Sports in 2006 were marked Cinderella stories and incredible tales of overcoming adversity. Nobody will forget George Mason, the ultimate Cinderella, and their remarkable run to the Final Four. But there were others who defied the odds, as well.
The Detroit Tigers, the laughingstock of Major League Baseball just a short time ago, steamrolled the New York Yankees en route to the World Series. Only then did the train get derailed by the St. Louis Cardinals, who improbably claimed baseball's ultimate prize as owners of the worst record of any of the eight playoff teams.
Then there were those who overcame adversity. Tiger Woods, shaken beyond measure by the loss of his father and best friend Earl Woods, returned with a vengeance and won both the British Open and the U.S. Open.
Most horse-racing fans wanted Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner, to be put out of his misery right on the spot after injuring his leg in the first furlong of the Preakness. Barbaro scoffed at such at such a notion. He's still scoffing — and feeling much better — eight months later.
In 2006, we were even fortunate to witness one of those times when Cinderella and adversity collide to yield a simply unforgettable moment. That's what happened when Jason McElwain, an autistic kid who served as manager for the Greek Athena High School basketball team in New York, got into a game late in the fourth quarter and promptly lit up the scoreboard — and the sports world — to the tune of 20 points. Six miraculous three-pointers and hello, Hollywood.
Just one day into 2007, the trend appears to be continuing. Tiny Boise State faced Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl and produced a game for the ages. The upstarts from the WAC tied the Big 12 powerhouse on a hook-and-lateral play on 4th-and-18, tied it again in OT on a fourth-down halfback pass, and ultimately won the game with a stunning Statue of Liberty two-point conversion. Yet again, the slipper had fit snugly on Cinderella.
Now it's the New Orleans Saints turn. We all know the adversity aspect of their story, and while the team's status as an underdog isn't quite as striking, it is still very real. After all, the Saints are perennial underdogs. They haven't tasted the playoffs since 2000, and have never reached the NFC Championship game in the history of the franchise. Heck, New Orleans has won just one playoff game in their entire existence.
But as a couple unfortunate teams will soon find out, these aren't your grandfather's Saints.
Assuming Philadelphia can handle a New York Giants squad that has put a new meaning to the term "disappointing," New Orleans will play host to the Eagles in the divisional playoff round. The Saints aren't going to lose in a place that just one year ago was a homeless shelter to a team that's been put together with super-glue. If the Superdome saved lives in 2006, it can suck the life out of the Eagles in 2007.
Even without the motivating extracurricular factors, I still think the Saints would thump Philadelphia. Sure, Jeff Garcia and company aren't even close to as bad as the "superglue" reference might suggest, but they aren't this good. They aren't five-game winning streak material. They wouldn't even be NFC-East Champion material if the Cowboys and Giants had not turned into Santa Claus and delivered the title to the Eagles in a gift-wrapped package.
Garcia has exceeded everyone's expectations since taking over for Donovan McNabb in Week 11 and running back Brian Westbrook is just about the scariest matchup a defense can face. Even the young receiving corps has stepped up and allowed Garcia to spread the wealth — and the ball — all over the field.
Still, Philadelphia's recent surge has come at the expense of mostly listless teams. In the last five weeks of the season, the Eagles disposed of Carolina, the most disappointing team in the NFL, Atlanta, the second most disappointing team in the league, Washington, a terrible disappointment, as usual, Dallas, and the New York Giants. Both of those teams' struggles of late have been well-documented to say the least. For Philadelphia, it won't be quite the same venturing into New Orleans.
Simply put, the Eagles are pretty good. Pretty good won't be good enough in the Superdome.
That's because there will be a few guys on the other sideline who are a lot more than "pretty good." One is the Saints' quarterback. One is a Saints' receiver. Two are Saints' running backs.
Drew Brees would be getting showered with MVP talk had LaDanian Tomlinson not sprinted to NFL immortality this season. The Pro Bowler led the NFL in passing with 4,418 yards and threw 26 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. Rarely was Brees stopped.
The only thing that even came close to stopping Marques Colston in 2006 was an ankle injury. Otherwise the seventh-round pick out of Hofstra would have been the offensive Rookie of the Year. Colston caught 70 passes for 1,038 yards and 8 touchdowns, while essentially playing in just 12 games.
In the backfield, the Saints will see the Eagles' Brian Westbrook with a Reggie Bush and then raise them a Deuce McAllister. McAllister eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark, despite deferring 155 carries to Bush. He also scored 10 times despite playing in such a crowded backfield. Just think what the numbers would have been like if the Texans hadn't made a mockery of the No. 1 pick in 2006.
