By Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank | WhoDatNation.com
Well, Who Dat Nation, somebody explain this to me because I must’ve hit my head climbing out of those Paris Catacombs! The Saints are sitting at 3–5, and we’re talking about FIRST PLACE in the NFC South?! I haven’t seen something this crazy since somebody tried to tell me a po-boy tastes better without French bread! Last week, we barely survived Cleveland, 23–22 in overtime, and now we’re supposed to start thinking about the playoffs? I’m sitting here with my cigar in one hand and a crown in the other, wondering if this division has completely lost its mind!
Now we’ve got the Carolina Panthers coming to the Superdome, and this is exactly the kind of game that worries me. We finally won at home last week, but let’s not act like we suddenly became the 2009 Saints. We needed overtime to beat Cleveland by ONE POINT! Sure, Tyler Shough showed some fight, and Audric Estimé gave us something to smile about with 72 rushing yards and a touchdown. But this offense still has a lot to prove. If our offensive line doesn’t show up and we can’t establish the running game, that Panthers defense is going to make Sunday another long afternoon.
And speaking of Carolina, don’t underestimate these boys just because their record looks like ours. Division games are different. Records go out the window, everybody knows everybody, and somebody always seems to make a boneheaded mistake at the worst possible moment. The Saints have to stop the run, get pressure on the quarterback, and quit giving away opportunities. I don’t want to hear about how close we came or how hard everybody played. I WANT FOUR QUARTERS OF FOOTBALL WITHOUT NEEDING A CARDIOLOGIST ON STANDBY!
Here’s what really gets me. We’re eight games into this season, we’ve lost more than we’ve won, and somehow there’s still a reason to believe. That’s the NFC South for you! Kellen Moore has a chance to turn one ugly victory into something meaningful. But beating Cleveland means absolutely nothing if we turn around and lay an egg against Carolina. This is a division opponent, in our building, with a chance to get ourselves back into the conversation. If this team has any intentions of making something out of this season, SUNDAY IS THE DAY TO PROVE IT!
So what’s Tony’s prediction? You know I’m probably going to regret this, but I’m putting that crown on the table and giving the black and gold another shot. Saints 27, Panthers 20. That’s right, I’m picking us AGAIN! But I’m not handing out any crowns just yet. Win this game, show some consistency, and maybe I’ll start believing there’s something worth celebrating. Lose it, and that crown goes straight back to the pawn shop on the Westbank!
FIRST PLACE? LET’S WIN A FEW MORE GAMES BEFORE WE START MEASURING FOR THE CROWN!
WHO DAT!
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