Saints Recap-Precap: Week 1

NOLAFugees Saints specialist Jack Moss on the prospects of 'dem Saints.

Recap: Week 1  

New Orleans Saints 19, Cleveland Browns 14.

Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?  Who dat, who dat…¹

 Sure, it was only the Cleveland Browns.  But the Saints’ performance on Sunday was —as anyone who has followed the team in any of its last thirty-nine seasons will tell you—no typical Saints performance. 

On offense, they incurred few drive-killing penalties—holding, offsides, delay of game, etc.—and were able to run the ball when it counted; on defense, they gang-tackled, pressured (often sacked) Cleveland’s quarterback, and bucked up in short yardage situations; and on special teams they blundered not.

For the first time in years, the Saints were not the loveable bunglers we’ve come to love.  Indeed, for the first time in years, they a real goddamn professional football team.

A real goddamn football team—not, anyway, one the Boys in Vegas expected to see on the field in their first game after a woeful 3-13 season.

But as underdogs in Cleveland, the Saints were the easiest bet of the week (with the possible exception of the Baltimore Ravens as underdogs against TB).  A team that has turned the corner against a team who can’t get its hoopty started: suckers.

So congratulations to all of you who took the three points and played the road dog.  And congratulations plus an oak leaf cluster to those of you who played the Saints (on the alternate line) and gave 3.5 points: yours was a 3-1 payoff and an especially gratifying first week of the 2006 season. 

Precap: Week 2 

New Orleans Saints (-2.5) at Green Bay Packers

The Boys in Vegas have the Saints as 2.5 point favorites against the Packers.  That’s right, favorites.  But one should not be surprised. 

Sure, it’s still Brett Favre’s Packers; and yes, the game is being played at Lambeau Field—the NFL’s holiest of holies and site of countless Packers’ triumphs; and of course the Packers drummed the Saints last year in Lambeau 52-3, the game in which Deuce McAllister suffered his season-ending knee injury. 

But Brett’s illustrious career is as over as that whole George W. thing, Lambeau is only kind to Packer teams which are, at worst, decent football teams, and—more than any other factor—the 2006 version of the Saints is beaucoup better than the poor excuse for a poor NFL team that got its ass handed to it by Green Bay last fall.

Expect the Saints’ defense to completely shut down the Packers’ running game, forcing the Cheesers to pin their hopes (once again) on Farve’s arm.  Once upon a time, forcing the Packers to do such a thing was suicide; week after week for ten-plus seasons Brett vanquished opponents who tried that tactic.  No longer.  Favre will be running for his life all day with Charles Grant and Will Smith constantly in his rearview mirror.  The Packers will be lucky to break 13 points. 

The Saints will run rampant through the Pack’s porous D like dysentery was supposed to run through the population of New Orleans in the weeks and months after Katrina.  A fully-recovered Deuce will gain near (or more than) 100 yards rushing, and a quickly improving Reggie Bush will register his first regular season Sportscenter highlight reel mainstay—a screen pass broken for 50+ yards, or maybe a dazzling punt return TD.  Look for Drew Brees to again keep his jersey clean and for Joe “Hizzy” Horn to catch his first touchdown pass of the season.

Yes indeed—lay the 2.5 points, and rest easy. 

Saints by 7+.  Holla.   

¹ For any unfamiliar with this, the refrain of the Saints’ very tribal, trance- and funk-dance-inducing battle hymn—it is best used as a recessional: specifically, walking down ramps out of the ‘Dome after a home victory among fans of the visiting team. 

Jack Moss is NOLAFugees political analyst and handicapper. Look for his Saints coverage weekly on NOLAFugees.com