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!

Twas the night after Christmas, when all through the Dome

All the creatures were stirring up Falcon Gumbo

The banners were hung from the rafters with care

Knowing that St. Breesus would soon be there

We Who Dats were settled all in our seats,

With visions of feasting on dirty bird meat

We’re all in our jerseys, with dome foam in hand

Screaming and dancing to Dixieland bands

When out on the field there rose such a noise

Fans on our feet yelling “Bless you Boys!”

The Who Dat Nation was at fever pitch

As the chosen team captain raised his fist

The Mercedes Benz crest that hung from the ceiling

Gave all that came hither that victorious feeling

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

The dirty birds shaking and quivering in fear

Then a voice came thundering so loud and so clear

We knew that kickoff soon would be near

They blew up the tunnel and lit of the flames

We whistled and shouted and called them by name!

Now Ingram, now Colston, now Thomas and Porter

On Shanle, on Vilma, on Harper and Jordan

Out on the gridiron, with the game on the line

Demolish the Falcons, the playoffs are nigh!

Dressed head to toe in their black and their gold

When the Saints come marching, it’s a sight to behold

Payton and Brees go straight to their work

As Ellis and Smith put “Ice” in the dirt

By air and by ground, the attack is relentless

And nothing can get through Greg Williams’ defenses

The shockwave is felt from the lake to the quarter

We turned Falcon to mince meat in prompt and short order

As the whistles are blown and the game is in hand

Exhausted and joyous are players and fans

The division is sewn up all nice and tight

May all Who Dat faithful sleep peacefully tonight

 ...'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!!! 

The Titans crucified the Saints in their last preseason game 32-9.  Four fumbles and a missed field goal are not the stand out stats fans are looking for as we begin the regular season this week.  However - and I am not making excuses - this game was more about finalizing the roster and less about how competitive the Saints will be this year.  Our offensive starters, and a fair number of defensive starters, didn’t see any playing time.  Since Thursday, 22 players have been waived or released.  So, where do the Saints stand now that they have made their final cuts? 

The offense is poised to be as strong, if not stronger, than in year past.  Chase Daniels is an effective understudy for Brees – so much that Saints cut their third QB Sean Canfield, going with only two QBs.  The receiving core remains largely in tact and will be bolstered by a deep and ominous running attack.  Thomas, Sproles, Ingram and Bell can pound the middle and threaten in space.  Chris Ivory was placed on injured reserve and should offer depth throughout the season.  With fresh legs all the time, there may be better balance between run and pass plays.  In the Payton/Brees era, play selection has skewed towards the passing game:

• 2010 – 37% run / 63% pass
• 2009 – 46% run / 54% pass
• 2008 – 38% run / 62% pass
• 2007 – 38% run / 62% pass
• 2006 – 45% run / 55% pass

In the deep playoff run of 2006 and Super Bowl win in 2009, the Saints had the best balance of run/pass.

Defensively, the Saints retain many familiar faces on the first string (Smith, Ellis, Charleston, Vilma, Shanle, Greer, Harper, Porter, Jenkins) offering continuity.  The depth in our defense is more of a question for me.  This, combined with Darren Sharper’s remote chance of return, introduces some uncertainty around the defense.

And then there is the kicking game.  With Garrett Hartley on the IR, we signed 21-year veteran John Kasay from the Panthers.  His average kicking percentage is 82% - about average for the league.  The Saints have everything but average kicking success (see blog: “Don’t Hate the Kicker”), so this move appears to be a solid one.

Bottom line, the Saints talent is top-notch this year – we expect another playoff run.  For those player that didn’t make the cut, we wish them well.

...an' dat's dat!

24 to 3….18 blitzes in the first half….Brees below stellar….Daniels looking good….Ingram, Morgan, King….stats, schmats, we don’t care about that…or do we?

It’s the preseason after all.  We have gone 4-0 and 0-4.  In the end, no one cares.  Nobody counts how many sacks you had in the preseason - nobody looks at those numbers.  Preseason statistics, wins and losses, and good calls, bad calls, missed calls, don’t win superbowls.  This has been my mantra for years. The preseason is a time to bask in the glow of the boys of fall.   Seeing our squad go toe to toe to with some other riff raff – it reminds us that fall is around the corner and the long, bleak offseason has come to a close. 

But this year preseason does have greater purpose.  It is more than a thinning of the roster and down to the wire decisions about whose career continues or begins, and whose stalls or ends.  This year’s preseason is more about developing cohesion.  In years past, teams have endured mini-camps, endless team meetings, team workouts, and rigorous preparation.  The lockout prevented the team from coming together in their normal offseason capacity.  While individuals and segments of the team have been rehearsing their lines, they are only now having their dress rehearsals just weeks before curtain call.  As Sean Payton aptly stated in his quote on neworleanssaints.com “We’re not a team yet.  We’re a roster”.

I, for one, put my faith in a Payton/Brees/Williams/Vilma system.  If anyone can pull a squad together in such short order it’s these guys.  They lead, we follow.  In Payton and Brees we trust.

....an' dat's dat! 

“Cha-Ching Moment”: Could rookie Joe Morgan from Walsh University be our next Michael Lewis?  That’s something we could all raise our beet to.