Yes, all that talk about the Saints looking good only because they beat a miserable Detroit team can be squashed. New Orleans dominated the Philadelphia Eagles - a serious Super Bowl contender this season. The Saints defense took another step forward, and they beat the Eagles at their own game.
Philly entered the game with a record of 55-15...also on the plus side of the turnover battle since 1999. But it would be the Saints that would take control of the game in the third quarter, after two Philly turnovers. Numbers don't lie, as since 1999, when the Eagles lose the turnover battle...they are 19-29-1. Now make that 19-30-1!
Up 17-13 at the break, the Saints came out and forced a fumble on the second half kickoff, as Chris Reis came up with a huge fumble recovery. That lead to the Saints opening the flood gates! New Orleans took control of the game in a span of two minutes and twenty-nine seconds to claim a 31-13 lead.
If you were not so impressed with the Saints defense in week one of the season, then there isn't much you can complain about in week two.
The Saints completely took the Eagles out of their game plan early in the second half, as Philly Coach Andy Reid wanted to be able to use RB Michael Westbrook as much as possible to take the pressure off QB Kevin Kolb. But, the Black & Gold defense was having none of that! The Saints new "D" limited Westbrook to just 66-yards of total offense. Yea, baby!
New Orleans did what they were supposed to do...take advantage of Philly not being at full strength (with QB Donovan McNabb out with a rib injury). For the second week in a row, the Saints picked off three passes. The Saints scored 17 points in the third to take a 34-13 lead. Then the Black & Gold sealed the deal, when Reggie Bush scored on a nineteen yard run with 9:36 left in the game...giving New Orleans a 41-20 lead.
The Saints are now 2-0 on the season and will head North again next Sunday to take on the Buffalo Bills. Not many outside the Crescent City will give the Saints a lot of credit for this impressive win. They'll say the Saints got the win because McNabb was out. (Heck, they're saying that already!) But, the Saints scored 41 points on the best defense in the league...and last I looked...McNabb doesn't play defense!
Coach Sean Payton wanted to see if his special teams would improve from week one to week two...they did. Punter Thomas Morestead had another solid outing as he averaged 52-yards per punt. And, other than one kickoff that sailed out of bounds, Morestead was solid in putting the Eagles deep in their own territory.
The Saints defense did surrender 463-yards, but most of that yardage was gained by the Eagles AFTER the game had been decided. The Eagles had to pass the ball fifty-two times with a QB making his first start. That stat is compelling by itself. It tells the story of how well the Saints played and how far ahead they were in the game in Philly.
Saints fans held their breath during the third quarter of the game, when fan favorite RB Mike Bell left the game with an injury. When addressing the media in his post game presser, Coach Sean Payton said it looks like Bell has a knee sprain.
After week two of the season only five teams in the NFC are undefeated at 2-0; the Saints are one of them. It's only the second week of a very long NFL season, but all we can go by is where the Saints are right now...at 2-0...that's perfect! The Who Dat Dream is alive and well and always happening on WWL Radio and wwl.com!
Who Dat Nation...join WWL for SAINTS Monday!
*7:40am - Bob DelGiorno & Saints QB Drew Brees for "Monday Morning Quarterback!"
*4pm - talk about the Saints/Eagles smack down...on "Second Guess" with the Cajun Cannon Bobby Hebert, and NFL analyst Mike Detillier live from the Silver Slipper Casino on the beach in Hancock County, Mississippi.
*6:30pm - catch the "Saints Coaches Show" with Head Coach Sean Payton & his assistant coach of the week.
*7:30pm - Monday Night Football - the Indianapolis Colts at the Miami Dolphins.
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