Playoff football doesn’t leave room for sloppiness, and neither should a playoff column. Last week gave us tight games, hard lessons, and a reminder that January rewards execution, not assumptions.

So before looking ahead, here’s the clean, corrected look at how last week played out.

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Last Week’s Picks — Final and Accurate

• Patriots over Texans — ✔️
  New England stayed patient, stayed disciplined, and finished. That’s what they do.
• Bills over Broncos — ❌
  Buffalo had chances and didn’t close. That’s the difference this time of year.
• Rams over Bears — ✔️
  Close game, late execution, Rams found a way.
• San Fran over Seahawks advance — ❌
  Seattle earned it. Physical, composed, and finished when it mattered.

That’s playoff football. You don’t hide from the misses — you learn from them.

Now we’re down to two games.

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Conference Championship Sunday

Sunday, Jan. 25

AFC Championship

New England Patriots at Denver Broncos
3:00 p.m. — CBS

This game changed the moment Denver lost their starting quarterback. There’s no way around that.

Denver’s defense is legit. Home field and altitude matter. But asking a backup quarterback to beat a Patriots team that thrives on discipline, patience, and exploiting mistakes is a tall order.

Key to the game:
Can Denver protect the football and keep this close into the fourth quarter?

Tony’s Pick: Patriots win
New England doesn’t need to dominate — they just need to stay clean.

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NFC Championship

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
6:30 p.m. — FOX

Seattle at home in January is different.

The Rams have talent and momentum, but Seattle’s environment, experience, and ability to close games late give them the edge. They didn’t sneak into this spot — they earned it.

Key to the game:
Who controls the line of scrimmage and avoids the one mistake that flips momentum.

Tony’s Pick: Seahawks win
Home field, composure, and late execution decide it.

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Big Picture

This is the football Saints fans are watching for a reason.

Not flashy.
Not perfect.
Just disciplined, physical, and composed when everything’s on the line.

Championship Sunday doesn’t forgive mistakes.
It rewards teams that know exactly who they are.

We’ll see who punches their ticket.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Who Dat Nation — we’re in the thick of it now. The regular season is behind us, and this weekend’s divisional round is where the NFL separates the good from the great.

Looking at the schedule, odds, injuries, and matchup nuances, you get a mix of experience, physicality, and high-stakes football that only January can deliver.

Here’s how I’m seeing it — in a way Saints fans can appreciate.

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BUF vs. DEN

Big, physical, veteran battle.
Buffalo’s offense is explosive, and their defense isn’t afraid to get after you. Denver’s defense can keep you honest, but their offense hasn’t shown sustained consistency.

Tony’s take: Bills’ firepower edges this one.
Prediction: Bills win — Buffalo moves on.

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SF vs. SEA

This is one of those classic playoff chess matches. San Francisco’s front seven can rearrange your game plan; Seattle’s offense has that late-game magic.

Tony’s take: Seahawks know how to win close; Niners know how to close out games.
Prediction: 49ers win — experience at the end of games matters.

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HOU vs. NE

Houston’s been exciting — fast, aggressive, and young — but New England is playoff New England: disciplined, physical, and slow-to-panic.

Tony’s take: If NE controls the line and makes you one-dimensional, it’s trouble for Houston.
Prediction: Patriots win — home-field discipline wins out.

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LAR vs. CHI

This one’s a toss-up on paper. The Bears are scrappy and well-coached; the Rams have that veteran feel and postseason momentum.

Tony’s take: Chicago’s a real story this year, but Rams experience is tough to bet against.
Prediction: Rams win — late drives decide it.

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What This Weekend Is Really About

A few things stand out:

• Experience matters now.
Playoff games aren’t about potential — they’re about execution under pressure. Teams that have been here before tend to find answers when others panic.

• Defense still wins in January.
Big plays matter, but consistent stops win drives — and playoff coaches know that.

• Every game will be close.
Nobody’s riding to the championship on a runaway train this year. That’s what makes this slate exciting — and brutal.

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Why This Matters for Saints Fans

Even though New Orleans isn’t playing this weekend, this is the standard every team in the league is chasing.
This is the kind of football we want the Saints to be ready for next season:

• Quick adjustments
• Finishing drives
• Getting stops when it matters
• Composure late in games

You can feel the difference between teams built for January and teams that aren’t. That’s the blueprint.

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Bottom Line

Playoff football is here — and it’s glorious, nerve-racking, physical, and decisive.
Who wins? I gave you my calls.
Who advances? We’ll find out.

