NEW ORLEANS — 2020 has been awful, weird, bizarre and everything in between. This week, it really hit me just how insane and a little sad New Orleans Saints football has been.
The Saints are hosting the 12-1 defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs in a nationally televised game, and come the weekend, the French Quarter and everywhere around the Superdome should be overflowing with energy, excitement and anticipation of the game of the year in the NFL.
Instead, because of the pandemic, the Dome will have 3,000 fans and the atmosphere will be more like a library than a Saints game party.
I know why it has to be this way, but it makes me sad that one of the best Saints teams ever and probably Drew Brees' final season won't have the full Superdome home game experience.
We've experienced the empty or mostly empty stadiums all year, but it just cuts a little deeper for the big games doesn't it?
Late in Sunday's game, if the Saints defense needs a stop against Patrick Mahomes, the Dome should be so loud it feels like the roof is about to blow off. Instead, Mahomes will have the advantage of trying to draw the Saints offsides with his snap count in a silent sterile stadium.
I'm glad to have football at all in 2020, but it's games like Sunday when the awfulness of the pandemic really makes an appearance in the distractions from real-life that sports usually bring.
Saints Fans Mood and Meditation: Kick Start My Heart – Mötley Crüe
The Eagles loss was so terrible it gave me the stomach flu from hell — not fun. I do not recommend having both the stomach flu AND vertigo. It was bad as watching the 2012 Saints defense.
Things seem a little bleak for the Saints right now. The Green Bay Packers have control of the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the Saints offensive line looks beat up and faltering in December for a 4th straight year. The world champion Chiefs and their unstoppable offense is coming to town, and we can't even fill the Dome to help the Saints against this juggernaut Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid created.
The solution is 1980's hair metal. Crack the Crüe to 100, kick start your heart, believe that somehow, someway, the Saints are going to get this done.
The Games
Last: 1-4
Season: 29-31
New Orleans (+3.5) vs Kansas City: Taysom Hill is probably starting again and he hasn't been instilling confidence the last 5 quarters he can win games for the Saints now or in the future. He might even be a bad half or another fumble away from the bench.
So why would I pick the Saints against a Kansas City team that's 2nd in points per game (31) and 1st in passing yards-per-game?
The Saints had a complete system failure against the Eagles. Every part of the team had a hand in the disaster in Philly, I believe the Saints are a very good football team, and won't play poorly 2 weeks in a row.
I'm going to trust that Sean Payton can figure out a way to score a bunch against a Steve Spagnuolo defense and that Dennis Allen can create just enough discomfort for Patrick Mahomes that the Saints can win.
Besides, Taysom Hill being bad 2 weeks in a row makes the Saints decision on him being the future quarterback simple and uncomplicated and that's no fun. I expect Taysom to have his best game ever so we can argue all offseason if the Saints should commit long-term to Taysom or not.
I can hear the pro-Taysom arguments now...
“Of course he's the quarterback to lead the Saints, he beat the Chiefs man. Killed them.”
Nothing makes sense in 2020, including this Sunday.
Saints 41-27
Carolina (+8) at Green Bay: Teddy, if you can beat the Packers I will start a campaign to get you immediate induction into the Saints Hall of Fame.
Panthers 27-24
Washington (+5.5) vs Seattle: Ron Rivera is a damn good football coach and he almost makes me want to root for Washington. Almost.
Washington 23-20
Buffalo (+6.5) at Denver: I'm not sure if Josh Allen is the next great NFL quarterback but he sure is fun to watch.
Bills 34-17
Arizona (-6.5) vs Philadelphia: Try not to get too upset when the Cardinals stop Hurts from scrambling and he goes 11 for 27 in an Eagles loss.
Cardinals 27-14
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