Saints Go Limping In
| 14
|
by TheBatman
I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't know if I felt more cheated by Faith Hill's flat vocals or the Saints flat performance last night. Each year, I endure the seven months of torture waiting for the NFL to rekindle my sports flame. I was amped up for last night's game as I have ever been for a season opener. The came the kickoff.
Was it me or did the Saints seem tentative? Yes, the Colts were ready and defended like Champs, but the Saints looked a lot like the team I saw in Canton five weeks ago. Lacking an offensive identity, and completely clueless on defense.
What's the deal with trying so hard to get Reggie Smush off, anyway. The Saints are going to have to admit, sooner or later, that they burned a load of cash on a situational player, whose jitterbugging doesn't work at pro-speed like it did at USC. Yes, Bush will have his moments, but the Saints have a quality back who can punish a defense rather than play chicken with it. Meanwhile, the commitment to a back who can't even get to the LOS is going to turn Drew Brees into a punching bag. No OL can successfully protect a QB when every play is a jailbreak for the opponents DL. And make no mistake, Drew Brees is the MVP in NO. What happens if the Saints play without Brees for an extended period? The season is over.
But the reality is, even if the offense thrives, the D is a real problem. Adding that Indy refugee to help an ailing pass defense worked miracles, didn't it? At some point, if NFL gear hadn't been fire-retardant David's jersey would have burst into flames last night. I don't know if I've ever seen a DB cooked like that in over 35 years of watching pro ball.
But what saddens me is the possibility that, one season later, the ether has worn off and the Saints are no longer flying high on the juice of being savior to a city in ruins. There's a lot to be said for the momentum that came from last year's hero act.
And what happened to the offensive genius? Sean Payton's play calls were far from creative, bordering on timid. He seems to be suffering from Cowher syndrome, "a little success, leads to a lot of fear".
I can't fault the Colts for demolishing the Saints, they were stellar. But I can fault the Saints for laying an egg in what would have been a great chance to set the tone for the season.
I give it a 2 out of 10.
