Saints falter but...

The New Orleans Saints lost a tough game today to a talented Baltimore Raven team. Baltimore could be one of the final contenders on the AFC side of things for this year's Super Bowl. The game was exciting but our rush defense so bad that it was tough for the Saints to win. Once the Saints came all the way back to tie it up our defense let us down. But these things do happen and the Saints were still in a position to win near game's end.

This overall year, despite being 10-4, has never had the same look and feel as 2009. I'm not sure if that's even possible but all the pieces have never come together. The running game has been beset by injuries, now maybe the biggest to Chris Ivory. And the last few games has reminded me just how OVERRATED Reggie Bush truly is. Has he had some great games; yes, a couple and he has had some remarkable punt returns, in 2-3 games, but for the long haul: HE IS A BUST. Of course I honor Reggie Bush's generous contributions as a citizen in post-Katrina New Orleans. But as a player, commanding a huge salary, BUST.

The defense has not played with the same swagger as last year although statistics indicate an improved defense. Here's the deal; a significantly fewer number of turnovers from last year, and in our losses, remarkable let-downs that contributed directly to at least 3 of these losses.

And special teams; oh my, a 100% let down from 2009. At least Hartley is making FG's again.

On this very day one year ago the Saints lost the first game of the 2009 season. We were so disappointed and we know the rest of the story. Today they lose again, and we are disappointed. But what is the rest of the story? First, we almost certainly can't win the NFC south, especially if Atlanta keeps the lead this afternoon against the Seahawks. But we still control our own destiny and have the top wild card spot in the NFC as of today. We need some W's. We could possibly miss the playoffs all together without at least one win and some other help. Our remaining games are against the Falcons and the Bucs.

So the future is yet to be determined but at minimum we know the playoffs will likely mean no bye, maybe no home games and a much tougher road to repeat. But the Saints, and no one else, are the defending champs, and the Saints, and no one else, has Drew Brees and Sean Peyton. So do not lose hope; we still are in this thing; we still can go to the playoffs and we always seem to be in a game.

To those of you who shot darts at me when I criticized the Saints so much for losing to losers, Cleveland and Arizona, well, those things matter; they matter greatly. How sad it would be to miss out on a repeat because the Saints played such uninspired football against bad teams. But that was then; this is now. All we want for Christmas 2010: beat the Falcons, beat the Bucs and give all of us a chance to get back to the big dance.

Geaux Saints!