Most importantly: this is the level the Saints are trying to build toward.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

This past weekend reminded you why playoff football is different. Records matter less. Experience matters more. And mistakes get magnified.

You could see it right away — the teams that stayed calm, protected the ball, and leaned on who they are moved on. The ones that tried to get cute or fell behind early? They’re packing bags.

Now as we head into this next round, the picture’s getting clearer.

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What Last Weekend Told Us

• Experience wins in January.
Veteran quarterbacks and teams that have been here before didn’t panic. They adjusted. That’s not coaching talk — that’s real.

• Defense still travels.
Cold weather, hostile environments, short weeks — defense keeps you alive. Teams that couldn’t get stops didn’t last long.

• Close games are decided late.
Every matchup came down to execution in the fourth quarter. One bad throw, one missed assignment, one drive you don’t finish — that’s the season.

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Looking Ahead to This Weekend

Here’s how I see it shaking out.

Bills vs. Broncos

Buffalo’s been here too many times to let Denver hang around.
Prediction: Bills win — experience and firepower late.

49ers vs. Seahawks

This one’s tough because Seattle’s dangerous, but San Francisco knows how to close.
Prediction: 49ers win — physicality wears Seattle down.

Texans vs. Patriots

Houston’s fun, but New England knows how to play playoff football.
Prediction: Patriots win — discipline and defense.

Rams vs. Bears

Chicago’s season’s been impressive, but this is where the Rams’ experience shows.
Prediction: Rams win — quarterback play late makes the difference.

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Big Picture

Nothing I saw last weekend surprised me — and that’s the point.

The playoffs don’t reward potential.
They reward execution, composure, and teams that know exactly who they are.

That’s the lesson for everyone watching — including the Saints.

This is what you’re building toward.
This is the standard.

We’ll see who keeps rising… and who blinks.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

The opponents for the 2026 season are set, and just looking at this list tells you one thing right away — nothing’s going to be handed to the Saints.

You’ve got division games you know are always a fight. You’ve got physical teams coming into the Dome. You’ve got tough road trips where you find out real quick what kind of team you are. That’s the NFL.

What jumps out to me is the balance.

The home slate gives fans some real matchups to get excited about. Familiar rivals, teams that travel well, and games where the Dome can absolutely make a difference. If this team is serious about building a winning culture, protecting home field has to be a priority.

The road schedule? That’s where growth gets tested. Playing away from New Orleans tells you who’s disciplined, who’s prepared, and who can handle adversity. Good teams win at home. Better teams find ways to win on the road.

This list also tells me something else — next season is about answers.

By the time these games roll around, we need to know:

• Who this team is offensively
• Whether the quarterback situation is settled
• Which young players are part of the future
• And whether the Saints can consistently finish games

No excuses. No hiding behind the schedule.

For the fans — especially season ticket holders — this should bring some optimism. There are meaningful games here. Games worth showing up for. Games that can tell us if the direction we started seeing late last season is real.

We’ll get dates and times later. But now that the opponents are locked in, the focus shifts to preparation, development, and expectation.

Because next year isn’t about hoping anymore.
It’s about proving.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Alright Who Dat Nation — the season’s done. No more scoreboard watching. No more “if this happens, then maybe.” It’s officially the offseason.

And honestly? I’m okay with that.

This year wasn’t what any of us wanted. The record tells that story well enough. But I’ve been a Saints fan too long to judge a season by one number alone. I’ve seen worse. I’ve seen better. And I’ve seen years that looked ugly on paper but quietly told you who was worth keeping around.

That’s what this offseason is about.

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What We Learned

First things first — this team didn’t quit.

Down the stretch, when it would’ve been easy to pack it in, they kept competing. Wins on the road. Physical games late. Young players getting real reps and showing they belong. That matters more than people want to admit.

Tyler Shough didn’t answer every question, but he answered enough to make the conversation interesting. You saw growth. You saw poise in moments where earlier in the year things got shaky. That doesn’t crown anyone — but it gives you something to evaluate instead of starting from zero.

The defense showed pride. Even in games that slipped away, they fought. That’s a foundation you know you can build on.

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What Has to Change

Now the honest part.

This team beat itself too many times. Penalties. Missed assignments. Drives that died for no good reason. You can’t survive in this league playing clean football only half the time — especially in a division that was there for the taking.

Execution has to get better. Period.

That’s coaching. That’s preparation. That’s accountability. And that’s what this offseason needs to be about — tightening things up so effort actually turns into wins.

