The Saints are now 2-4, somehow, and all we can chalk this up to is some sort of road voodoo. The Saints were up 23-10 and in complete control of this game until a comedy of errors and referee contribution helped the Lions pull off the improbable comeback. This loss hurts worse than the Falcons game and Browns game and it will leave a mark both literally and figuratively. Multiple players went down with injuries and the injury list this week figures to be long. I don’t know where the Saints go from here but there can’t be too much confidence going up against a red hot Packers team. Too bad, because the Falcons and Panthers both got rocked and this was a tremendous opportunity to capitalize. Here are my bullets on the game:
- I don’t know why Jimmy Graham was active. He was a complete non factor when he was in and clearly not right. No point in playing him.
- The Saints were dominated in the trenches offensively. We’ve seen them run the ball well all year but it didn’t happen in this game. Suh and Fairley got tons of push up the middle all game long.
- Brees was on fire until a back breaking interception late. Once again his mistake cost the team dearly.
- Kenny Stills finally got behind a defense and Colston seemed to bounce out of his funk. Both guys had over 100 yards receiving.
- The defense half the Lions to 3 points at halftime and for most of the game they had their best play of the season by far. Then a horrible sequence allowed a 73 yard pass to Golden Tate which would allow the Lions to eventually steal this game. They just couldn’t put 4 quarters together.
- Reggie Bush was rusty in this game and despite my expectations that he’d hurt the Saints, he was a complete non factor.
- Curtis Lofton finished with 16 tackles and played a huge game. He was all over the place making constant stops. If anyone did not deserve to lose this game, it was him.
- Injuries that I saw were Goodwin (ankle), Bunkley (concussion), Keenan Lewis, Pierre Thomas (shoulder), Glenn Foster and a slew of other bruises.
- The officiating in this game was a disaster. There were flags on every play. And numerous game changing calls made down the stretch against the Saints I didn’t agree with. I never say that a referee cost the Saints a game because that’s just a lame excuse, but it sure felt close to that this time.
That’s about all I have to say about this one. Still processing how the Saints could let this slip away. Unbelievable.
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