SmashMouth

The New Orleans Saints ignored the fact the playoffs were out the window when they took the Mercedes-Benz Superdome turf Saturday afternoon, showing maximum effort as they grinded to a 31-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Center Max Unger even asked after the game if the team had been eliminated from contention. I was the bearer of the bad news to him that Washington and Green Bay won to bump the Saints' slimmest of playoff hopes.

The team's performance Saturday might be little consolation for fans of the team frustrated with the progress of the last three seasons.

For those watching at Christmas Eve gatherings across the city, and especially for the loyalist of the loyal attending the 3:25 p.m. flexed kickoff, the Saints played like professionals and beat a team fighting for a playoff berth.



"It wasn't a situation where (they were scoreboard watching)," Coach Sean Payton said. "We've been in those locker rooms where you're paying close attention. I think our focus was on getting this win, honestly."

This I believe to be true.

Even owner Tom Benson crashed the Payton press conference to boast aloud, "Great coach! Great game!" I'll leave his rare presence in a Payton presser up for interpretation. Maybe he just wanted to celebrate Payton's 100th victory.

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