arsaint

Ignoring the NFC East. We have head to head with the Cowboys and Giants and need to win both, but we only have to finish ahead of 1 of them because the other will win that division...

Schedules of those ahead of us:


Bears (7-2, 4-1 NFC) : @SF, MIN, SEA, @MIN, GB, @ARZ, @DET

Packers (7-3, 5-2 NFC) : @NYG, MIN, DET, @CHI, TEN, @MIN

49ers (6-2-1, 4-2-1 NFC) : CHI, @NO, @STL, MIA, @NE, @SEA, ARZ

Seahawks (6-4, 4-4 NFC) : @MIA, @CHI, ARZ, @BUF, SF, STL

Bucs (6-4, 3-4 NFC) : ATL, @DEN, PHI, @NO, STL, @ATL

Vikings (6-4, 4-3 NFC) : @CHI, @GB, CHI, @STL, @HOU, GB


Bucs & Vikings schedules are brutal.

We just need to beat out either the 2nd place NFC West team or the 2nd place NFC North team...

UK_WhoDat

All fair arsaints. But it all means nada if the Saints do not run their schedule 1st. The Saints schedule is no easier.

One thing to note is the number of games between our "protangonists" of NFC North. Curently they combined have 10 losses league-wide. Which every way you cut it, they combined will have a MINIMUM of 15 losses. I reckon, in all likelihood that 2 of those teams will have 6+ losses.

TheKillerBs

Alright, screw it! I'm drinking the Kool-Aid! 11-5!!!

Vrillon82

Red Zone defense is what is really paying off on that defense.

I guess its because its hard to get burned 40 yard down field when all you need to cover is about 10-15 yard zone.

D_it_up

I was thinking this exact thing yesterday. The Saints defense may suck for 80 yards of the field, but if the opposing team gets inside the 20, it's on lock down lately.

burningmetal

The defense really in truly does need to do a better job in between the 20's, but for now it's plenty good enough. If they bend this much against elite teams, they will break, however (for the record, I don't consider Atlanta elite, though it was still an admirable performance by the D, nonetheless). It's nothing schematic, it's just a matter of tackling better. We missed a butt load of tackles today, but would either get a turnover or would finally buckle down in the red zone. If they can consistently tackle and keep creating turnovers, we're going to be impossible to beat. That's a big if, but all signs are pointing in the right direction, at least.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

SaintsBro

I thought you were kinda down on Vitt after the Broncos game?!! Like it was gonna be more of the same as Kromer? It took a game for him to get up to speed, but ya have to admit, these days they are back to LOOKING LIKE the familiar Saints we're used to.

I've become convinced, that the defense giving up yards thing, I've decided this is just how we are rolling this year. It is what it is. But it seems to me like they've held on more 1st-and-goal stands this year than in the entire last few years put together.

Mardigras9

Have some tuff games coming up and there will be the true test. They have climbed back into a possible run (with some help) and that is all we hoped for.

Supertek

It does seem like when oposing teams get in the red zone something kicks in on our defense and I also will take that every day. I so want to sweep Atlanta and be the team that takes them out in the playoffs. PLAYOFFS! Oh yea and I like that call to give us 10 extra seconds to score. Some of those celebration and BS penalties were someones way of telling our guys you can't have a good time COME ON MAN. If it would have been a tight game those could have hurt.

Papa Voodoo

We need to beat ATL, the Bucs and the Panthers. 5-1 in the division is huge.