The New Orleans Saints are on a mission.
Quarterback Drew Brees has something that former Saints quarterback Archie Manning never had: a team to go with him.
When I was Director of Public Relations for the team, we could never overcome adversity. Back then, a third and short situation would become third and long after a holding call would nullify a conversion and we couldn’t convert a third-and-long and would have to punt. Or we’d fumble and have to punt and wouldn’t convert.
Last Sunday, on several occasions, the Saints would overcome adversity such as a penalty or a turnover and continue a drive. It just didn’t happen before Breese and Sean Payton arrived. The same held true in the “miracle year” of 2009 when the Black and Gold won the Super Bowl.
So far, the same thing is happening and the Saints are cruising toward the big game.
What a cast Payton has put together to go with Brees, arguably the best quarterback ever to play in the National Football League!
Talk about adversity, Breese threw an interception on his first pass of the game Sunday and Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles took full advantage of it and marched for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Before the end of the first period, the Eagles tacked on another touchdown for a 14-0 lead.
Down 14-0, Brees and the Saints didn’t panic and stuck to the game plan and began chipping away at the lead.
Even after missing a chip shot field goal that would have given them the lead, the Saints persevered and took a 17-14 lead on a two-yard dart by running back Alvin Kamara that capped an 11:29 drive that ate up nearly the entire third quarter. Imagine the Saints keeping the ball for that length of time without a fumble or interception!
Kamara and Mark Ingram remind me of Hank Stram’s Thunder and Lightning duo of Chuck Muncie and Tony Galbraith back in 1976. Ingram resembles the Thunder (power) of Muncie while Kamara duplicates the Lightning (speed) of Galbraith. It’s amazing!
And Kamara can catch passes in addition to running the football.
And Sean Payton is the most innovative coach the Saints — if nor the NFL — has ever seen. Remember the 2009 Super Bowl when began the second half with an onside kick? Sunday, he staged a fake punt that gave his team the momentum that carried them to victory.
I also remember several years ago when the Saints defense couldn’t stop Lee Academy. That, too, has changed under Payton. Guys like cornerback Marshon Lattimore and defensive end Cam Jordan have stepped up to become titans on defense. Sunday, Lattimore intercepted Foles twice to thwart Eagle drives, including the steal that iced the game for the Saints.
The Saints allowed two third down conversions in the opening quarter, and then denied five consecutive third down conversions over the course of the rest of the game! Incidentally, Foles racked up 113 passing yards in the first quarter, hitting eight of nine passes but then failed to gain 100 yards passing the rest of the game.
Finally, Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has become Brees’ favorite target. He caught 12 passes for 211 yards against the Los Angeles Rams in the teams’ first meeting two months ago in the win that eventually would give the Saints the tie-breaker in the race for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Thomas runs accurate pass routes that Brees can count on being run right and works to get open when Brees is under siege.
And how about those Saints fans? I have always said they are the best in the NFL!
Yes, the Saints definitely have the Dome Field Advantage!
