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SUNDAY'S GAME FROM A SAINTS FAN'S PERSPECTIVE
BY SAINTSALIVE (Nov 23)

New Orleans Saints running back Ricky Williams dives across the goal line to score a touchdown in the second quarter of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 21, 1999.   Williams will not play Sunday vs. the St. Louis Rams due to turf toe. (AP Photo/Scott Audette)

MEET THE SAINTS. This is not your typical 2-8 football team. With a solid QB and a few more stoppers on D  (esp. at LB and in the 2ndary) this is a 9-7,10-6 team. The Saints have talent---they have been ruined by spotty coaching, a terrible rash of injuries, more than a little bad luck, some blown calls at the exact wrong time and a lack of confidence, and more than anything else---inconsistent QB play.

I dont think non-Saints fans appreciate the offseason improvements that were made--- obviously it is not reflected in the standings, but IMO they did a lot to make the team  better. All anyone talks about is the Ricky trade (if I hear about how Ditka "mortgaged the future" one more time I am going to take a hostage)---but we also brought in Wally Williams, Kennison (I know I know, but he's played pretty well), Ashley Ambrose (very very good corner) and locked up some of our good young players like Keith Poole and Mark Fields.

INJURIES. The Saints are definitely scrappy--- they dont take sh!t from anyone and are rarely intimidated by better teams. That said, all the losses have taken a toll on their confidence. The rash of injuries has disrupted any continuity on both sides of the ball.

The Saints OL was mysteriously mediocre to begin the season. They lost Wally Williams,  although he hadn't been performing very well b/c, as it turns out, he has been playing hurt all year--- his bench press went from around 500 to 250. Naeole (starting RG) has battled injuries, as did Roaf early in the year. They are playing much better recently, though they sometimes seem to turn it on and off. I still regard them (in the abstract) as a very good offensive line. (Loss of Cleeland most of the year hurts too). I wouldn't expect Cleeland to play this week---it has been quite nasty outside the last few days and I heard that Cam has a nasty case of the common cold.  Should be out 2-4 weeks.

And, of course, inconsistent QB play has plagued them all year. That has just killed them. 

BTW Tolliver just sprained the MCL, it's not a tear. It is a shame though ---after costing us more than one ballgame with some critical INTs, Tolliver played six straight quarters of great football. So Tolliver was as bad as a qb could be until the last two games, when he was terrific, then he got hurt. Now we go back to Hobert, who is a better QB than Tolliver but can't NOT get hurt any time he steps on the field. You will probably see Danny Wuerfel (gulp) before the St. Louis game is done.

THE DEFENSE. Too often the defense will get a sack and a no-gain on 1st and 2nd down only to give up a 20 yard screen pass on 3rd & long. How to fix that, I dont know.

I was surprised the Saints defense in the JAX game, especially the secondary, played as poorly as they did. Granted  they have some guys out with injury, but the DBs are (almost) all healthy and they all played terribly.  Pathetic, really.

BTW I was even more surprised, however, at how porous the Jax defense was---all that hooey all week about the Best Defense in the League and they get torched  by Tolliver throwing to Ricky, Slutzker and Andre Hastings. Gave me some hope for our Offense. Look for more teams to go 3 wide and throw it down the field on the Jags.

COACHING. Each of the last second losses had its own miserable reason. Cleveland was Tolliver/Ditka/Abramowicz flubbing clock management. TN was part Ditka screwing up clock management (1st and goal on 1 yard line with 12 seconds to go in 1st half, come away with 0 points). In the ATl the defense gave up too many big plays.

I would like to see Ditka leave after the season, but I have a feeling he will stay. He (and the GM) were given contract extensions before the season started. It would cost the Saints 6 mil to fire him, and Benson doesnt have a history of firing coaches (as shown by giving an extension to a coach that has produced back to back 6-10 seasons). Actually, I would let him stay if he agreed to fire Abramowicz and get a new O coordinator.

THE RAMS GAME. 7 weeks ago, when the Rams were 2-0 and the Saints were 1-1 coming off a tough loss to SF in SF, I would have said this would be a great game---the Rams potent O against the Saints blitzing pressure D. Well, a funny thing happened on the way  to the TWA Dome. Half our team got hurt, our coach lost his mind, the team lost its confidence, and we lost 7 of 8, many of them (5 to be precise) heart wrenching losses where we blew a 4th quarter lead.

The Rams...well you know about the Rams.

So, what do I expect from Sunday?

Ever the optimist (a necessary quality in a Saints fan to prevent nervous tics and/or complete nervous breakdown), I think our defense (esp. the secondary) will step up after being embarrassed on national tv  in the 2nd half against the Jags. Our offense is  coming along, but Ricky is banged up, so I think  we'll sputter somewhat, especially on the road.

Plus, its time for the Saints to do their annual late season charge---win just enough games to fool  everyone into thinking they're on the right track for next year.

So, I'll go nuts and say Saints 23 Rams 20 . Highly unlikely, sure, but stranger things have happened.