Happy New Year New Orleans Saints; you're going to the playoffs but you stunk it up today

Yep, the Saints have a few things to celebrate:
- an overall 11-5 season(much improved over past 3 years)
- claiming the NFC South championship over the Carolina Panthers
- a trip to the playoffs including hosting a 1st round game in the Superdome
- today's game vs. Tampa Bay; not so much; no celebration here

So the New Orleans Saints complete a very good and honorable 11-5 season thanks in large measure to a great 8 game winning streak.  The Saints showed that they were much better than the last 3 teams that stumbled and bumbled to 7-9 seasons.  This team exceeded expectations and managed, by the narrowest of margins, to win a division, champions of the NFC South.  That honor is directly related to not 1 but 2 incredible hard-fought victories over the Carolina Panthers.  Oh, by the way, guess who we are playing next Sunday in the playoffs?  Them damn Carolina Panthers.  Yes indeed, to advance, we need to beat them for the 3rd time in one NFL season.

But what about today; what the heck was that?  The Saints literally allowed a 4 win team to beat them and take away pre-playoff momentum.  In fact, this game is the first time all year the Saints lost to a team with a losing record.  The Saints defense was out of sorts today, no real pressure on the QB, a pathetic record on allowing 3rd down conversions and interceptions dropped.  Despite getting 3 pick-offs the Saints should have had 5 including one at the 2 minute warning that wins the game.  Not to be.  And then after that crucial drop all the Saints did was allow Tampa to complete a game winning 95 yard drive; how pathetic.  But the offense was lethargic too; play calling was iffy, Brees did not play well at all and other than Kamara, everyone else was ho-hum.  Coaching contributed with a horrible fake FG decision that probably contributed to the loss.  And the most egregious contribution to today's loss is a fumble on a punt return by #11 Tommylee Lewis.  At this moment, he should be cut, like today!

I'm concerned that the Saints may be limping into the playoffs as the last 6 games resulted in a very mediocre 3-3.  Now there were some big wins in that 3-3 including wins against Carolina and Atlanta.  But that 8 game streak, that was broken 6 weeks ago by the Rams, is why the Saints are in the playoffs.  Here is what I know or simply believe: the Saints did get a home game against the Panthers.  That home Saints crowd can be huge even a difference maker.  Also, even though tasked with beating the same team for a 3rd time, the Saints actually match up or scheme better against Carolina as opposed to Atlanta or even the Rams!  So lets go in positive even though the Saints laid a mighty big egg today.

Hell I will take this over three years of 7-9 or I will remind myself that we ain't the Cleveland Browns.  Geaux Saints and make us proud, all you got to do is beat the Carolina Panthers yet one more time!