I am right along with everybody else in the country in being just really impressed by the Saints. Now, where I am different than a lot of the big-time sports writers is that this win didn't come as a huge surprise to me. At any rate, this win, 11 in a row, definitely solidifies New Orleans as the #1 team in the league. Not that I'm saying that they had to prove themselves to me by beating the Patriots like all the other Patriot loving writers that follow the NFL, but because their win over that Pats was far more convincing, and far more impressive than the Colts. The Patriots are obviously, to anybody that isn't blinded by their golden Bellichick idol that they keep on their mantle, just pretty good this year. They aren't the dominant, unbeatable Pats they used to be. Why that is, I'm not entirely sure, but it is there.
At any rate, before I get caught up in my futile effort to show the Patriots for what they are, let me remember what I'm writing about, the Saints. Now that the Saints have reached 11-0, the question we all begin to have is, can they go undefeated? Well, as Woody Paige would say, let's look at the schedule. The remaining games they have are @Washington, @Atlanta, vs. Dallas, vs. Tampa Bay, and @Carolina. I am definitely of the belief that, at this moment, there isn't a team in the league that can beat the Saints, they are playing that well. And, of all of these games, about the only one you think might give them any type of issue would be against Dallas. Atlanta stated out looking better than they ended up being. I mean, with a win this weekend, New Orleans clinches their Division title. Plus, we also have to consider whether or not they want to rest their starters. Now, if this is me, I want home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and the next closest team is Minnesota, at 10-1. As long as the Vikes continue to win and play their starters, so should the Saints. Minnesota could possibly drop another one to the very strong Bengals, but they may end up at 14-2, which would make the Saints want to play out the season with their starters more, to ensure either a 15-1 or 16-0 record.
Just all over, the Saints are the team to beat. The most impressive thing about this team is not their vaunted offense, we all know how explosive they are, but rather their incredibly stingy defense! They create turn-overs in numerous fashion, and they make teams pay for it. Why it has taken this long for people to give the Saints the respect that they deserve is completely beyond me. It is time to recognize them for the dominant team that they are. Is this the year for Drew Brees to finally break through and make it to the Super Bowl, and possibly win one? Well, with the way that they are playing right now, it's hard to bet against them.
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