NEW ORLEANS — The 2019 New Orleans Saints are built like a Sherman Tank; They can absorb almost anything and keep on trucking through it. The Saints put together their most impressive win of the season with a 38-28 win in Tennessee by overcoming their worst opening quarter of the year, a desperate Titan team, injuries to the offensive and defensive line, the secondary and 11 penalties.
The Saints looked so terrible in the opening quarter and trailed 14-0 I panic tweeted, “Saints aren’t winning today. Offensive line is too compromised. Question is can it be healthier for playoffs?” Alcohol and sadness may have been involved.
As is usually the case, my instincts about Saints football were wrong. If Saints go on and get to a Super Bowl because they get home field in the NFC, we will look back on this game fondly. Call it finding a way or making a way or maybe football grit. The Saints are 1 win away from becoming just the third team since 2000 to win 13 games in back-to-back seasons. The reason is they have the deepest roster in the NFL.
December road wins against good teams can swing an entire season. In 2013 the 10-4 Saints went to 10-4 Carolina Panthers and lost 17-13 in a blinding rain storm. Instead of a first round bye, they had to go on the road to Philadelphia and then back to Seattle for the Divisional Round. Yesterday hopefully means the Saints will have an entirely different playoff journey.
Sunday's game had a bizarre feeling throughout. The Saints defense alternated between spectacular and spectacularly awful. After Tennessee delivered 2 body blows to go up 14-0 it was the defense that steadied the ship and kept the Saints within shouting distance until the offense figured things out. Then once the offense got going the defense would go back to being awful, except in the moments where Saints absolutely needed them.
This was the first time the Saints had overcome a 14-0 road deficit to win since 2012. The offense went from a penalty-filled mess that couldn't block anyone to scoring 31 points in less than 2 quarters. Alvin Kamara scored for the first time since Week 2 and finally looked like the Kamara we all love and the Saints need.
If Michael Thomas, Jared Cook, and Alvin Kamara are all going to be awesome the rest of the NFC better light prayer candles the Saints aren't the #1 seed in the NFC because good luck stopping this offense right now in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Michael Thomas broke the NFL single season receptions record and every week proves to be the greatest $20 million bargain in sports. If the Saints need a huge game from him next week in Carolina he may put the receptions record in a stratosphere no one reaches for a long time.
Drew Brees summed up Thomas after the game, “He just has an engine, a fire that's pretty rare.” Thomas seems to have personal desire to destroy the NFL record book and is blessed with a quarterback in Brees and a coach in Sean Payton who can help him do it.
While the Saints offense has averaged 39 points the last 3 weeks, Deonte Harris might have done something even more incredible against the Titans. Harris was so dominant in the return game the Titans after their final score said, “No Mas” Roberto Duran style and squib kicked the ball so he couldn't return it. Averaging 37.5 yards a kick return will do that. It hasn't been since Michael 'The Beer man' Lewis was returning kicks that a Saints opponent just threw up their hands and raised the white flag on kickoffs. Harris is special and come playoff time is going to swing a game in the Saints favor.
One of the great joys of the 2019 Saints are guys like Patrick Robinson rising up and making big plays to secure wins. Robinson returned to the Saints in 2018 but injuries and noneffective play has made his return not such a feel good story. Then Sunday he had 6 tackles, including 1 for a loss, and a key pass breakup on 4th down to completely extinguish any Titan hopes. Kind of cool and it'd be even cooler if 2017 Patrick Robinson who helped the Philadelphia Eagles win a Super Bowl has finally arrived. Teams that win in December and then win titles do so because their backups do more than just 'not be atrocious'. The 2019 Saints roster depth is so much more than just Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback.
If the Saints beat Carolina next Sunday it will be their 39th win including playoffs since 2017. To put that in perspective the first 11 years of their franchise's existence from 1967-1977 the Saints won 39 games TOTAL . It's been spellbinding since an 0-2 start in 2017, and yes the playoffs will be like experiencing football PTSD, and about dealing with fear and staring potential heartbreak in the face, but right now as the holidays approach let's think of Michael Thomas breaking records, Drew Brees looking as extraordinary as ever, and a defense that has a knack for overcoming injuries and doing what's needed. We are in the Golden Age of Saints football and the Saints themselves showed the grit teams need to go get Lombardi Trophies.
Ralph Malbrough is a contributing writer and Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at saintshappyhour@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @SaintsForecastor download the Saints Happy Hour Podcast.
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