The Saints are in the NFC Championship game

It was a nail biter, too close to call and far from perfect; but the Saints just won to advance to the NFC championship game.  Despite being 52 years old, this will be only the 3rd time for the Saints to advance to the championship although all 3 times are under the reign of Sean Payton and Drew Brees.

Tonight the Saints came out oh so flat and the early interception against Brees motivated the Eagles all the way to a 14-0 lead.  And it did not help that the defense was playing very poorly.  But the 14 would be all the Eagles would celebrate as the defense stiffened, Brees and the offense got going(major thank you to Michael Thomas, Ted Ginn Jr. and then later Alvin Kamara) and the victory was finally secured by an opportune interception.

Let's be real honest; the Saints are a good football team, as evidenced in the 10 game winning streak but perhaps more evident since the Cowboys loss, which feels like forever ago.  The Saints have not been the red-hot win streaking team since the Thanksgiving night win over hapless Atlanta.  They lost to the Cowboys, sleep walked past the Bucs and lost to the Panthers.  Only a respectable win over the Steelers avoids the last part of this season of being a major disappointment.

But the Saints end 13-3, the get the #1 seed which comes with a bye and more importantly home in the dome.  Home tonight was a big help in the Saints win.  The fans were electric tonight once the early shock wore off.

So the Saints get the Rams next Sunday, the same Rams they defeated in that 10 game win streak.  Like the Eagles, this will be different as the Rams are also playing for the ultimate prize.  From what I observed tonight the Saints will have to figure out the following:

The running game can't wait to late 2nd half to come alive.  Kamara and Ingram need to be running for yardage from the very first drive.  The offensive line needs to make some big holes and stop making stupid penalties(Peat, Andrus Peat, c'mon Peat).

Who will fill the bill for Sheldon Rankins?  He is out and will be recovering for a long time.  Stuff the run becomes others responsibility.  Speaking of the D line, where was the pressure?  There darn well better be more pressure on Goff or that will be costly.  Also, the Saints will need a little more help from the LB's so Bell can be even more effective against those Rams receivers and TE.

Finally, Will Lutz, you need to be perfect!!  Sorry, it's a demanding job!

So the Saints live to play another day; this one for the NFC championship and a trip to the Super Bowl in Atlanta.  One more to reach it, two more to claim it.  Geaux Saints!