpler.
Some players, such as defensive end Will Smith and tailback Deuce McAllister, weren't active. Brees played one series and led the Saints on a touchdown drive before handing the reins over to backup Jamie Martin. Carolina went on to win 31-21, but it hardly affected the Saints' momentum.
This season there's a different vibe, especially after the way they lost against Tampa Bay last Sunday. The Saints blew a 17-0 lead and got shut out in the second half before losing 20-17 in overtime.
"I know a lot of guys on the team, if you ask them, they want to play, " said Saints linebacker Scott Fujita, one of the veterans who's been banged up for the past couple months. "Guys are hungry to get out and play and put on a good show, because we haven't done so in the last couple weeks."
Smith said it isn't about momentum as much as it is about simple pride.
"I don't think anybody wants to take the day off just because they can take the day off, " Smith said. "Everybody here is competitive. Everybody loves going out and playing each Sunday, and everybody wants to go out and win the game."
Cornerback Jabari Greer, who has missed the past seven games with a sports hernia, echoed that sentiment. He said he's determined to play Sunday if he's cleared by the Saints' medical staff -- not because he's worried about "shaking off the rust, " but because he's tired of sitting and watching from the sideline.
"If I can go, I'm going to go, " Greer said. "No matter what type of game it is."
The best-case scenario for the Saints would probably be a fast, efficient start that allows them to regain a confidence and momentum, while still allowing the starters to finish early.
But even that might not be enough for to quench their competitive thirst.
"How much would we be up by? Would the game be in hand?" safety Darren Sharper asked when faced with that scenario.
When someone suggested a 10-point lead, Sharper said, "Nah. . . . That's going to be the coaches' decision."
Regardless of what that decision is, Sharper said, "Playing better football is our main goal."
There is one other fringe benefit that comes with resting the starters -- giving some valuable game experience to the backups.
That could be particularly helpful to Brunell. Although he has appeared in 185 NFL games in his 17-year career, including the playoffs, and started 160, he has thrown one regular-season pass in two seasons with the Saints.
"As much time as you can get out there, that's great, " Brunell said, "and that goes for anybody in a supporting role on this team."
Last but not least, in the midst of debating how to treat Sunday's game at Carolina, the Saints did take some time to appreciate the accomplishment of earning the first No. 1 seed in franchise history -- even though it didn't happen while they were on the field.
"We earned that, " Brees said. "I mean, you can say all you want, we haven't played the way we've wanted to play the last two weeks, and we've come up with losses, but we won enough games before that. We won enough games before that to get that 1 seed. So we didn't back into anything. So, yeah, we're proud of that.
"But then again, once you're in the playoffs, your record doesn't mean squat. All it does is seed you and maybe give you the opportunity to play at home. But other than that, it doesn't promise you anything.

Playing well, getting healthy priorities for New Orleans Saints | New Orleans Saints Central - - NOLA.com

ScottF

I hope SP and Williams don't have a margin that we hit, and then they yank all of the starters. I mean, we were up by 17 last week and lost, so...

I'd rather see more rotation on offense like we see on D: get eveyone in, but with fewer snaps. Earlier I would have said sit everybody, but we don't want to go into the first playoff game having gone 34 days without a win

SaintFanInATLHELL

I really think we're going to have to go back to the Little League adage here: It's doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

If the offense is sharp for two possessions and scores twice, off the field they go. If the defense has a couple of three and outs or a turnover early, again off the field they go.

This is a tune up, a practice, a scrimmage, a preseason game. It's a chance to get some work in and stay sharp.

I'm just going to keep saying it. This team has won 13 games. They have nothing to prove.

It would be really really really REALLY!!! stupid to lose a starter in the 4th quarter of a meaningless game.

The only reason I would play starters at all is simply to have some game rhythm to stay sharp. Otherwise they'd all be on the bench with caps on.

If Hartley had made his kick last Sunday, we wouldn't be having this discussion. So just pretend that he did make that kick, and let's not continue to have this discussion.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.