Forecast: Sit back and enjoy the ride with the Saints - in first class

My whole life watching the Saints on Sunday has been a rollercoaster ride where I hoped I wouldn't become violently ill when the ride was over. Except for the disastrous Ditka years and Haslett Katrina season the Saints have been mostly just mediocre.

They've had three great seasons (2006, 1992, 1987) and two good ones (2000, 1991).

Even though the Saints won double-digit games all of those years every Sunday was mostly a struggle.

Jim Mora's Saints would mix in the occasional blowout but usually it was a great defense and some Morten Andersen field goals that led to a victory.

Jim Haslett's first year was fun but even that season was filled with nail biters, including that was a Hakim drop from being the meltdown of all Saint meltdowns.?

2009 is completely different watching a Saints game.

It's like flying first class cross-country. You don't realize how much it sucks to sit between a 400-pound woman and a crying five-year-old until you don't.

First class is legroom, leather, free drinks, and bliss at 30,000 feet.

No worries and if you have any just order another drink.

Watching the Saints is like that.

Even really good Saints teams in the past had huge glaring weaknesses.

Mora's Saints kicked too many field goals, they were occasionally horrendous at clock management, and came up small against good teams.

Jim Haslett Saints was the textbook definition of roller coaster ride. Every week I never knew what Saints team would show up.

They could erase a 20-0 deficit in Chicago one week and lose to Detroit the next.

I knew they could win games but I needed some stiff drinks to survive the three-hour flight.

Last season's Saints were painfully enjoyable. Every week when they played a half decent team the game was down to the wire.

The Saints had three basic flaws; no secondary, no kicker, and inability to convert in short yardage.

So each week was spent wondering when one of those flaws would rear its head and cost them the game. You knew eventually the Saints were doomed.

They finished 8-8 but lost five games by a total of 15 points.

The season climaxed 27-24 overtime loss in Chicago where the Saints fought their guts out but couldn't cover a converted defensive back (Devon Hester) running straight down the field. I was a ranting lunatic during the game begging and pleading with the Saints to just make one defensive stop. It didn't happen. The loss crushed the Saints playoff hopes and basically ended 2008.

I've always looked forward to Saints games but this year I think the six days between games has felt like 20.

I'm actually looking forward to the Saints first close game. Some mediocre team will play their tail off and Drew Brees and the Saints will rip their heart out to win the game.

It will be delightful and I hope it happens on Monday night against the Falcons.

Still I hear from all the Saints haters their same old tired, "The Saints always fail, never win anything, they'll just break your heart." or my personal favorite? "They are cursed."

First off, the Saints haters have trouble understanding what they've never seen before.

Second, the Saints aren't cursed.

They were originally owned by a 26-year-old kid until Tom Benson bought them and quit treating the team like a toy and started running them like a business.

I'd even argue their playoff record of 2-6 while bad isn't because of a curse or bad luck.

The only playoff loss you can truly look back at and wonder how they lost is the Philadelphia game in 1993. They led 20-6 and were cruising. Suddenly Randall Cunningham hits a couple miracle bombs and the Saints were done.

It was a painful loss but nothing really memorable except here in New Orleans.

Steve Bartman, Buffalo's comeback against Houston, Tennessee last year, or the Music City Miracle are painful loses that scar a fan base.

Buffalo still hasn't recovered from the Music City Miracle.

Anything could happen but if the Saints remain healthy they look like 13 win team to me.

Stewardess, I'd like another drink please.

First class flights people?.for 11 more weeks at least.

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New Orleans (-6.5) at Miami: The Dolphins are trendy underdog pick this week. On the surface it seems reasonable. They can play good defense, run the wildcat, and keep the Saints offense off the field.

Two problems: They fail to score touchdowns and if they fall behind they wildcat can't be used.

My girlfriend is a huge Miami fan so I've seen every one of their games this year. I'm even taking her to the game for her birthday.

If the Saints jump on Miami the Dolphins will have to ditch the wildcat and Chad Henne will have to throw.

He looked great against the Jets. Mark Sanchez looked good too until he faced the Saints.

Originally I thought this was the week the Saints lose. Nope. I predict not much talking between my lady and me.

And by the way I'm in Miami already and have yet to read any 'Ricky Williams faces his old team' stories. Has it really been a decade since Williams broke out the wedding dress? Man I'm old.

Miami will get a beating. Everyone knows the Saints offense is great?the experts just haven't figured out that it's an 'all time' great.

Saints 34-14

Dallas (-4) vs. Atlanta: If the Cowboys can't beat the Falcons when they are coming off a bye and Atlanta has a short week because they played Sunday night then Wade Phillips might not make it through the season.

Buffalo (+7) at Carolina: The Panthers shouldn't be a touchdown favorite over me, my girlfriend, and nine good-looking ladies I saw on South Beach.

Kansas City (+5) vs. San Diego: Reason #125 why fans are smarter than media sometimes; Understanding Norv Turner.

I heard a San Diego reporter say, "Norv isn't a bad coach, he did go 11-5 two years ago."

He inherited a 14-2 team and in two years turned them into an 8-8 mess. When a bad coach inherits good team erosion is slow. If suddenly Bill Gates put me in charge of Microsoft it wouldn't collapse in a week or a six months but the more decisions I had to make the more things would fall apart.

Same with Chargers, they are a 6-10 disaster waiting to happen.

Pittsburgh (-5) vs. Minnesota: I know the Vikings defense can stop the run but that secondary can be beat. Plus, every time I see Brad Childress with his weird headset I want to super size my value meal.

Ralph Malbrough is a Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at , find him on facebook, or listen to his Saints podcast at