For Saints fans, Sunday’s game against the Bucs was more like it. Instead of a much-too-close five-point victory like the week before, New Orleans throttled Tampa Bay 38-7, scoring 38 unanswered points.
After securing the team’s first-ever 10-game win streak, the Saints have another first to go after – six consecutive home wins. Yep. Never been done before.
New Orleans’ 31-point win over the Bucs was the biggest of the season. Prior to this past Sunday, the Saints had won by 18, 26, 20, 14, 21, 12, 9 and 5 points.
It’s All History
There’s not a whole lot of history in this series and it’s one that New England has dominated. The Patriots won the first five games and have taken the past three. New Orleans won three games in a row from Nov. 12, 1989 to Dec. 3, 1995.
But it’s not an extensive history and the teams have played on average once every 3-4 years. Only four of the games have been played in New Orleans.
The Saints lost the last time these teams played, 24-17 on Nov. 20, 2005 at Foxboro Stadium.
New Orleans’ largest margin of victory is 17 points, coming in a 31-17 win in November 1992. The Saints largest defeat is a 19-point loss in 1976, when the Pats won 27-6.
The most points by New Orleans is 31, done two times, while its fewest points came in a shutout loss in 1983.
For New England, its most points is 38, coming in 1980 in the Superdome. Meanwhile, the Patriots’ fewest points is 7, coming in a 1992 win.
Turning Things Around
One of the big problems the past two seasons for New Orleans has been turnover differential.
It wasn’t good. At all.
The Saints ended 2008 minus-four. In 2007, they were minus-seven.
But in 2009, everything has changed. Ten games into the season, New Orleans is third in the NFL at plus-10.
The difference has been on defense.
In 2008, New Orleans came through with 22 takeaways, including only 15 interceptions. Two seasons ago, the Saints had only 13 interceptions on their way to 23 takeaways.
And while the offense is not doing so well with keeping the ball this year, the defense is doing a masterful job taking it away. New Orleans leads the league in takeaways with 29, including a league-high 20 interceptions..
In 2009, there are still six games left.
Domely Destination
When the Saints went 6-2 in the Superdome in 2008, it was only the fourth time in franchise history New Orleans had won six home games. The last time that it happened was in 1992.
It also marked the first winning season at home for the Saints since 2003.
With a win Monday night, New Orleans would improve to 6-0 at home. At 5-0, the Saints are one of five NFL teams still undefeated at home.
The five-game home winning streak is tied for a franchise record, done two other times: from Dec. 31, 1990 through Oct. 20, 1991 and Oct. 11-Dec. 3, 1992.
With only three home games left, the Saints are assured of a winning home record for the 12th time in club history.
The 11-2 record at home the past two seasons is tied for second-best in the NFL for home winning percentage.
And finally, for the first time since 1991-92, the Saints have posted back-to-back winning records at home.
3's Company (third-down analysis)
130 plays overall of which 34 were runs and 96 were passes. They have averaged 4.41 yards per run and 8.08 yards per pass play.
- Third-and-short (1-2 yards) - 16 runs, 14 first downs; 12 passes, 4 first downs
- Third-and-(3-5) - 7 run, 3 first down; 36 passes, 23 first downs
- Third-and-(6-10) - 5 runs, 1 first downs; 31 passes, 13 first downs
- Third-and-(11-15) - 6 run, 0 first downs; 10 passes, 3 first downs
- Third-and-(16-plus) - 0 runs, 0 first downs; 7 passes, 1 first downs
