New England coach Bill Belichick knows you can not let opposing receivers run wild and not be challenged. He also knows at his age he could complete a pass to a wide open receiver so he had a defensive game plan to cover the Saints receivers in Sunday's game and the results shocked the Saints and their little world.
Belichick, who is one of the most respected defensive coaches in the NFL had his defensive backs in the pocket of Grahamn and Colston all day long and did not give them separation like so many other Saints opponets have done. The Patriot's defensive backs hands were also active in reaching in and knocking the ball away. The results were zero completions to Grahamn and two to Colston. They did not run wild this Sunday all by their lonesome.
The Saints were out coached and out played by a team that was with out the service of its four top receivers. That alone was a major accomplishment by the Patriots. Saints coach Playton's decision to defer the opening kick off as he did last week against the Bears did not work to the Saints advantage. Payton's play calling and selection in the last few minutes of the ball game tells this writer that he thought he had the game won. It fact it looked like the Saint's team had the game won with their looks on the sideline. A wise baseball player by the name of Yogi Berra once said, "It ain't over till its over." That should be a good lesson for the Saints.
After six games the won loss record of the Saints six opponents stand at 16 wins and 17 losses. Record of the Saints five opponents they defeated stand at 11wins and 16 losses. Only two of the five teams the Saints defeated have a winning record, the Bears are 4-2 and Miami is 3-2. Of the 32 teams in the NFL only 11 teams have a winning record and if history holds true at seasons end the results will be the same or close to it.
Belichick's defense outplayed Payton's offense while Brady out played Brees and threw the winning touchdown pass with 5 seconds left on the clock to a rookie receiver. With so many teams playing under 500 ball it is hard to tell how good the good teams really are. Of course time will tell. In the mean time the Patriots put to bed the talk by New Orleans sports writers and journalists that this Saint team is on the same path as the 2009 team. The Saints are not out of it by no means but sports journalists should let the season unfold, trying to compare at this point in the season may fill air time and the newspaper articles but what does that accomplish.
This commentary written by John Lucia
