Don't look now....
The Saints are back in the first seed position.
Can you say Super Bowl?
I posted after the T'giving Atlanta game that Brees and the O were out of sync, and warned if they played that poorly at Dallas they would lose. Well, they did, and then they did. No real improvement yesterday. It's one thing to recognize that the opposing defense deserves credit for playing well, and for making plays. Dallas' defense did, and Tampa Bay's defense has been playing really well recently. Okay. But, I'm not talking about what the opposing defenses do, I am concerned about Brees missing open receivers, which happens rarely, and Saints' receivers DROPPING passes! Saints' receivers have had more drops the past three games then the previous 10 games combined!
Also, I have seen more instances of Brees and his receivers "not being on the same page" then I've seen previously. I know what it is. Opposing defenses have studied and studied the Saints' offense and have made adjustments. To counter those adjustments, Payton and Brees have tweaked our offense, changing routes, changing Brees' progressions, and he and the receivers haven't gotten it down pat....yet. I can see it plain as day. I don't just "watch" football, I study it. And as a longtime fan of Payton/Brees I know their offense as well as most. I see they have changed things. They had to...opposing defenses had caught up to them.
The defense is playing much, much better and are carrying the Saints right now. The past 3 games, Atlanta, Dallas and Tampa Bay, we are 2-1. We might have easily been 0-3 if not for our defense. Remember we beat the Dirty Birds 31-17 thanks to four HUGE turnovers! Yesterday the spark was Hill's blocked punt.
Last night the Bears, not surprisingly, did us a big favor beating the Rams. Defense wins championships. For the Saints, we are seeing our defense step up too.
If the Playoffs Started Today:
NFC Wildcard
#6 Vikings @ #3 Bears
#5 Seahawks @ #4 Cowboys
NFC Divisional
#1 Saints vs. Lowest Winning Seed (would be Cowboys if Bears/Cowboys Win)
#2 Rams vs. Highest Winning Seed
AFC Wildcard
#6 Ravens @ #3 Texans
#5 Chargers @ #4 Steelers
AFC Divisional
#1 Chiefs vs. Lowest winning seed
#2 Patriots vs. Highest winning seed
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I hate how in the NFL, the second best team in a Conference (Chargers - Record wise) would be the 5th seed.
Great game last night, Chargers vs. Chiefs. Credit to the Chargers for rallying big time. What do y'all think about the decision to go for 2? And, no, don't lean on the 20-20 hindsight that it worked. I understand the rationale of the decision, but don't know that I would have made that call if I were coaching the Chargers. Now, the Chargers, who were looking at a 5th seed, have a chance to garner the #1 seed. HUGE difference! But, that's the AFC. Cannon fodder in the Super Bowl.
The NFC, top to bottom, across the playoff contenders, is much better, I think. Any one of the top 5 or 6 NFC teams would win the AFC playoff tourney. Just my opinion, based on observation.
Yes, like that.
I was surprised, and just shake my head in disbelief, over Zeke Elliot's $27,000 fine. I suppose all this "snowflake" crapola will have to descend into a state of total STUPIDITY before enough people scream "STOP THE NONSENSE!"
It's not that I don't support safety for the players. Take all steps to improve equipment, and yes, penalize blatant cheap shots, which we really don't see anymore anyway. But, football is a violent sport. It is! You can not legislate all the roughness out of it. Well, you could, but then it wouldn't be football, it would be a wussy sport like lacrosse.
Many of the head injuries, damage to the brain, are caused NOT by helmet to helmet hits. Most damage is caused by the sudden impact of thousands of pounds of people colliding. The brain, inside of the skull, "floats" and when the body comes to a sudden halt, the brain keeps moving impacting with the inside of the skull. Same damage any person suffers in a typical car wreck. Damage is done. But! most people don't endure car wrecks many dozens of times for 20 straight weeks!!!!
Anyway....the NFL has gotten ridiculous. Not that Elliot can't afford it....it's the stupidity of it that gets me.
I agree. The stupidity of the NFL is never ending. If the NFL doesn't want players bringing attention to the Salvation Army and horsing around with the big red Salvation Army "bucket" in the end zone every time someone scores a TD, then MOVE the damn bucket out of the end zone.
The NFL is so hypocritical. If the NFL was half as smart as they think they are, they could have easily capitalized on this "Salvation Army" thing by putting a big red bucket in every team's end zone and creating some kind of "NFL challenge" between the teams for the season. Maybe celebrate the team that raises the most money for the Salvation Army, and call em "Red Bucket Champions", or whatever. But instead....the NFL turned it into a big negative thing.
https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas-cowboys/cowboys/2018/12/05/cowboys-rb-ezekiel-elliott-nfls-fine-pay-little-fine-advice-kareem-hunt-reuben-foster
This is why "monopolies" are bad for business. Without a competitor there to capitalize on the NFL's flaws, they keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over again, and they keep pissing of customers.