Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

With a "firm" one game lead in the worst division in football, is anyone expecting a very motivated Saints team this Sunday? Can this team be counted on to take advantage of a gift-wrapped division after Carolina got pummeled by PHI last night? Well, let me point you in the direction of "hell no".

Point 1: Atlanta beats Carolina this week. Atlanta does take the lead in the division with a 4-0 division mark, but even if we lose against CIN, the Saints & the Clowns will both be 4-6. Motivation factor...moderate. Our backs are not against the wall yet. Good news is that this game is at the same time ours is.

Point 2: Carolina beats Atlanta. We own sole possession of division even if we lose. Motivation factor...fail. We don't have to do squat to keep the division with this game against CIN. Good news is that this game is at the same time ours is.

Point 3: See Points 1 & 2...it doesn't matter if we win or lose this game. We will still have the same record as the winner of the ATL @ CAR game if we lose. We might lose the division for a week considering ATL's division record, but we'll both have the same overall record. Motivation factor...fail.

Point 4: This is a "must-win" for the Bengals. They are in a tight, competitive division where every game matters. We are in a disgusting, sham of a division where each week each team tries to not-suck-as-bad-as-the-other-teams. Motivation factor...fail.

I would obviously love to see a big ol' "W" this Sunday...but I do have to wonder about the nature of this 2014 Saints team. They've allowed this kind of criticism to creep into our heads with their body of work through 10 weeks. See TB game (1-3 to 2-3) & the GB/CAR games (2-4 to 4-4) for further details concerning motivation.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Point 5: We destroy them and don't worry about any "what ifs"

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

One flaw is that no matter what your division record is, the best overall record is the leader. Division record is only a factor in case of same record at end of the season. Atlanta can go 6-0 in division and finish 7-9 and we can still win the division at 8-8 with 4-2 division record.
NFL Tie-Breaking Procedures

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Atlanta has very tough remaining games. The easiest game they play will be CAR...

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

I completely understand this and how tie-breaking works.

My question is will this 2014 team be motivated against CIN to take advantage of this suck division? With our backs against the wall, we play better. Being 2-4, we were in danger of being in a HUGE hole until we monkey-stomped the Packers & the Panties back-to-back.

If ATL wins & we lose, ATL will actually be in 1st place even though we would both be 4-6 since ATL has a better NFC South record plus they beat us head-to-head (ugh...that was hard to type).

I like Mitch's response...screw the "what if's" and punch the Bengals in the mouth this week and take this division over thoroughly.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Take care of your own castle and everything else will fall into place.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Motivated

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

I agree with you K Major people praying for other teams to falter. I felt iif thats the teams motto too they shouldn't make it on that reasoning but by playing their best.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

spank your bungle till it bleeds.

win always win

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

All this talk about a 7-9 record could win the south, the falcons are only one game behind us

They could easily move into 1st place the way we are playing.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Motivation hasn't been the problem. Execution has been the problem.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Andy Dalton needs to be pressured fast and early. Have watched a few Cincy games and he gets flustered and starts making mistakes. The Bengals have a pretty good Defense and will be hard to break down.
The motivated team will grab this one good thing this ones in the Dome
the 12th man will help.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Sunday is when we begin to distance ourselves from the rest of the poo.

But we're not poo.

We shall win, going away.

I have guaranteed it.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

I'm 50% on this. Lack of execution...absolutely. Dropped passes, busted coverages, missed tackles, etc.

Motivation? I just don't think they have it. The best this team has played was against GB & Carolina. 4-4 was an absolute must to stay in the playoff picture instead of porking away playoff hopes at 3-5 or 2-6. When we were 2-4 after Week 7, CAR was 3-3-1 so we grabbed the Pack & the Panties by their noses and we kicked their sorry butts. Like champions do.

The follow-up to this glorious 2-game outburst was that flaming bag of turd we dropped on Sunday...in the freakin' Dome...to the Whiners, no less.

And does anyone else feel like I do that if there was one other team in this division sitting 2 or more games above .500 that we'd also be playing better football and being right there hanging with them?

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

The Saints should be motivated by just watching yet another win slip from their fingers against SF.
If they continue to stumble, ATL or more likely CAR could slip ahead.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

My answer is yes. The team has played hard in every game except for Dallas. We could be the winner of the ATL game, the Browns game, the DET game, and the 49ers game (all close games where we fought hard but goofed up somewhere and lost). The team is in it to win it. We just need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot. I think we win 1 of the next 3 and then win out and get a playoff berth as the NFCS leader.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

We could do it..........stop laughing.........we could.............:argue:

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

It will be interesting. The 49ers lost Willis, the Cards lost Palmer, and the Seahawks lost Mebane over the weekend. Can the Eagles keep it up for the rest of the season? Will Romo finish the season? The Saints are banged up, but still in it and fighting. Who knows where they will wind up? I say NFCS division winners.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Ain't nobody should be laughing. The football gods are smiling on New Orleans and smiting the rest of the NFC South, it definitely could happen ... and then what? Who's gonna' want to go to the Dome and play the Saints as a wildcard? Nobody. Been there, done that, :(.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

Against the Bengals today? Indifferent

They got whooped in all 3 phases and drop this one by 3 scores. At home. For the 2nd straight week.

If you think today was a "motivated effort", I'd hate to see a less-than-motivated effort.

Pure garbage.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

I swear the saints are playing for the highest pick in the draft they can get while staying in the race for the division title,

absolutely no heart or passion in today's game

Motivation on the field? today zip nada nothing. Flat

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

2014 NFL Regular Season Divisional Standings - National Football League - ESPN

FailClowns in first place NFC South.... :puke:

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

This team played like they are motivated for the 'off season' of fishing.

We are going no where ... fast. With so much to play for, we stunk up the joint.

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

We played today like...uh...a gaggle. There was no team-play today getting stomped at home.

Giving up 3rd and ridiculously long yardage and a 61 yard run with the Bengals trying to run out the clock to end the 1st half? The offense scoring 10 points in a home game? Dixon covering A.J. Freakin' Green? That Safety M. Ball sniffing glue before one of the dumbest blitzes I've seen in a while? Morstead (of all people) hitting a 25 yard boner to put the Bengals at midfield?

I told my wife during the 3rd quarter..."It looks like the entire team and the coaching staff got absolutely hammered last night."

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

:lolup: opppsss the rest of the NFL is laughing at us 3-0 in the division and they are in the drivers seat

Re: Indifference or Motivated? CIN @ N.O.
 

I completely agree!! I think a few heads "need to roll" to show this team is serious about Winning. After today's debacle, and as sad as I am to say this, it might be Sean's that needs to go first.....