New Attitude, Offensive Weapons Revitalizing Saints' Season

What if I told you the New Orleans Saints wouldn't throw a single pass in Jimmy Graham's direction against the Pittsburgh Steelers?

The safe assumption would be the Saints lost...by a large margin. 

However, the Saints that took the field Sunday at Heinz Field looked completely different than the team that lost three straight games at the Super Dome earlier this month. 

Two reasons emerged behind New Orleans' improved play. 

The Saints approached the game with an attitude not seen all season. Plus, quarterback Drew Brees spread the ball around and capitalized on all the weapons at his disposal. 

Despite a 14-6 halftime lead, it wasn't all positive for the Saints.

A familiar scene developed during the contest, as captured by Yahoo Sports' Eric Adelson: 

Rob Ryan's defense played as poorly as it had all season Monday against the Baltimore Ravens. It reached the point where the coordinator's status with the team was brought into question due to the defense's poor performance all season. 

Those fresh wounds from Monday Night Football didn't last long as the Saints applied pressure on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger throughout the contest and frustrated the two-time Super Bowl-winning signal-caller. 

By the fourth quarter, everything was copacetic between the two fiery coaches, as DSU-TV's Sharief Ishaq noted: 

The Steelers piled on 16 points during garbage time, but there doesn't seem to be as much tension in the explosive relationship between Payton and Ryan as it appears at times.

Payton addressed the issue after the game, via the team's official site:

"

He and I get along. We’re doing great.

His toughness and his passion—he’s there (working) till the crickets are gone. It’s hard when you’re not winning in this league, (but) I love what he’s doing. Are there times where we have to look at things? Are there times where I get involved? Absolutely. I’m the head coach. But he’s doing an outstanding job.

You really find out a little bit about everyone when you start losing a few games and you go through some adversity, because it really hasn’t happened around here in a while. Those are the things you appreciate as a head coach. When someone’s got passion for teaching and the next challenge, those are the things you appreciate.

"

While the coaching staff reached a happy medium, so did the team's offense. 

When Payton goes out of his way to establish the running game, the Saints have proved to be successful this season. During Sunday's contest, Payton called 26 running plays compared to 27 passes. 

During the Saints' five wins this season, they ran the ball 31 times on average compared to 37 pass attempts.

In the team's seven losses, the discrepancy is far more dramatic. The Saints averaged throwing the ball nearly 20 more times per game than running it. 

One of the Saints' final five opponents, the Chicago Bears, are currently ranked in the top half of the league in stopping the run. Payton's ability to establish the run with lead back Mark Ingram will be vital through the playoff stretch.

The attitude established by running the football was merely the first step for Saints players.

The team, particularly on offense, wasn't going to take any guff from the Steelers Sunday. 

Teammates rallied around Ingram after a late hit on the sidelines, as The Times-Picayune's Katherine Terrell chronicled:

There is a renewed toughness around the Saints. They're running the football. They're playing aggressive football. And they're not backing down from opponents.

A change in attitude also resides in Brees. The quarterback is at his best when he isn't predetermining his reads. Graham is a nice security blanket, but it's a plethora of weapons that makes the Saints offense truly dangerous. 

Brees didn't even realize Graham didn't have a reception during the game, per NewOrleansSaints.com:

"

Somebody said after the game that Jimmy didn’t have a catch and I had to think because it sounded crazy to me because he is such a big part of the plan and is always targeted. Listen though, we’re never going to complain when we score 35 points and have no turnovers. I think we operated at a very efficient rate out there in both the run game and the pass game. The ball just happened to go other places today. There were great matchups and we were able to make big plays in the passing game, so it was just one of those crazy games where forever reason, he didn’t get a catch, yet he always draws a ton of attention and opens up other opportunities for others.

"

Nine different receivers caught passes Sunday, though. 

Three of the quarterback's touchdown tosses were caught by tight end Benjamin Watson, fullback Erik Lorig and wide receiver Nick Toon. Those three targets combined to make 22 receptions entering this weekend's contest. 

Another player to emerge as Brees' new big-play threat with rookie Brandin Cooks out of the lineup was second-year wide receiver Kenny Stills. 

Over the last two weeks, Stills can even be described as a go-to target for Brees. The quarterback targeted Stills 15 times—the most of any Saints receiver—in that time. 

Stills' eight receptions last week were a new career high. This week, he set another career high with 162 receiving yards. 

The Oklahoma product's 4.38-second 40-yard dash speed, according to NFL.com, makes the receiver a threat to take each and every reception the distance. Stills' 69-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter was the Saints' longest play from scrimmage this season. 

Stills certainly doesn't lack confidence. The young player told ESPN Radio's Ian Fitzsimmons after the game that the Saints have what it takes to win the NFC South:

The Saints should have confidence as the season progresses with the playoffs in sight. They're tied with the Falcons at 5-7 overall atop the division. A win in Pittsburgh against the Steelers is also no small feat. And the team's remaining opponents own a 15-32-1 overall record. 

Four years ago, an 11-5 Saints squad played a 7-9 division winner in the Seattle Seahawks. New Orleans traveled to Seattle and lost the game 42-36. The Seahawks won by running the football and playing with attitude. The Saints can now follow the same blueprint on their way to a potential playoff appearance.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFC South for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.