NEW ORLEANS — As a New Orleans Saints fan, 2022 has been a journey back to the essence and fundamental core of why I care so much about this frustrating, maddening, and at times laughable football team.
The 2022 Saints aren't any good and it seems were designed by the universe to be just interesting enough to inflict the maximum amount of heartache legally allowed by law.
So what bonds us to this team? The fact they play in New Orleans, the sense of community it gives us, and the shared experience of joy, pain, and laughter? All that's true. But for me one of the things that link to the Saints forever - maybe THE STRONGEST LINK - is my hatred of the Atlanta Falcons.
Beating the Falcons is a foundational principle in my Saints fandom. Super Bowls, playoffs, and winning seasons are nice, but even in the most miserable of seasons, beating the Falcons always matters.
The day I'm not interested in the Saints beating the team from Atlanta is the moment I'm probably done caring about Saints football.
When I was a kid in the 1980's it was at times the only thing that was attainable, so it was the only thing that really mattered. The Saints were bad, Atlanta was bad, but by god, the Saints had to beat them so we had a team to laugh at that was worse than ours.
The best part is both fanbases treat the game the same way. It's THE GAME that matters. And weirdly for me, it matters more when both teams are terrible. It is a rivalry not built on success, Lombardi trophies, or excellence. It is constructed on pettiness and the desire to look down and laugh at our rivals because they are in worse shape than we are.
The Falcons' failures are Saints fans' successes. Atlanta blowing a 28-3 Super Bowl lead to the New England Patriots and Tom Brady is a top 10 moment in my life as a Saints fan.
Is that petty? And how. Also glorious. Ask any Falcons diehard and they will tell you they feel the same way about the Minnesota Miracle and the 'No Call". ESPN's Bomani Jones gets Saints-Falcons better than any national sports personality and explained perfectly on my podcast.
The Saints and Falcons don't give their fans enough joy on their own, so we look to the suffering of our most hated enemy to give us football happiness.
The Saints returning to the bottom dwellers of the NFL has been misery, but it has turned up the fire for Saints-Falcons. After 15 years of living the NFL good life, we are back to where it all started -- hating the Falcons.
This Sunday's Saints-Falcons game doesn't matter because the Saints somehow are still mathematically alive for the playoffs, it matters because a Saints victory would even the all-time series at 54 wins each. Since 2006 the Saints are 24-10 against the Falcons and have managed somehow to close the seemingly impossible gap in the all-time series.
Hating the Falcons always matters, but it matters more when the Saints are sorry. If the Saints are only going to win one more time in 2022, it needs to be Sunday. Embrace Falcons Hate Week... the contempt will make your Christmas holidays more fun.
Saints Fan Mood and Meditation Music:
It's back to 1990s horrible Saints football, so this song is perfect. "Love and Hate, what a beautiful combination" Hating the Falcons always warms my soul. Saints....JUST BEAT ATLANTA. Give us this before Christmas and we'll say nice things about you Dennis Allen. Pinky swear.
The Games
Last Week: 3-2
Season: 38-22
New Orleans Saints (-3.5) vs Atlanta Falcons:
If the 2022 Saints were a person they'd be the friend we really want to love and they do things that make us believe they can change. And in spite of what our head tells us, that there is hope inside them and they deserve our love.
They deserve no such thing.
As I've said before, Jameis Winston gave us the theme of the 2022 Saints when after their Week 1 win he said, "Pain Everywhere.", and accepting that, I believe the Saints aren't done inflicting pain on us, even if we keep telling ourselves the 2022 Saints can't hurt us anymore.
We may be done with the 2022 Saints, but the 2022 Saints aren't done with us.
They have one more agonizing punch to the stomach to give, but before the pain, comes hope.
The Saints get to face a 5-8 Falcons team playing a rookie quarterback, making his first NFL start. Atlanta has scored over 20 points just once in its last 5 games, and as bad as Marcus Mariota was throwing the ball, he did help their run game be dynamic at times with his legs.
Ridder is an elite athlete so expect him to scramble a lot, instead of taking risks throwing the ball.
I know the Falcons will be motivated because a win gets them right back in the NFC South race. They could be tied for first if Tampa loses at home to Cincinnati.
That's not happening. The Saints have every reason to pack it up for 2022 after the debacle in Tampa, but something tells me they won't. The injured Saints don't really have much reason to come back and play but they will. There is another wave of immense Saints heartache hiding somewhere left in 2022 waiting to crush us. But not Sunday. Sunday will be about throttling the Falcons and laughing at our most hated rival.
Enjoy the last fumes of fun the 2022 Saints give us.
Saints 27-20
Cincinnati (-3.5) at Tampa Bay:
The Bucs are the worst team in the NFC South, but they somehow lead it. Welcome to 2022. Joe Burrow and the Bengals are going to continue the Bucs collapse.
Bengals 27-10
Carolina (-2) vs Pittsburgh:
The Panthers are going to win the South. Mark it down.
Panthers 20-16
Detroit (+3.5) at New York:
The Lions are like good and stuff. Dan Campbell has turned Jared Goff into a good QB. Really.
Lions 24-20
Philadelphia at Chicago:
The Eagles are lurking, waiting to deliver the final shot of heartache to the Saints. Be afraid.
Eagles 34-7
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 Saints Happy Hour Podcast.
(Warning: The Saints Happy Hour Podcast may contain language that is not suitable for all audiences)