Bush, meanwhile, amassed 1307 yards from scrimmage and found the end zone eight times, including once on a punt return. Only for the mercurial Reggie Bush would such numbers be considered merely respectable. The 2006 Heisman Trophy winner really turned things on late in the season as his ankle injury improved, and with another week before the Saints take the field, Bush should be on fire come playoff time.
It's more than obvious that the Saints can outscore anybody in the NFC. The glaring question mark is if the defense can stop anyone.
I'm not sure whether it's a testament to the Saints' defense or the ineptitude of the rest of the NFC's offenses that I think they answer to that question is they can.
Oh, wait. It must be more about the others' futility, because I just remembered Rex Grossman is the quarterback of the NFC's top team. Or is he? Either way, the simple fact that Grossman led the Chicago Bears to the best record in the conference speaks volumes about the quality of the National Football Conference. As mediocre as the Saints' defense is, the unit should be able to keep whatever offenses they face under control, at least enough to let their own offense win the games.
If the Giants pull off the upset in Philadelphia, New Orleans will host the winner of Seattle and Dallas. The Seahawks floundered into their regular season finale at Tampa Bay with a three-game losing streak before steamrolling the hapless Bucs and clinching the woeful NFC West. Dallas, meanwhile, has lost three of four (the lone win in that span was a less-than-inspiring squeaker over Atlanta), including a season-ending loss at Detroit, a team that had been in line for the No. 1 pick of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Perhaps the most telling fact of any is that it was the Saints who sent the Cowboys into a tailspin with a 42-17 win at Dallas in Week 17. There's no reason to think it wouldn't be equally ugly at New Orleans in the playoffs.
Next up after that would in all likelihood be a visit to Soldier Field. If hostile winter weather reigns down upon Chicago on the day of this potential NFC Championship Game, you can throw all of this analysis out the window. But if Mother Nature gives New Orleans a chance — and, boy, Mother Nature sure owes them a chance — the Bears are in trouble.
It's never easy to say a 13-3 team is struggling going into the postseason, but Chicago is doing just that. The Bears just fell at home 26-7 to Brett Favre and the Packers. That stinkbomb was preceded by a come-from-behind 26-21 victory at Detroit and a 34-31 overtime win at home over the Tampa Bay Bucs. The vaunted Chicago defense surrendered 28 second-half points (21 in the fourth quarter) to a Tampa Bay squad that finished 29th in the league in total offense and ahead of only the Oakland Raiders in scoring.
Considering the two teams' current forms, I'm confident coach Sean Payton could throw an offensive scheme at the Chicago "D" in which Brees would throw all over the Bears, Deuce would run all over the Bears, and Reggie would do everything all over the Bears.
What many people probably don't realize is that Chicago ranked fifth in the league in total defense. It was their 44 takeaways that had the unit being celebrated like this was 1985. The Saints, however, ranked near the top of the NFL in giveaways, turning the ball over just 23 times. In their last five meaningful games (not including the finale against Carolina), New Orleans committed just one turnover. If Brees and company play that kind of flawless ball in Chicago, you can stick a fork in the Bears.
Katrina did not stop the New Orleans Saints and neither will any team in the NFC.
It might be a different story in the Super Bowl, where the Saints would play one of the AFC's goliaths.
But then again, you never know. If the last year in sports has taught us one thing, it's that anything — yes, anything — is possible.
January 5, 2007
Mike Buckley:
I am a huge Saints fan. I hope and pray for a playoff berth at least, every year. Sure, my life-long dream would be for the Saints to go to the Super Bowl and win! I agree with everything you have said. I hope and pray that your prediction turns into a reality. I live just north of New Orleans, in Slidell, LA and we’ve all seen devastation in one mannoer or another. A Super Bowl win by our Saints would be the cherry on top of a dream sundae of this our unlikely season none of us expected to happen, but it did. We are happy, proud fans. We are hopeful and yearning to finally not be the last team in the N.F.L. to have never won a playoff game. Yes, we dare to dream for our first Super Bowl win. I believe it can happen this year. As Saints bumper stickers say down here….FAITH. We all have it down here for our New Orleans Saints!
January 5, 2007
Rob Brooks:
I agree almost 100% with your analysis. I have to add that even if the weather is nasty in Chicago, I’ll take a backfield of McAllister, Bush and Karney with a sure handed Colston, over anything Chicago has.
