NEW ORLEANS — Let's get one thing crystal clear -- if you are going to the Saints game Sunday wearing a Joe Burrow or Ja 'Marr Chase jersey and rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals to win -- you aren't a Saints fan.
Save your, "I'm a Saints fan, but I just love Joe Burrow and what he did for LSU. I'll be rooting for the Saints next week." It's nonsense.
If you want the Bengals to win, you are a Bengals fan. Period. You may go to Saints games, but you just watch them. They aren't your team. That's fine.
I've watched probably 90% of Bengals games the last 15 years. They are the AFC team I've always liked the most. You know what I'm not doing this week? Hoping they beat the Saints.
You can be a fan however you like, no one's stopping you. A big LSU fan Twitter account told me this, "I have my own loyalties and they are definitely to Joe over the Saints. If you wanna come and tear up my Saints fan card or whatever, OK. It's not gonna stop me."
I can't tear up what you don't have. You watch the Saints, you aren't a fan. You just said your loyalties are elsewhere.
If I told an LSU fan, "Listen I love LSU, I graduated from there. I bleed purple and gold except when LSU plays Alabama. Nick Saban did something special and magical for LSU and I love him forever. So this week it's ROLL TIDE. But next week I'll be back to loving LSU."
They'd look at me like I had two heads and say that was the stupidest thing they ever heard. They'd be right.
Joe Burrow and the 2019 LSU National Title team were the greatest display of football I've ever witnessed. I've got $500 worth of LSU National Champion merchandise. It all stays in the closet Sunday because I'm a Saints fan, not a Bengals fan. There's going to be lots of Burrow and Chase jerseys at the Dome Sunday rooting for Cincinnati to win. Fine. Whatever. Live your life. Just don't lie to me and say you are a Saints fan.
The Saints clearly are going to play Andy Dalton at least until Jameis Winston is completely healed. While the talk is LSU fans invading the Superdome to root for Joe Burrow, Andy Dalton will attempt to go 3-0 against his former team. It's time for A GINGER REVENGE GAME Y'ALL.
The Games
Last Week: 4-1
Season: 16-9
New Orleans (+1) vs Cincinnati: I was so sad I couldn't travel to NOLA for this game. I REALLY wanted to watch the Saints crush the Bengals in person and enjoy all the LSU people with their Joe Burrow jerseys march out the stadium with sad faces.
The biggest issue for the Saints is Marshon Lattimore feels unlikely to play and that's potentially a massive blow to Dennis Allen's defense. Lattimore, along with stuffing the run, are the foundational pieces to Saints playing good defense. The run defense just got flattened by the Seahawks, so the thought of no Lattimore vs. Burrow and Chase is terrifying. Dennis Allen needs to conjure up some game plan magic.
Joe Burrow -- or as I refer to him this week 'Football Macaulay Culkin' -- takes ALOT of sacks, so the Saints defensive line needs to continue their solid play of the last two weeks.
The good news for the Saints is the Bengals offense is a disjointed mess. They can't run the ball and the big plays that fueled the Bengals Super Bowl run are suddenly gone. The Bengals have the second fewest pass plays of 20 or more yards in the NFL.
While the Bengals offense has struggled their defense has been excellent. They only allow 17.8 points-per-game and hold teams to 32% on third down. The Saints need to get their receivers back healthy, continue their improved offensive play, and get the Bengals in third-and-long on defense. Do that and they'll win.
Saints 24-20
Tampa Bay (-8) at Pittsburgh: The Steelers being atrocious is something I've never seen in my entire life, but it's happening. Pittsburgh is going to be picking top five next April.
Bucs 23-3
New York Jets (+7) at Green Bay: Are the Jets good or are the Packers bad? Yes.
Jets 31-20
Los Angeles Rams (-10.5) vs Carolina: The Panthers fired Matt Rhule and are probably going to go 1-16. I won't remind you about the 1.
Rams 27-3
Seattle (+3) at Arizona: Geno Smith is good y'all. Those throws he was hitting against the Saints were difficult ones. If Seattle doesn't tag the 32-year-old Smith and he plays well the rest of 2022, I wouldn't mind the Saints making a run at Smith to be the Saints QB in 2023.
Seahawks 33-27
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.