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What I Want to See This Offseason

I’m not asking for headlines. I’m not asking for splashy moves just to make fans feel better.

I want:

• Smart decisions
• Development of the young core
• Competition at every position
• A clear plan at quarterback
• And accountability across the board

Most of all, I want a team that knows who it is by Week 1 — not one still figuring it out in November.

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The Bottom Line

I’ve lived through the bags-on-head days. I’ve lived the Super Bowl high. And I’ve lived plenty of seasons in between that tested your patience.

What keeps you going as a Saints fan is belief — not blind belief, but earned belief.

This offseason is where that starts.

Get it right, and this team can be right back in the mix.
Get it wrong, and we’ll be talking about the same issues next December.

I’ve seen enough to say there’s something here.
Now it’s on the Saints to prove they see it too.

On to the offseason.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Well Who Dat Nation — another season in the books.

No playoffs. No late-December home crowd still fighting. And plenty of moments that made you scratch your head. But if you look at the whole picture, this year was more than just a record. It was a story with lessons, growth, and a real sense of direction — even if it didn’t end the way we hoped.

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The Good

✦ Signs of growth from the young core
This team didn’t quit. Especially late in the season, they showed fight. Against Carolina and Atlanta, they made opponents work in ways they hadn’t all year. You don’t fake effort — you either have it or you don’t. And this group found it down the stretch.

✦ Quarterback development
Tyler Shough showed growth as the season went on — not always clean, not always consistent, but competitive. You saw better command, more confidence, and moments where the game didn’t feel too big. That doesn’t answer every long-term question, but it does give the Saints something to evaluate and build on heading into next season.

✦ Defense still competed
Even when the offense sputtered, the defense battled. They created turnovers, made key stops, and kept games within reach. That’s no small thing. Defense wins games. It’s biblical — and this unit didn’t take the year off.

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The Bad

✦ Mistakes kept piling up
Turnovers, penalties, missed opportunities, blown assignments — these weren’t one-off issues. They were consistent killers of drives and momentum. Against a division you had a shot in, those mistakes matter.

✦ Offensive inconsistency
There were high highs … and way too many low lows. Too many drives that looked promising turning into punts, turnovers, or empty possessions.

✦ Special teams wasn’t always special
There were good moments, but not enough consistency to trust that phase week in and week out. That’s points left on the board.

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The Ugly

✦ Beating ourselves more than getting beat
That’s the part that stings most. The Falcons and Panthers weren’t world-beaters this year — and yet too many times the Saints looked like they lost to themselves. Missed blocks, miscommunication, penalties at the worst times … it added up.

✦ Wasted opportunities early
The season felt like a series of chances that could’ve flipped the narrative if just one or two things went differently. You don’t get those back.

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The Bottom Line

This wasn’t a good year on paper. No playoffs. A record that hurts. But what you can take away is that this roster showed real signs of life — real growth — especially in the back half of the season.

Winning culture doesn’t come overnight. It comes from learning how to compete, how to finish games, how to stick together on bad days. And this team showed glimpses of that. Not enough to erase the feels of frustration, but enough that you can believe in the direction.

So as the season closes and we look ahead, let’s remember this:

The Saints didn’t fold.
They didn’t tank with no fight.
They competed. They grew.
And next year? You build on that.

Because Who Dat Nation doesn’t quit.
We just get louder.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Who Dat Nation — it’s finally here. Saints vs. Falcons. Rivalry. Division bragging rights. And everything you want from a December game.

Predictions are out, and sure, analysts are throwing out numbers and matchups — but today it’s about what happens on the field, not what’s on paper.

Here’s what I’m thinking as kickoff gets close:

🔥 1. This is our chance to finish strong
Whether it’s pride, momentum, or just proving you belong — this game matters. And winning in this division always feels better.

🛡 2. Defense needs to bring it early
Pressure. Third-down stops. Forcing the Falcons into uncomfortable situations. That’s how you take control of a rivalry game.

🏈 3. Let the offense play confident
Tyler Shough’s growth this season hasn’t been linear, but he’s shown he can make plays when it counts. Today’s the day to stay poised and capitalize on opportunities.

🎯 4. Protect the football — no freebies
Turnovers and penalties have killed drives too many times. Keep the chains moving, finish in the red zone with touchdowns, and make every possession count.

This is more than a game. It’s the last meeting of the season with Atlanta. For the fans in the stands today, for the people watching at home, and for this roster that’s starting to show flashes of what could be — this one matters.

Nothing flashy. Just physical, disciplined, smart football.