January 6, 2007
Jack Tumlinson:
Even though I am a huge Saints fan and a homer I must say that this article was well thought out and written well. These are not the old Saints. We finally have the leadership both on and off the field to make it happen. Any team can beat any team at any time but if the Saints play their game they will be hard pressed to be beaten.
January 6, 2007
Dustin Montelius:
All I can say is GEAUX SAINTS!!!… I been a saints fan since i was old enough to like football an i firmly believe that this is the year for the saints. It has never happened before in franchise history. The entire State of Louisiana and beyond is pulling for our boys in black and gold. I’m in college now, I’m not rich, but if the Saints make it to the superbowl, I don’t care the cost…I’ll be there supporting my boys…Again I say …GEAUX SAINTS!!
January 6, 2007
moppy brumby:
I can’t stand football at any level, but Rick’s analysis actually made me consider watching the Saints……or at least glance at the TV! Just plain fun and exciting to read!
January 6, 2007
David P.:
I could not agree more with your story. This is a different Saints team. Instead of finding ways to lose, like in the past, they have consistantly searched and found ways to win. Even more encouraging is they now have the mentality to put teams away like never before.
January 6, 2007
Don V:
I have been a Saints fan from Day 1. This is by far the best team they have ever fielded. I expect Coach Payton and the Saints to be a very tough team after they address the defense in free agency and the draft. This could be the NFC’s version of the Patriots with a dynasty being built. GEAU SAINTS!
January 6, 2007
Poplarville Scott:
I am a die hard, dedicated, faithful Saints fan and have been so all of my life. I think this team has the ability to be “the one” we have all been waiting for. I would also like to say that as a faithful fan, the rest of this season is just lagniappe for me. I have been so proud of my team this season, and have enjoyed every game, win or lose. If they do not live up to everyone’s expectations in the playoffs, it will be OK for me. They have already given me a season to remember and plenty to be proud of. True Saints fans will not turn of their team if the season ends next week.
January 6, 2007
Bill R.:
Buddy Diliberto is guiding the ship. Saints weigh anchor in Miami! Geaux Saints!
January 7, 2007
Sherman:
The Saints has finally become a football force to be reckoned with. I honestly believe that they will go to and win the Superbowl. We have a brilliant coach in Sean Payton. If he puts together a game plan that tops the one he used to slaughter Dallas, there’s no way any team will be able to stop the Saints. This is not the same Saints of old. This is the NEW New Orleans Saints, and just as New Orleans will rise from the devastation of Katrina and Rita, so will the Saints rise from the bottom of the NFL to the top.Thanks Sean, Drew, Duce, Reggie, Marcus, Joe, Devery, Scott, Mike, and all those boys in Black and Gold. “BLESS YOU BOYS”!!!
January 7, 2007
Edward P:
Nice article. Just a couple corrections, Boise State isn’t tiny, it’s just shy of 20,000 undergraduate students, the typical size of a big 12 school. Also it’s the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) not the the MAC.
January 7, 2007
Ricky:
thanks for the corrections.
now that the Eagles have won, it means Philly is going to New Orleans and Seattle is off to Chicago. I feel even better about the Saints chances watching Philly struggle and I also think Seattle has a much better chance of upsetting the Bears than the Giants would have.
I doubt it’ll happen, but how sweet would an NFC Championship IN the Superdome be??
January 8, 2007
Elliot Scherhr:
Since Katrina, my wife and I have relocated to Houston because of her Job. I’m retired but will always be a Saints fan. We have a group that works with my wife who were all relocated to Houston and we watch the Saints from a different home most weeks. One of her co-workers has the dish and NFL network so we can watch no matter what. I do believe that this Saints team is truly the NEW N.O. Saints. I’ve never seen a team so fan conscious as this one. When have you ever seen a player jump into the stands to get congrats from the fans; when have you seen the team go around the dome after a game and hi-5 the fans. It was so thrilling to see. I did have some aprehension about the Eagles but after seeing them play the Giants, bring them on. GO SAINTS ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPERBOWL.
January 19, 2007
Andrew:
They say this is the biggest cinderella in sports. Not even close. The Manchester United soccer team had eight first team players killed in an air crash in Munich in 1958. The following game, the team sheet was blank, other clubs had to lend them players. That year they reached the English equivalent of the Superbowl and had the second best record in leqgue play. That is the ultimate Cinderella story!