Jack Vegas

It's that simple. Other teams worked. We just rested on our laurels, thinking that last year would automatically carry over to this year. We didn't put in the work in the offseason and that's showing through on the field.

I attribute that to a mostly young team; young players with newfound success who didn't know how to handle it. So obvious on the defensive line when you look at Jordan, Galette and Hicks, guys who tore it up last year but can't even sniff the QB now. I don't think the coaches are immune to it, either. Rob Ryan got his first real taste of success in a long time and started reading all the press clippings about what a great genius and guru he is, and forgot the simple, fundamental things that made his defense good.

I think the team has probably by now taken a good long look in the mirror, and now they understand that complacency has been a shotgun in the mouth to the season.

This is where the truly great organizations recover. The Patriots are one of those teams that can look terrible and you wonder if they're ever going to win a game, then next thing you know they have won 7-8 games in a row and lead the division. We know the Saints can do the same thing, we saw them do it in 2011.

I think it will definitely be interesting down the stretch. This team can still make the playoffs. Assume we win all 8 games at home; that means if we can win 2 road games we'll at least be in the picture for a wildcard spot. And as crappy as the NFCS looks this year, we might even have a shot at that.

No time to waste though. This team needs to win next week, straighten things out during the bye week and then start tearing it up. I have faith it can happen, 100%.