New Orleans Saints Have The Midas Touch! Or Is That the Meachem Touch?

Except for a missed field goal, the Saints might be 11-1. I said MIGHT BE! Who knows what might have happened in those last 2 minutes. With Brees and Meachem and a host of other just-as-dynamic players, you never know.

It would have been hard for this Saints fan to digest a loss to the Redskins when it should have been at least as easy a win as the Patriots game was! But a few things were going wrong for the Saints Sunday afternoon.

Four key defenders, Marvin Mitchell, Scott Fujita, Randall Gay, and Jabari Greer were down for the day, making it easier for the Redskins to put points on the board.

Against our pass, which is our forte, the Redskins' top rated pass defense put pressure on Brees and his receivers. These Redskins made the Saints look positively ineffective, something we're not used to seeing from the Saints. But a much needed adjustment conference in the locker room and some key decisions by Payton, and they're able to make big plays just in the nick of time, which is why they're just so darn exciting to watch. Might as well call those big plays "Saintsations!"

Attitude may have been a factor. The Saints had just come off a very meaningful game which affected us, players and fans, like no other this season. Suddenly we feel unstoppable and we're talking "Perfect Season." Even if WE felt a little of that before, OTHERS were saying it after that game. The Saints are only human, and regardless of how humble Payton has been and how he seems to be keeping his players' egos in check, after a win like that, it's hard to not let it go to your head. I'm sure some of the gusto was missing just expecting an easy win. 

Before the Patriots game, much speculation about the Saints floated around, given that they'd blown out "good" teams while barely beating "bad" teams. There was even talk about how easy their schedule is. "Just wait till the Pats come to town!" seemed to be the mantra for many who wanted to count them out. After the Patriots game, these same doubters did a 180. With everyone finally counting us in (I even heard the E word from a couple of sportscasters today), the Saints no longer need to prove they've got what it takes to be an elite team for seasons to come. It was obvious they weren't trying prove anything in those first 3 quarters.

All this against the Saints and they still manage to put up just what they need when they need it. This has happened at least 4 other times this season, just not this close and in overtime. When they want it, they just reach out and grab it, literally. And it all seems to go their way...

For the most part, they make it happen...

I've been watching football a long time and Sunday afternoon was a first for me on two counts. I've never seen a player strip the ball out of another player's hands. It didn't even look legal to me. Come to find out, it's a perfectly legal move called stripping the ball and it happens a lot more often than I realized. Earlier this season, the Rams had the ball stripped by the Packers. Okay, I'm not an expert and never claimed to be. But it sure does seem like a bold move.

Maybe it seemed so outrageous and rare because it was only a small part of that big-picture play that I've never witnessed - the interception-turned-recovery-turned-touchdown all in one play! When they want it, in this case, need it, they just reach out and grab it!

Payton made it happen when he so keenly took a time-out at a critical time. That was a level-headed decision made in arguably the most nerve-racking moment for the Saints this season. Had he not had this wisdom and forethought, the Saints may very well have been looking at 10 minutes of OT rather than the 2 and a possible scoring drive by the Redskins.

And then there's the Midas Touch! What better way to explain a missed chip-shot field goal that would have put it out of reach for the Saints. I'm not so sure I agree with the latter part of that statement, but it did put the game within quick reach of the Saints. They needed a touchdown and it was grabbed in two plays. We've seen that many times this season. I don't know why we were surprised.

This 09 Saints team is a far cry from even the most successful seasons from years past. Mora, Hebert, Heyward, Turner, and others from those late 80s-early 90s years were great players and I loved watching them all, but they do not hold a candle to this team. This team is a true team, talented players and coaches all over the place who work together and stay focused. Add in a touch of voodoo from the gods and you've got one tough team to beat. The Saints of 09 will be among peers in the playoffs with elite teams and have just as good a chance to win the Superbowl as any other team they may meet there. These Saints are not only touched by Lady Luck, but they also make things happen!