The New Orleans Saints have defeated the seemingly unbeatable Los Angeles Rams. While road woes have plagued them in recent years, the Saints are now 5-0 on the road. The last time the black and gold started 5-0 on the road was when they won Super Bowl XLIV following the 2009 season. On top of that, Drew Brees is getting old. He’s getting near 40 years old now, but his level of play hasn’t exactly hurt the Saints. As a matter of fact, Brees is playing better than ever, and he may just win the MVP for the first time. For now, it seems that no one can stand against the Saints. Head coach Sean Payton knows otherwise – he knows that the Saints are their own worst enemy.
The New Orleans Saints Are Their Own Worst Enemy
There Are No Guarantees in the Playoffs
By now, Payton has to be scratching his head thinking “This team is better than I even thought.” Surely, this season is long from over. If the Saints hold on to the number one seed, there’s a ton of sufficient evidence that having home field advantage can astronomically increase their odds of success. Regardless, there is no 100% guarantee. Things can happen. Ask the 2007 New England Patriots. The Patriots looked unbeatable coming in as a 12-point favorite against the New York Giants, but they lost. Not only did they lose to the Giants, they lost to the NFC’s fifth-seed team.
The funny thing about history is that sometimes unexplained occurrences can start a dynasty. The Patriots season did come to an unexpected end in 2008, but the flip side of that coin proved to be even more unthinkable. The Patriots had never won a Super Bowl before the 2001 season. For Super Bowl XXXVI, they were 14-point underdogs. The rest is history.
It’s easy to go believe all the echoes of agreement when the favorites are playing. Herd mentality is human nature. People will often do things that echo what countless other people are doing.
There Are No More Slogans Left
Turn the page to 2018. The Saints are now the world-beaters. There is no doubt that this team is unbeatable. No team could come into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and beat the Saints. But the team’s remaining schedule is the toughest in the NFL. The Saints are likely to be favorites in every single game, starting with the Dallas Cowboys this Thursday.
The outcome of the 2018 season is going to depend solely on one opponent, and it’s not anyone on the Saints schedule. The only team that can beat the Saints is the man in the mirror: The black and gold itself. In other words, the battle between the ears is not always won. Head coaches often come up with slogans or mottos to get their team fired up. Sayings like “Rise Up” from the Atlanta Falcons,or “Who Dey” from the Cincinnati Bengals, or “Do Your Job” from the Patriots.
Coaches have a tendency to believe that a creative motto needs to be adopted. Even Sean Payton was tempted to come up with something to stoke the fires before the season’s start. The new slogan, “Prove Them Right”, was unveiled during this year’s training camp. The Saints have done that already. That’s not supposed to happen.
The Ending Is the Only Thing That Matters
The Saints came into 2018 as one a playoff favorite and Super Bowl contender, but no one foresaw a 10-1 start to the season. This season has become an instant classic and the only thing left to do is finish out on top. It’s been a while since the Saints have been tested, which can sometimes be a dangerous thing. The only thing standing in the way is the man in the mirror. If they don’t end up beating themselves, the Saints will make it to the Super Bowl. Case closed.
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