Well, I guess that settles it! The Saints go 2-0 against the Dirty Birds this season with a decisive victory on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday night. 45-16 actually make's it look closer than it really was. I think that if you ask any member of the Saints offense they'd tell you that they left a few points on the field. Drew Brees was held to only 307 yards passing and had 2 interceptions. I think that he could have played a better game and still managed to break Dan Marino's single season passing yards record.

Here's the thing....we rushed for 164 yards and went 10 for 13 on third downs. Our defense held the Falcons to 35 yards rushing and 16 points. The Falcons were less than 50% on third down conversions and 0 for 3 on fourth downs! Net yards by both squads was roughly equal, so it would lead you to believe that our defense's "bend but don't break" style paid off this week. The defense was also responsible for 6 of the 45 points. I am hard pressed to remember our last defensive score!

Blah...blah...blah! We proved once and for all who's the better team this year. Of course, we might have to do it again The Dome come January! That doesn't scare me one bit! But that's not what I want to talk about. I want to address the issue of all the the Falcon's fans and players complaining that Payton and Brees did not have to pass for the final touchdown when the game was well in hand. All I have to say is.....EAT CRAP! The Falcons went for it on fourth down on their own 33 yard line. They were down by 3 touchdowns. They knew what Drew Brees was trying to accomplish and tried to end the game on a fourth and one so that he would not be able to throw any more passes and Matty "Ice" could kneel it out and they could lick their wounds back to Atlanta holing their heads high because they didn't let Brees break the record on their watch. Here's the thing though.....YOU DIDN'T GET THE FIRST DOWN! You blew it! We beat you! Just like we did all day, our defense stopped you from ruining our day! Matty "Ice" couldn't "Ice" the deal! Mike Smith could have punted the ball away and Drew could have broken the record and knelt the game out in an honorable fashion around the 50 yard line. Everyone would be happy and life would go on. BUT, by going for it on fourth down, down by 21 points and deep in their own territory, Mike Smith only left us one option.....TOUCHDOWN to break the record. If The Falcons didn't want to see the record broken on their watch, then they should have stopped it...BUT THEY COULDN'T! So spend the next two weeks sulking and blaming, and in the mean time, we'll be getting ready to play in the Dome again when it counts even more.

What I like best about all the crying over the last few weeks (whistle-gate in Nashville, dirty play in Minnesota and running up the score on Monday) is that the SAINTS have become that team that is a threat. We've become that team that people hate because we're THAT GOOD! Just like I hate the Patriots and The Steelers and the 80's 49ers! Nobody is talking about the Packers anymore, because they are no longer undefeated and they've nearly been beaten every week for the last 6 weeks. They are not as theatning as they used to be and THE SAINTS ARE! Everyone knows it....The Saints are the real deal! Our defense is vastly improved! Our offense can score 60 points. Morstead might be the best leg in the game and Kasay is knockin' in 82% of his field goals. Talk about getting hot at the right time! The Saints have a real shot at this thing!

To all Falcons' fans....SORRY...we're just better than you right now. BUT...let's see who can get it done during the tournament! I'm looking forward to another showdown in the Dome in January!

'An Dat's Dat!

Texas is nice enough. They're very proud of themselves. There are signs everywhere saying "Don't Mess With Texas". It's meant to be a warning against littering, but it speaks to a much deeper attitude in every Texan. Right now, the number one ranked, Texans defense is saying "Dont Mess With Texas". Members os the team have been quoted as saying, "the Saints wont be a problem". I say it's time to MESS WITH TEXAS! Don't let your 2-0 record go to your head! The Colts are in the beginning of a nose dive and The Dolphins are a struggling team at best. The Texans defense has yet to meet an opponent that can put up 30+ points a game. 

The SAINTS aren't scared of good defenses! The Packers and The Bears have great defenses and we managed to put up 859 yards and 64 points against them. There are holes in every defense and Brees and Payton will find them in the Texans'.  Brees spent two years practicing against a Wade Phillips defense in San Diego. Although Payton lost to the Phillips defense during pre-season, we left a lot of our tricks in the bag. Both Payton and Greg Williams will be opening up the playbook this Sunday. The Texans' pass defense is great....our offense is better. We are heavily stacked in the run game and if Mario Williams gets upfield too fast he might find himself behind the best screen game in The NFL.

As a Saints fan, I find it almost amusing that another team would look at US as their "first test of the season". Our team has become the team that you can "prove" yourself against if you want to be considered a top-notch member of the NFL. We have become the team to beat. It's quite an honor! BUT NOT THIS WEEK! The Saints are on a mission this year. We have all the weapons! Drew Brees is in his prime, our defense has vastly improved since week one, our running game is made for speed AND power, Jimmy Graham and Dave Thomas are legitimate threats and Darren Sproles is lighting it up in all aspects of the game. Our offensive and defensive lines are playing VERY well and the secondary has been hitting people hard and covering tight! 

This Sunday's match-up in The Superdome will be a chess match for sure. Two teams who believe that they have what it takes to go all the way. AND THEY DO! In my humble opinion, this game will be decided on ball controle and clock management. Who can get the crucial 3rd and short, who wins the special teams game and who can capitalize on defensive mistakes. The turnover battle will be all-important. How many times does Matt Shaub have to peel himself off the Dome turf? The 12th man will be a HUGE factor...perhaps a few false starts?!?!?

In short, it's time to MESS WITH TEXAS in a big way! They might be on the way to great things this season....but not tomorrow...not in our house...not against our team. It's a short trip from Houston to New Orleans but it's gonna be a long road home for the Texans!!!