Let's Go Win a Super Bowl

It's being rumored that when Steve Spagnuolo called Sean Payton to accept the defensive coordinator's position with the Saints he dispensed with typical phone routines and instead blurted out, " Let's go win a Super Bowl!" Wouldn't it be lovely if this was a prelude to the year to come. Spagnuolo inherits a Saints defense that some think may be flawed in some ways. This comes after a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49er's in the playoffs when the defense allowed the 49er's to score with a minute thirty seven left in the game ending the Saints championship aspirations. Spagnuolo hasn't made any comments on what he thinks about the Saints defense but has said two things that are worth repeating. First, Spagnuolo said that he intends to keep an open mind toward each Saints defender and secondly he says that he doesn't plan a vast scrubbing of the defensive assistant coaches. Experience has taught Spagnuolo to meld the old with the new. This is the approach he took in 2007 when he helped the Giants win the Super Bowl and stunned the unbeaten New England Patriots team led by Tom Brady. Spagnuolo's defense sacked Brady five times and held the Patriots to 14 points in one of the biggest upsets in football history. In the two years that he was the defensive coordinator for the Giants the defense ranked in the top 10 and in 2007 led the NFL in sacks with 53. He also has played a key role in leadership with players. For example, defensive end Justin Tuck had played in 20 games getting 1 sack and 1 forced fumble. In the 2 years that he played under Spagnuolo he played in 32 games with 22 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. Perhaps I am drinking the Spagnuolo Kool Aid but I think it's going to be a good year next year. Lets go win a Super Bowl!

California Here We Come

The New Orleans Saints are headed to San Francisco! They will arrive on Thursday, giving the team an extra day to acclimate to the time change and then go through a walk through on Friday in preparation for Saturday night's game. The time change shouldn't be too much of a problem for this veteran Saints team. However, the 49er's defense may be a different story. In the Saints 49er's preseason match up Drew Brees left the game with about five minutes left in the first quarter and had only completed one of four passes for six yards. All the same, the Saints are a different team today. Drew Brees is on his way to winning a possible mvp award and has broken numerous records this season. It is difficult to say how the Saints' high powered offense will match up against the 49er's number two ranked defense. I don't think the preseason game will be an indicator as to what the postseason match up will be. Both teams are much different teams today than they were in August. The Saints are playing at an all time record setting pace and the 49er's have held their own. Some things are in the Saints favor. The Saints are familiar with the surface of Candlestick Park and the weather for Saturday's game is forecast to be sunny and mild with winds not being much of a factor. If this is the case I predict the Saints will show up in San Francisco not with "flowers in their hair" but with "fire in their eyes." San Francisco should get prepared for another earthquake on Saturday because the Saints are coming to to town and the things are about to get all shook up!

This is Just Impressive

This is just impressive.

Most offensive yardage in a season: 2011 Saints (12-year NFL record broken.)
Most first downs in a season: 2011 Saints (8-year NFL record broken.)
Most total touchdowns in franchise history: 2011 Saints.
Most points scored in all home games in a season (339 points, all of which were wins at home): 2011 Saints.
Most passing yardage in a single season: Drew Brees (27-year NFL record broken.)
Most completions in a season: Drew Brees.
Highest completion percentage in a season: Drew Brees (breaking his own NFL record set 2 years ago.)
Most 300 yard passing games in a season and most consecutively: Drew Brees.
Most receiving yards by a tight end: Jimmy Graham (32-year NFL record broken.)
Most all-purpose yardage in a season: Darren Sproles (12-year old NFL record broken.)

Saints Ready for the Lions?

The New Orleans Saints are ready for the Detroit Lions but I am still a little nervous. I suppose it's still hard for a girl who was raised watching the Saints of old to be over confident of any Saints game. I do have to say that I am a lot more confident these days than I ever have been but their is still that nagging uneasy feeling that I get when the Saints are up against an opponent. Being that the Saints lead the league in third down conversions and Drew Brees seems to have broken every record possible I don't foresee the Saints having any trouble scoring on the offensive side. The defense has also stepped up it's game and has proven to be better than most expected. Their aggressive style has drawn a few flags but their ability to hold teams to a field goal when inside the red zone has given the offense the time they need to stay ahead in the game. Yes, I may be a little nervous about Saturday night's game but I do think the Saints will Brees through it and will be heading to San Francisco next week.