The Student of the GameGoing Beyond the Stats

Despite all the disappointments during Turkey Day football and ups and downs of Sunday match-ups, all I heard about over Thanksgiving was this Monday’s game featuring the New Orleans Saints vs. the New England Patriots (in fairness I was in New Orleans with my fiancée’s family). Bias aside, as the talk of the NFL, it was the billed as the battle of 2 NFL offensive juggernaughts where the score was predicted to be around 49-48 by analysts everywhere . . . until it all went horribly wrong.
Pats QB Tom ‘Golden Boy’ Brady (21/36 for 58% and 237 for yards with 2 INTs) threw an INT to CB Mike Mckenzie who was just acquired this past week by the Saints, Head Coach Bill Bellichek went for it on 4th and 4 and failed instead of taking the FG deep in Saints territory, and Brady (after the 2nd INT) was pulled with about 5:30 left in the game leaving rookie QB Brian Hoyer (2/4 50% for 19 yards) to face the remaining agony of the 38-17 loss to the Fighters of the Fleur de Lei.
While RB Lawrence Maroney (15 carries, 64 yards at 4.2 a carry, 2 TDs and 3 catches, 23 yards) was the shinning performer for New England, the night belonged to New Orleans QB and MVP candidate Drew Brees who threw 18/23 (78%) for 371 yards and 5 TDs for one of the best overall performances in NFL history achieved previous by only Brady himself according to ESPN in 2007 and vs. the Titans this year. The weapons allowing for the affluent airstrike assault included WRs Marques Colston (4 carries, 121 yards and a TD), Devery Henderson (3 catches, 116 yards and a TD), Robert Meachem (5 catches, 69 yards and a TD), and TE Darnell Dinkins (1 catch, 2 yards and a TD).
Supporting the prolific passing prowess was the balance of the Saints running game as RBs Pierre Thomas (11 carries, 64 catches and 3 catches, 23 yards and a TD) and Mike Bell (13 carries, 50 yards) marched in and trampled the Pats. With a devastating attack and the defense keeping the New England squad at bay, it was no surprise that the Creoles subdued the Colonials to remain undefeated at 11-0.
Both teams will likely make the playoffs with reasonable command of both respective divisions (actually, the Saints clinched the NFC South and are #1 in the Conference). However, if these two teams meet, it’ll be in an unlikely Super Bowl outing. The Patriots, however, will still be fighting the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals for a first week BYE as the number 2 AFC seed.