SmashMouth

Nearly every characteristic of the 2014 version of the New Orleans Saints you thought would be a given before this season has been anything but a guarantee.

The Saints offense hasn't exuded consistency or scoring punch. The Saints defense hasn't built on their success of 2013 as the unit has regressed more than progressed.

Yet the Saints maintained their winning ways inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome despite the team's enigmatic existence this season. The Dome still carried a mystique for the Saints, playing a significant factor in three of the team's four wins.

Not all of the wins were glamorous.

Then the Saints locker room, much of the loyal fan base and myself were seduced into believing the Saints were "back."

New Orleans pushed their home prime-time winning streak to 14 games as they throttled Green Bay 44-23 in Week 8. The prime-time setting resulted in by far the Saints' best overall performance of 2014 coming against one of the better teams in the league.

Where did it all go?

The Saints will host the Baltimore Ravens on "Monday Night Football" looking to push their prime-time home winning streak to 15 games. Lose and it pushes the Saints to 4-7 and gives New Orleans a three-game home losing skid for the first time in one regular season since 2001.

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