After last week's win over Buffalo, many started to compare the 2009 Saints to the 2006 NFC Champion Saints. Those comparisons are way too unfair especially at this point in the season, as we have just wrapped up week number four.
Only time will tell if this team can accomplish what the ‘06 club did. But, what I can tell you... the ‘09 Saints team is equipped to beat their opponents in a variety of ways. This team can do things that other Saints clubs tried, but could not do.
These Saints are good on offense, proving they'll beat you with the run or the pass...AND they are a physical, gang tackling defense. The Saints can score, if they are in a shootout. And, we've seen them line-up and play smash mouth football when the game is on the line. They now seemingly have all of the right guys under the helmets...and this team has one goal – to bring a championship to a city that desperately needs one.
The Saints are 4-0 and, yes, there will still be a lot of haters and doubters. But, New Orleans simply can't be any better right now with an undefeated record going into a bye week. The Saints numbers are as striking as their perfect record.
New Orleans has scored a total of 144 points, with an average of 36 points per game. Sixty-six points have been scored on the Saints...that's an average of 16.5 points per game allowed. But, if you take away what points were actually scored against the Saints defense, this D allows just 12.5 points per game.
The true measure of how good this team really is...is a simple glance at how their opponents performed prior to meeting the Black & Gold.
The Eagles put up 38 points against the Panthers, but managed only 22 against New Orleans-- that's a difference of 16 points. Buffalo piled up 33 points against the Bucs, but only seven versus the Saints, a difference of 26 points. And, against the Jets, the Saints gave up 10 points, when the Jets scored 24 the week before against the Titans. Impressive!
And check this out...did you know the Saints have outscored their opponents 45-2 in the fourth quarter? That's finishing games STRONG! And those two points were the result of an intentional safety in the final moments of the Saints 38-22 win over the Eagles.
Greg Williams is dialing up blitzes at a rapid rate; his defensive play calling fits hand in glove with the balance the Saints offense is now striking. New Orleans is averaging 166.3-yards rushing per game in their first four games.
The play calling has been more than evenly divided between passes and rushes. Would you believe the Saints actually rushed the ball more times than they've rushed it in four outings?
New Orleans has rushed the ball a total of 134 times; they've passed the ball 129 times. That's about as even as you can get in the National Football League.
So now the Saints have a week off and then they'll get set for another Big Boy from the Big Apple – the New York Giants.
Who Dats everywhere are hyped about the 4-0 start; now every game is equally important. The Giants will more than likely be 5-0, when they come to town October 18th, That game will be billed as a huge match-up of undefeated NFC teams. Games only get bigger from here on out. That match-up in the dome could have playoff implications as far as a tie-breaking scenario ...and even may decide home field advantage.
But, like the team you so dearly love...the team you bleed Black & Gold for...the team that hopefully takes the Who Dat Nation to the promise land of February football...YOU have the week off. So rest up, get in the training room and take care of those bumps and bruises ...because it looks like it's going to be a long season. And when you're winning like the Saints are winning...that's nothing but a good thing!
On SAINTS Monday catch these WWL exclusives:
7:40am - "Monday Morning Quarterback" with the best quarterback in the NFL, Drew Brees!
4:00pm – "Second Guess" the Saints/Jets game with the Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert and NFL analyst Mike Detillier...live from the Silver Slipper in Hancock County, Mississippi!
6:30pm – The "Saints Coaches Show" with Head Coach Sean Payton... then at 7--offensive Coordinator, Pete Carmichael. Got a Saints question for Coach Payton? Email it now to: whodatnation@saintsradionetwork.com
7:30pm – Monday Night Football! The Green Bay Packers face Brett Favre and the Vikings in Minnesota. Join Marv Albert and Boomer Esiason for all the action.
The WHO DAT DREAM is ALIVE! For the latest on the Black & Gold, keep your radio locked on the flagship station of your New Orleans Saints—WWL-am-fm-and wwl.com—THE News, Talk & Sports LEADER!
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