Forecast: Who will beat the Saints?

I ask you this question in all seriousness, "What is the way to beat the 2009 Saints?"

I'm not saying the Saints are going undefeated. They will eventually lose a football game.

The thing is I'll venture to guess the Saints will be more likely to lose than be defeated. When the Saints finally lose, it will probably involve fumbles, penalties, bad calls, bad weather, interceptions, and possibly locusts.

This Saints team - if it stays healthy - is losing three times max.

They have shown the ability to win anyway you want to play, so what's the strategy to defeat them if they are playing well?

Buffalo only trailed 10-7 in the fourth but then the Saints went all Vince Lombardi on them and literally ran them over in route to a 27-7 win.

Philadelphia and the New York Giants tried to cover all the Saints receivers and not blitz.

They both got 48 points dropped on them and I think Marques Colston just caught another touchdown pass.

We'll say that game plan is epic fail.

The Giants defense was the top-ranked unit in the NFL at kickoff and then gave up 493 yards to the Saints.

The Jets held the Saints offense in check by making some key fourth down stops but when their defense had to have a stop the Saints drove right down the field and closed them out.

If a team could play slow methodical on offense and keep Drew Brees off the field that might be a solid game plan if not for Gregg Williams.

After watching Gregg Williams defense for five weeks I can sum up what the Saints try to do easily; blitz the quarterback until he screws up.

Williams knows the Saints offense is going to score at least 30 every week so he just keeps looking for the big play by trying to break the opposing QB in half.

It's like he's a boxer who only throws haymakers. The Saints were blitzing Eli Manning from all over and for almost the entire first half the Giants had held the Saints at bay.

The game was 27-17 and the Giants had momentum.

The Giants defense had made a goal line stand and Manning had the ball and New York was looking to close to within one score right before the half.

Roman Harper is unblocked, crushes Manning, forces fumble, Saints recover, Brees and company score?game over.

If I told you after the Saints lost to Carolina to close last season, "The Saints are going to rebuild the entire secondary and not only will it be good it will be the strength of the defense." You'd have said I was crazy. My friends welcome to the year of crazy.

Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer, Darren Sharper, and Roman Harper are covering receivers, intercepting balls, and generally creating havoc.

Even when the Giants picked up the blitz Porter and Greer knocked away passes. They allow Gregg Williams to blitz at will.

Gregg Williams defense is so aggressive what team is going to have a 15 play eight minute drive on it?

The way the Saints play defense teams might score against them but it will be quick and more than likely Drew Brees will answer.

Of course we're five games in and have no idea how the Saints will react when they actually are behind in a game.

180 minutes of football and the Saints have not trailed.

If the Saints were a boxer we'd be asking if they can take a punch.

They've demolished all challengers and have yet to face adversity late in a game.

Right now the Saints only have one weakness; their kick coverage is mediocre.

Five weeks into 2009 and that's it.

It's the only thing we can complain about.

Maybe the special team players just get tired having to cover all those kickoffs. It's hard running the length of field so often when the offense scores seven times every week you know.

There's nothing left to say except, "Who's next."

Ralph Malbrough is a Saints fan living in Houston. He can be reached at . He also hosts an internet radio show at . You can listen live or download archived editions at Itunes. He can also be found on Face Book. ?