http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/ CST Saints Sideline Blog en mikenabors@gmail.com Copyright 2012 2012-01-15T23:00:54+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/california-steamin/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/california-steamin/#When:23:00:54Z DATELINE: SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Bummer in the Bay) Early on it seemed the Saints didn't show its typical heart in San Francisco. They lacked poise and pride--an early effort which was possibly the worst football we've seen in the Sean Payton era this side of that ugly and last loss of the season back in St Louis in October. Not so fast......After a myriad of miscues,New Orleans flipped the switch. After trailing 17-0, after committing five turnovers and after getting beat up on both sides of the ball by the Niners, the Saints climbed off the mat and started punching or in this case passing.The final four may be coming to New Orleans in April but it will be tough to top the final four minutes of the Saints season. In that… 2012-01-15T23:00:54+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/holiday-cheer/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/holiday-cheer/#When:16:35:03Z DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS, LA (Brees pens his own Christmas Carol) Twas the night after Christmas, when all through the dome Every Who Dat was stirring, they didn't want to go home The numbers were hung against the Falcons by Drew In hopes that Marino would go down too     The Atlanta defense may have preferred to be nestled all snug in their beds As visions of 1st down passes and thunderous runs still dance in their heads. With Payton with his playbook and Williams armed with a D that loved to blitz It all equated to a game plan that gave the visitors fits     Once out on the turf, the Saints arose such a clatter They sprang Pierre Thomas with a ball and a bow -things started to matter Away to the window, the defense flew like a flash Shanle tore open the shutters and allowed… 2011-12-27T16:35:03+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/winnesota/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/winnesota/#When:14:54:23Z DATELINE: MINNEAPOLIS, MN (Its a broken record----more broken records) Tis the Holiday season, a time when we feel better about giving than receiving. The Saints offense seems to be the exception-they feel good about both. They give the opposition fits while savor the thought of receiving another victory--its a pattern we've seen for six straight weeks. The Saints have sure had its sixth sense of late where its no coincidence they have reeled off six straight wins following its most humiliating loss of the year against St Louis. Drew Brees and several Saints told me after the Vikings victory that its embarrassing performance nearly two months ago still serves as motivation. Roman Harper told me Gregg Williams won't let it go in team meetings either. Think about it, this game against the Vikings appeared to be a trap game much like the Rams game but this time around the result… 2011-12-19T14:54:23+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/titanic-gut-check/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/titanic-gut-check/#When:15:59:21Z DATELINE: NASHVILLE, TN (The Saints "D" belts out a Music City "Hit") It was fitting in the land of the Grand Ole Opry, we refer to a broken record. How many times have we heard this common refrain--with the game on the line, Drew Brees leads the Saints down the stretch for a winning score. This time around we have to take some time to edit the lyrics as sure Brees was solid vs the Titans but it was the Defense which topped the charts. Sure, this unit hasn't forced turnovers like it did during its Super season and OK, it has relinquished its fair share of big plays but its body of work has indicated its quite the clutch group. The Titans game was the prime example as the they limited All-Pro Chris Johnson on the ground, held the home team to a 1 for 10 conversion rate on… 2011-12-12T15:59:21+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/lion-kings/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/lion-kings/#When:22:52:10Z DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS, LA (Saints have been Ram Tough since St Louie loss) You get the feeling every time the Saints start feeling good about themselves, it serves as a powerful reminder. A collective chip on their shoulders which has been taken out on the Bucs, Falcons, Giants and most recently the Motor City Madmen. Remember the last time the Saints lost a game?  