SmashMouth

Here's the scary part.

Sean Payton thinks the Saints can get even better.

"We feel like there's more out there," Payton said on Sunday after making yet another case on why he has to be one of the front-runners for Coach of the Year.

Based on what he's done the past five weeks, you should just go ahead and start etching his name onto the award.

Even if Bill Belichick's New England Patriots or Kyle Shanahan's San Francisco 49ers finish the regular season undefeated, it won't eclipse this magical run.

Just when you thought the New Orleans Saints had done the unthinkable by winning four consecutive games without Drew Brees, they one-upped themselves Sunday.

This time the Saints won a game without Brees AND Alvin Kamara, going on the road and beating the Chicago Bears 36-25.



"Sean thrives off the adversity," said Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. "He thrives off the naysayers. He thrives off people counting us out saying we can't do it without Drew or we can't do it without Alvin. That's him."

The final score wasn't indicative of just how one-sided this one was. The Saints are now 6-1 this season. Four of those wins have come against playoff teams from last season. Two of them (Seattle and now Chicago) have come on the road.

A statue of the late George Halas, who founded the Bears and also coached and owned the franchise, was unveiled in September just outside of Soldier Field, site of the Saints' latest triumph.

Halas has two awards named after him.

One is the Pro Football Writer's Association's George Halas Award, given to a NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed.

You could give that one to Payton.

Boy, have these Saints had their share of adversity this season.

The list of injuries this season has been about as long as the city of Chicago's Magnificent Mile.

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