Let’s get after it.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Next Sunday is it. The final game of the season. Saints vs. Falcons. And if there’s one game you never mail in — it’s this one.

Yeah, the playoff picture is settled. The Saints are out. No sugarcoating that. But this rivalry doesn’t need standings to matter. Beating Atlanta always matters.

This is about pride.
This is about finishing.
This is about sending a message going into the offseason.

We’ve seen growth the last few weeks. The quarterback play has settled down. The defense is still fighting. Guys are competing when it would be easy to check out — and that tells you a lot about who belongs moving forward.

What I want to see next Sunday is simple:

• Physical football. Set the tone early and don’t let Atlanta get comfortable.
• Smart execution. Protect the ball, avoid the self-inflicted mistakes that buried this team earlier in the year.
• Finish drives. Touchdowns change momentum — especially in rivalry games.
• Young players step up. This is their audition for next season.
• Play like it means something. Because it does.

This team doesn’t control the standings anymore, but it does control how the season ends. Beat Atlanta, finish with momentum, and head into the offseason believing you’re building toward something — not starting over.

I’ve been through the good years, the bad years, and the heartbreaking ones. Ending the season with a win over the Falcons always feels right.

One last Sunday.
One last chance to make a statement.

Let’s finish this the right way.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Let’s be clear right up front: the Saints are officially eliminated from playoff contention.
No scenarios. No scoreboard watching. That part is done.

But that doesn’t mean the NFC South isn’t worth talking about — because it’s still one of the tightest, most underwhelming divisions in football.

Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta are all still mathematically alive, and none of them look like a team that owns this division. No runaway leader. No dominant roster. Just teams trying not to trip over themselves in December.

That’s the frustrating part as a Saints fan.

Because while New Orleans is out, the gap between the Saints and the teams still alive isn’t some massive talent difference. It’s execution. Mistakes. Games that slipped away earlier in the season that can’t be taken back now.

Who’s out:

• Saints — eliminated
  Who’s still alive:
• Panthers
• Buccaneers
• Falcons

And here’s the reality: none of those teams scare you.

That’s why these late-season Saints wins still matter. Not for this year — but for next year. You’re watching which players compete when there’s nothing on the line, who finishes, who shows leadership, and who belongs in the long-term plans.

The NFC South isn’t being won by excellence this season. It’s being won by survival.

The Saints missed their window earlier in the year — and that’s on them. But if they finish strong, build confidence, and clean up the mistakes, there’s no reason they can’t be right back in the mix next season.

Because this division?
Nobody owns it.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank

Who Dat Nation — that one felt good.

A road win in Tennessee isn’t easy, and the way the Saints pulled this one out showed toughness we haven’t seen enough of this year. Tyler Shough, Cam Ward, the offense finding rhythm when it counted — that’s the kind of effort that gives you belief late in the season.

This wasn’t a perfect game by any stretch, but this team found ways to get key stops and make crucial plays down the stretch. That’s what wins are made of.

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Why This Win Matters

🔹 Shough and Ward — The QB Play Worked Today
Seeing them manage the game, make the throws when needed, and keep drives alive? That’s real progress. It wasn’t flashy — but it got it done.

🔹 Defense Step-Up
Pressure, third-down stops, and making the big play when it mattered most. This group deserves credit for holding firm late.

🔹 Winning on the Road Builds Character
You don’t just walk into a hostile environment and take a game like this unless you’re starting to believe you can win anywhere.

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Now Let’s Talk Reality: Draft Pick vs. Winning Culture

Here’s the question every Saints fan is asking now:

Is it better to lose and improve our draft position?
or
Win and build a culture of winning for the future?

I’m gonna be honest — it’s not an easy call.

Draft capital matters. Better picks mean better young talent, and this team needs talent. The cupboard isn’t overflowing.

But culture? Confidence? That intangible belief that you can finish games and win when things get close?

That doesn’t come from losing. It comes from winning tight games like this one.

Sure, a higher draft pick might help the roster. But turning this locker room into a group that expects to finish drives and close out opponents? That’s what turns a team from hopeful to contender.

And that’s exactly what this win did today.

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Bottom Line

This isn’t a franchise-defining moment, but it does feel like a step in the right direction.
You want evidence that this team is trending? This win — on the road, against a tough opponent, in a hostile environment — counts.

Fans can debate draft picks all day.
But when you win games like this, you teach a roster how to win.

And that matters.

Who Dat.

— Anthony “Tony” from the Westbank