Its been awhile---it was pre- Halloween and Herman Cain was still considered a presidential contender. The Saints remember well---it was a loss that has stung and motivated this football team for weeks and has served as a spark plug during a stretch where they had to play its best football---clearly they have met the challenge, in the biggest of ways. The loss was over a month ago on October 30th--the worst loss of the Sean Payton era. A 31-21 loss against lowly St… 2011-12-05T22:52:10+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/brees-was-a-giant/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/brees-was-a-giant/#When:16:35:16Z DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS, LA (Was he ready for some football? uh yeah.....) Its no secret that nobody is harder on Drew Brees than well.... Drew Brees. It doesn't matter if he has a perfect QB rating like he did two seasons ago on Monday night against the Patriots or fast forward to his latest Manic Monday effort against the Giants, Drew will find something to motivate him to get better. This time around his self analysis turned to the area of celebration. Fresh off the 8th rushing touchdown of his career and his first since the 2009 season, Brees was poised to one up his tight end Jimmy Graham and turn the Superdome into a two man Who Dat Slam Dunk contest. Motivated by his youthful days in Austin, TX  where he developed his dunking skills admittedly on 7 and 8 foot rims, Brees attempted a Jordanesque style… 2011-11-29T16:35:16+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/4th-won/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/4th-won/#When:15:03:09Z DATELINE: ATLANTA, GA (Saints D gives the ATL a TKO) The Falcons have been dangerous at home since Matt Ryan stepped into their huddle, with the exception of when those Saints come marching in. Now 5-1 under Sean Payton in Atlanta, the Saints clearly feel peachy in the peach state, making this place its dome away from its other dome home. In four tries against the black and gold, Ryan won his first battle versus New Orleans back in his rookie 08 season, but has now lost his last three against the Saints on his home turf. Sure the bulk of those were because he was out dueled by Saint Brees but this showdown the blame could be pointed squarely in the direction of the Saints defense which shined when it mattered most. The Saints D has had a habit this season of giving up loads of yards… 2011-11-14T15:03:09+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/buc-ing-a-trend/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/buc-ing-a-trend/#When:15:10:25Z DATELINE: New Orleans, LA  (The clocks go back--the Saints move fast forward.) It was a rematch which proved to be quite the mismatch. Losing this game against Tampa Bay would have sent this Saints season on high alert but these Saints put the breaks on a potential downward spiral and quickly pulled off quite the U-turn, churning out one of the best performances of the season. Its what good teams do---bounce back from adversity. The Saints had plenty of adverse conditions from the beginning, especially on defense. Its leader Jonathan Vilma was inactive and after the second play of the game, Tracy Porter suffered a scary neck injury that left him on the field for several minutes where he was subsequently carted off the field. His defensive mates stepped up in the absence of two of their biggest stars to not only shutout the Buccos in the 1st… 2011-11-07T15:10:25+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/st-lousy/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/st-lousy/#When:13:44:16Z DATELINE ST LOUIS, MO (Worst game of the Sean Payton era?) Sean Payton has brought several Super moments to New Orleans so the list of stinkers are few and far between. Sure you had the opener in 07 where Indy crushed the Saints  41-10 and you had an uninspired loss in 08 at Carolina 30-7. Then you had some forgettable games last season where New Orleans lost to a horrible Arizona team led by QB Max Hall ?? 30-20. Another less than memorable moment was last season's home defeat to a youthful Cleveland club 30-17 and finally the painful Marshawn Lynch playoff dagger in Seattle. For my money, this game in St Louis was the worst---given how talented this Saints team is and how seemingly pathetic this opponent was entering the game. On the eve of Halloween, it seemed the Saints dressed up as the Rams and the… 2011-10-31T13:44:16+00:00 http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/a-coltastrophe/ http://www.coxsportstv.com/blogs/saints-sideline/a-coltastrophe/#When:14:34:55Z DATELINE: New Orleans, LA (Brees had more TD passes than incompletions?!) Drew Brees has played many a game inside the Superdome but against the Colts it was his debut in new car smell like "Mercedes- Benz" Superdome. Fitting because Brees and company drove over the Colts like a fine German car on the autobahn, which like this Saints offense knows no speed limit. It was pedal to the medal time for the Saints who shifted into a new gear with a new franchise record of 62 points---matching the highest total since the AFL/NFL merger in 1970. Needless to say it was a  franchise best for a team who hasn't seen this many digits on the scoreboard since it put up 51 against Green Bay in 2008. Sure the Colts didn't have its Peyton but give the Saints credit---they didn't have their Payton on the field either. Tucked up… 2011-10-24T14:34:55+00:00