The New Orleans Saints Are More Concerned With Going 16-0 Than Going Undefeated

The New Orleans Saints, even at 12-0, have no interest in going undefeated for the regular season.  Their goal this week is to go to 13-0 with a victory over the division rival Atlanta Falcons.

The difference between a 16-0 regular season record and going undefeated is philosophical. 

Without exception, each NFL franchise practices and plays to be victorious in each contest.  If any team meets that goal for 17 weeks, that team will finish the regular season undefeated.

Since no team is capable of winning 16 games in one week, to espouse such a philosophy would be frivolous.  No team can can claim an undefeated season in the first week, or even week 14.  And you can't go 16-0 if you don't make it to 13-0.

Sean Payton, Gregg Williams, and the veteran leadership within the Saints organization have not allowed discussion of going undefeated.  "One game at a time" has been the Saints mantra all season.  Going 16-0 cannot be contemplated.

The debate over whether the Saints can go undefeated has heated up, but not in the Saints camp.  Pundits and experts across the NFL have chimed in on what the Saints goals should be.  Some say they should rest the starters, others say strive to make history.

Well, of course they can go 16-0. They're 12-0 now.  But to do that, the Saints must first beat the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome on Sunday.  If they are adequately prepared, have a better game and score more points than the Falcons, then the Saints will advance to 13-0 and one step closer to an undefeated season.

In the Saints front office and locker room, the 2009 season's goal has never changed —Win The Super Bowl!   The Saints prepare each week to defeat one opponent.  The Saints will not be resting their starters, nor looking ahead to the next game.  They will be preparing to face and defeat their current opponent each week until the season ends.

So, if the Saints continue to adequately prepare, play well, and occasionally get lucky, they may finish the regular season with an unblemished record.  It is then, and only then, that they can ponder their 16-0 undefeated season - because undefeated doesn't even matter until then.

And even after going 16-0, the fight to reach the Super Bowl starts a whole new season.  So it's back to "One Game At A Time."