NEW ORLEANS — The Saints have won two straight and now lead the NFC South.
You'd think right now, Saints fans would be super optimistic and talking Super Bowl but that's not what I'm hearing.
What I'm hearing is, how do you get five turnovers and only win by seven?
There absolutely is truth to that and we'll come back to it.
Here's my 4 takeaways:
#4 Clean living
The Saints' offense was clunky Sunday but you know what they were exceptionally good at ??
They were clean.
What I mean by clean is three things. Zero turnovers. Zero sacks allowed and just one penalty all game for five yards.
The Saints have gotten better throughout the season protecting the ball.
They're 7th in the NFL in fewest giveaways, but in the last three games. No team in the NFL has done a better job of protecting the ball.
Sacks were a problem early in the season. Right now, the Saints are tied for the 13th-best in the league. They are middle of the pack on the season, but in the last three games, no team has protected their quarterback better than the Saints.
Penalties have been a persistent issue all season. The Saints give up the 6th most penalty yards in the NFL over the course of the season. But much better lately, the 23rd most over the last three games.
You know how you win when everything's not clicking perfectly. By being clean, and the Saints have been exceptionally clean lately.
#3 The Taysom factor
The Taysom factor is real. My advice to Pete Carmichael would be: Wear this guy out.
Hill has 20 carries over the last two games at 5.75 yards a pop. He had 23 carries over a two-game stretch last year, too the Saints were 2-0 in those games.
His passer rating this season is a near-perfect 156.3. I am in no way arguing that he should be the full-time quarterback but in his current role there are more opportunities for him to throw the ball. And I think the Saints should increase those opportunities because it's working.
The side benefit is it's taking the heat off of Alvin Kamara. He's still second in the NFL in touches per game, but he had 26 a game through his first four games after the suspension. Just 17 a game since. This is a manageable number that increases your chances of keeping him healthy.
Wear Taysom Hill out.
#2 Adebo rising
At number two, I want to praise Paulson Adebo.
Three turnovers by one player in one game is exceptional. Adebo also had the game-changing interception last week.
On both interceptions this week he diagnosed, anticipated, and broke on the ball in a way that made it look easy.
That's what great players do and number 29 is playing at an elite level.
#1 Takin' care of business
At number one, what the Saints are doing well is taking care of business.
The fact is the Bears are not a good team. If the NFL draft were held today, Chicago would have the third pick in the draft.
Three of the Saints' wins have come against teams in the bottom five and the Saints have zero wins this season against teams with winning records.
Do you know how many teams with a winning record the Saints play in their final eight games?? Two.
It's possible for the Saints to win eleven games this season without ever beating a team with a winning record. It doesn't have to be pretty.
If the Saints can just keep taking care of business against below-average teams.
New Orleans is going to the playoffs.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.