NEW ORLEANS — Sean Payton telling the story about how he told a butcher "Worry about your frickin' meat" after being asked about the failed two-point conversion attempt against the San Francisco 49ers reminded me just how delightful it is to have Payton as Saints coach.
He really does fully understand and acknowledge the true depths of Saints fans' insanity and ridiculousness. I doubt Bill Belichick has ever said something about an in-game decision so memorable and funny.
It also helps that 2019 is probably Sean Payton's best coaching job he's ever done. He should be the NFL coach of the year, even though he won't be.
The national media have seemingly completely forgotten those five weeks the Saints went undefeated with Teddy Bridgewater filling in for an injured Drew Brees. Now that Brees is back, breaking records and looking amazing, those five weeks of Teddy Bridgewater do feel like they happened in another season.
So, some other coach (like whoever got the Buffalo Bills to 10 wins) is going to win the award.
Payton really has been masterful leading the Saints in 2019 starting with how he dealt with the pass interference that wasn't in the NFC Championship.
Payton could have just did what 95% of all NFL coaches would have done and just never really explained his feelings on it and then done the Bill Belichick standard model of "mumble, mumble, cliché, it's in the past, we are moving forward." Or he could have done the Nick Saban condescending method of telling fans how to feel and how everyone needs to focus on the task ahead of us because he's Nick Saban and smarter than you.
Did you catch the funny part?
"Much like normal people" Sure he said it joking, but I for one appreciated Sean acting like New Orleans treating the loss of a football game as a depressing life-altering tragedy was the totally rational logical standard reaction one might have in that situation.
He said all this while wearing a Roger Goodell clown t-shirt we all knew he was wearing but was barely visible. Back in the 1990's former President Bill Clinton made famous the saying "I feel your pain." Sean Payton did the same with Saints fans without saying it.
It was just so perfect. I'm always amazed that more coaches in pro or college sports don't realize like Payton that acknowledging decisions, outcomes or anything controversial with humor is the easiest way to win over a fan base and defuse a controversy.
The "Worry about your frickin meat” comment is so marvelous because I like my coaches to be human.
As fans we care, some of us to potentially unhealthy levels. So, Payton just giving us a wink and a nod that he gets it is appreciated. It's got to be sometimes maddeningly frustrating for a coach because, let's be honest, most of us watching football really have no idea what is happening. Yeah, I know you watch all 22 films and read Pro Football Focus and are an expert in all things football strategy, but I'll admit I'm not.
I get frustrated with people who don't understand WWL Radio and WWL TV are not the same company so I can imagine how Payton feels about Joey from Arabi wanting to tell him why going for 2 in the first half running Taysom Hill was dumb. Payton only went over that exact scenario probably 65 times during his 80-hour workweek Joey, but sure tell him what he did wrong.
Payton could be a jerk about all this like Nick Saban or Bill Belichick and tell and show us nothing. Instead, he says, "Worry about your frickin meat".
The 2019 Saints are so great. Why must there only be 2 weeks of the regular season left?
Saints Fan Mood and Meditation Music:
Help -- The Beatles
In my mind the Saints Super Bowl chances hinge on health and homefield. For health they just need to get some better luck than they've had the last few weeks, but for homefield in the playoffs they need help. So the Fab Four singing 'Help' immediately popped into my head. Specifically, we need Kirk Cousins to stop being terrible in prime time and beat the Packers. So, help us Minnesota, even though we openly hate you. Do this for us and we'll hate you like 3 percent less.
The Games
Last Week: 3-2
Season: 41-29-1
New Orleans (-2.5) at Tennessee:
The Titans have been perpetually 8-8 for what feels like 20 years. Tennessee has a hot Ryan Tannehill and a star receiver in rookie AJ Brown. In his last four games, Brown is averaging 22 yards per reception on 20 catches with 4 touchdowns. He'll be a problem.
The good news is the Saints suffocating run defense was back against the Colts so they should contain Derrick Henry. The Titans pass rush has crumbled since Cameron Wake got hurt and the Texans lit up their secondary in a 24-21 win.
Can we talk about how ridiculous Michael Thomas is? If Michael Thomas' 2019 season was a Saints career it'd be nearly equal to Jeremy Shockey's 3 years in New Orleans. Insanity.
The Titans are fighting for their playoff lives but Drew Brees is in that special place right now and Ryan Tannehill is due to remind people why Miami got rid of him.
Saints 27-17
Los Angeles Rams (+6.5) at San Francisco:
What if the 49ers win in New Orleans took everything out of them and that was their peak in 2019?
Rams 23-20
Baltimore (-7) at Cleveland:
I'm calling it now; your 2020 head coach of the Cleveland Browns will be current Saints assistant head coach Dan Campbell.
Ravens 35-17
Minnesota (-4.5) vs Green Bay:
You don't even need to say it loud because that might make you ill but just whisper this awkward phrase to help the Saints...Go Vikings.
Vikings 26-21
Atlanta (-6.5) vs Jacksonville:
I can't believe the Falcons are going to save Dan Quinn's job by going 7-9.
Falcons 43-27
More Saints Forecast:
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 @SaintsForecast or download the NSFW Saints Happy Hour Podcast.
(Warning: The Saints Happy Hour Podcast may contain language that is not suitable for all audiences)