NFL Blog

Saints Deserve the Headlines

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009      Email Print

Leaving the Superdome Sunday I shared an elevator ride with a member of the national media from the New York area who was covering the Saints-Giants game.  As we talked about what we had just seen, one of my last words to him were, “Don’t get the headline or lead wrong on this one.”

He smiled. He also knew what I was talking about.

What happened at the home base of the ‘Who-Dat Nation’ Sunday had nothing to do with what the New York Giants didn’t do. It had everything to do with what the Saints did – what they did as a team, and what they did to the previously unbeaten Giants. This was as complete a tail-whippin’ as you’re going to see on any level, and the Saints deserve – no, have earned – the right to be the focus of the stories.

Final score: 48-27 – and the game wasn’t that close. So much for the Saints not playing well under Sean Payton after bye-weeks (they had never won the first game coming off of a bye). The opening drive set the tone: 15 plays, 70 yards, 7:41 of the clock. Scoreboard – 7-0 Saints. Later we would see drives of 6 plays, 80 yards; 4 plays, 57 yards; 5 plays, 61 yards; 9 plays, 71 yards; 8 plays, 80 yards. A total of 70 plays for 493 yards. This wasn’t against hapless Oakland or winless Kansas  City… this was against the #1 rated defense in the NFL heading into Sunday. A defense allowing just 210 yards and 14 points a game. The Saints scored seven touchdowns as a team, and seven different players scored! It was an exhibition of balance colored black and gold.

I’m sure we’ll hear Sean Payton at his press conference talk about what worries him and the things they need to improve on – too many long kick returns allowed, a blocked extra point, some big pass plays given up near the end… but that’s his job. His team will continue to work, and continue to improve. No doubt 5-0 is good; getting to 6-0 next week in Miami would be better.

But for now, our job is to create the headlines of the most recent effort. How about “Big Easy Completes Big Apple Sweep,” or “Crushed in the Crescent City;” how about “A Giant Beatdown” or maybe “Who Dat? The Saints – Dat’s Who!”

I’ll be interested to see what headline my new media acquaintance uses. Whatever headline you create, just be fair, be accurate and make sure the Saints are the focal point of it – after all, they not only deserve it, but right now they’ve earned it.

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