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Forecast: If that's not a perfect game, what is?

Cincinnati is still very much a potential playoff team in the AFC and the Saints laid absolute waste to them.

The only thing on Sunday in Cincinnati that took a worse beating than the fire alarm in the Saints locker room before the game was the Bengals defense once the game started. Sean Payton apparently destroyed a fire alarm in the New Orleans Saints locker room before the game and the Saints offense followed suit and massacred the Bengals by scoring on their first 9 possessions once the ball was kicked off. The Saints then showed mercy and took a knee on their final possession to wrap a 51-14 dismantling of the Bengals.

What they're saying nationally about the Saints

USA Today: Saints look like the best team in football

Sean Payton smashes stadium fire alarm before game

The Saints after the game didn't want to call it perfect, but from my couch, all 5 first half drives ending in touchdowns sure felt perfect. If that's not a perfect game, what is? Do the Saints want longer touchdown drives? Shorter ones? Is perfection Drew Brees, Taysom Hill, and Teddy Bridgewater all throwing touchdown passes in the same half?

Sean Payton has to try to keep things in perspective with coach speak following big wins. As fans, we are under no such obligation. I've seen bugs on the highway treated better by Mack trucks than the Saints treated the Bengals. At least the bug gets crushed instantly, the Bengals pain lasted 3 hours.

The Saints offense in the first half was perfect football.

What else is left to say about the 2018 Saints offense? They are simply on a different level. The Saints put up 509 yards, including 244 rushing on 47 attempts. The Saints are averaging almost 37 points a game and have scored at least 40 in 5 of their 9 games. They are averaging 1.5 points more than the second highest scoring team in the NFL (Kansas City), and when you combine the Saints talent and the NFL rules favoring offense, I'm not sure what stops the Saints besides bad injury luck or themselves.

The Saints averaged 5.2 yards a rush and nearly 7 yards per play. Yes, the Bengals defense is on pace to break the 2012 Saints defense's record for allowing the most yards ever, but Cincinnati is still very much a potential playoff team in the AFC and the Saints laid absolute waste to them.

Drew Brees was 22 of 25 for 265 yards and 3 scores. He stated the obvious,"I think so far it's our most complete game from start to finish. Just both sides of the ball, really executing well and taking advantage of opportunities."

Brees currently sports a crisp 21 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio, and 120 quarterback rating. Forget about the 2018 MVP, he's playing quarterback at an historic level. It's a joy to watch. The Saints had 6 different players catch at least 2 passes. Keith Kirkwood continued the Sean Payton/Drew Brees tradition of taking guys we've never heard of and turning them into above average NFL receivers. The Saints have put 4 different receivers on injured reserve this year, the latest being Dez Bryant who was signed this week, and it doesn't even slow the Saints down.

You want to argue over who the best team in the NFL is right now? I could care less. I know the Saints have the most personality and are the funnest to watch. I'm not worried about playoffs not because they aren't important, it's just so much fun RIGHT NOW.

ESPN's Mike Triplett tweeted out a picture with text, “Drew Brees just video-bombed Ingram andKamara’s post-game talk-back with Deion Sanders. When he was done, Ingram said, “You ever seen a GOAT on FaceTime before?!” The Saints lead the NFL in scoring and in FUN.

I never want this regular season to end.

Lost in the Saints offensive explosion was the defense only allowing 284 yards, 14 points, and not a single third down conversion. The Saints defense added 4 sacks and 2 interceptions for good measure. The Bengals looked good on their first 2 drives but after that were shut down completely until the game was decided.

The Saints newest addition, Eli Apple, even became an official member of the Boonk Gang, with his first interception in a Saints uniform.

People keep asking me, “Can the 2018 Saints season be special?”

Be special? The 2018 Saints season is special, the only question now is how this story ends.

Ralph Malbrough is a Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at saintshappyhour@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SaintsForecast or download his podcast at Itunes. Oh and watch him every Monday on the WWL morning news at 6:45 a.m.

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