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DATELINE: New Orleans, LA/ November 30, 2009 (Oh No Mr Bill!!)

 

Call it the biggest regular season win in Saints History. It wasn't a playoff game but it was a playoff atmosphere. This Manic Monday versus New England was a huge statement game for the black and gold.If the rest of the country didn't know how good this team is, well they know now. Monday night's Belichick blowout revealed the Saints are playing better football than anybody in the NFL, where this team did to Brady's boys what it has been doing to the rest of the league all season. They played dominant offense, disruptive defense and continue to win by having so many Saints chipping in and stepping up.

 

After an up and down past month, it was good to see Drew Brees back up and playing like an MVP candidate again. Reggie Bush told me after the game that it was Brees' best game as a Saint and who could argue? It was Vintage Brees against a once proud Patriots Defense where he found five different receivers in the endzone. He threw for nearly 400 yards and most importantly didn't throw an interception. I get that Brees doesn't have the rings Tom Brady has,but this season he is the better quarterback and proved it on Monday night.

 

While Brees was the story on offense, the defensive headlines go to a player who was on the Saints last year but wasn't even on the roster last week. Your hero was cornerback Mike McKenzie. A week ago McKenzie was in Memphis, TN wondering if he would ever play in the NFL again. A week later he was picking off Tom Brady and making several key third down stops against New England. Many figured McKenzie would retire after he suffered a second serious knee injury against Atlanta last year, but to his credit he worked hard to get back in shape and position himself to jump back in an NFL uniform. With the injuries to Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer and Randall Gay, getting McKenzie back was huge against the Pats where he deserves a big "pat" on the back for his ability to jump back in to the Superdome like he never left. Who needs training camp?? Not Mike McKenzie!!!z

 

The Saints "D" has been the comeback story of the NFL this season but its one criticism has been the fact that they haven't faced many top caliber QB's. They have played a batch of rookies in Stafford,Sanchez and Freeman. They have shut down the likes of Bulger,Delhomme and Kevin Kolb. Sure they have matched X's and O's with Matt Ryan and Eli Manning but this Tom Brady guy was supposed to be a different animal. The end result they made the three time Super Bowl winner look like a rookie as he finished an "unsuper" Superdome night with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

 

The only other perfect team in the NFL are the Colts. Two weeks ago,Indianapolis nearly lost to the Patriots. Two weeks later, the Saints make the Patriots look like the Lions. Over the weekend, Favre and the Vikings looked impressive against the Bears and the Colts played comeback against the Texans. As a result, many pundits were doubting the Saints were the best team in the league anymore. Well on Monday night, the Saints served notice they are not only still in the conversation, these guys should begin the conversation.

 

WHO DAT HITS

 

BREES AND BELICHICK--It says a lot about Drew Brees that Bill Belichick made an extra effort to track him down after the game and tell him congratulations on such a great peformance. Brees appreciated the effort from a coach not known for his long congratulatory handshakes.

 

BUSH WILL BE BACK-- Reggie Bush told me after the game that he "guarantees" he and his knee will play in Washington this Sunday. Bush was frustrated he couldn't go against the Pats but was happy for his teammates.

 

MIGHTY MALCOLM--Rookie Malcolm Jenkins shined in his second straight start of his career where he lead the team in tackles. Think about it---he still hasn't experienced a loss in his brief NFL career.

 

DEVERY'S THE DEAL--Add Devery Henderson's name to a growing list of Saints who have improved since last season. Remember the days when he dropped several passes, its hard to remember the last time he did that this season??

 

WHAT ABOUT BOB??--With Lance Moore on the sidelines, Robert Meachem continues to take advantage. The former 1st round pick told me that year three has always been good to him in his football career. His third season at Tennessee vaulted him to leaving school early and now his third year in the NFL he is thriving where no Saints receiver has played better than Meachem the past month.

 

LUCKY 19--After Brees found third string tight end Darnell Dinkins for the TD, its the 19th different Saints player to score a touchdown this season!

 

UNTIL NEXT BLOG,

Mike Nabors

CST

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