NEW ORLEANS — Napoleon once said, “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” The New Orleans Saints decided not only to believe in that quote, but they made it an entire lifestyle decision while beating the Chicago Bears 24-17.
Or did the Bears beat themselves?
Who cares?
The Saints are 5-4 and stand alone atop the NFL trash pile known as the NFC South.
I’ll be honest, if you told me Sunday morning the Bears would have 5 turnovers and the Saints would have none, I’d be broke and homeless because I’d have bet every dollar I have on the Saints covering the 9.5-point spread.
9 weeks into 2023 we’ve seen the same game over and over every Sunday from the Saints regardless of the opponent. The Saints defense struggles in the first half, then Dennis Allen yells at them, makes adjustments, or they wake up? The Saints in the past 2 weeks have given up 34 points in the first half and just 10 in the second.
Dennis Allen was quick to downplay any halftime adjustments, but the results say something is happening at halftime with the Saints' defense.
“Halftime adjustments are over FREAKING rated. Stop. Play better. Coach better. Execute. Do your job. That’s what it’s about. That’s what the communication was at halftime. We didn’t come in there and just change the whole freaking game plan. We called better calls and started executing better.”
I like emotional Dennis after the game and I’m envious of his ability to not cuss when excited.
The Saints' defense remaining elite without an even average pass rush in 2023 is like watching a unicorn run the Kentucky Derby. I don’t quite believe what I’m seeing but it’s fun.
The Saints have the best and deepest group of corners in the NFL. Marshon Lattimore, Paulsen Adebo, and Alontae Taylor would be the #1 corner on most teams.
Cam Jordan and Demario Davis might not be at the peak of their powers anymore, but when it was winning time, it was the Saints' two veteran warhorses closing the game out.
The Saints lead the NFL in interceptions. Can I just say as a guy who has been making 9000 jokes the last decade about how the Saints defensive backs couldn’t catch a cold in a room full of sick toddlers, the Saints being a turnover-creating machine is very disorienting but delightful.
We just gonna ride this turnover wave as far as it’ll take us.
While the Saints defense in the end delivered another standout performance, the offense was its usual uneven self.
The Saints' offense is never going to be able to sustain success for 4 quarters because consistent offense requires either an elite Hall-of-Fame level quarterback or the ability to run the ball.
The Saints have neither of those 2 things, so the offense is always going to be good when Derek Carr is hot and some Taysom Hill sprinkled in, but without a running game they won’t be a top half of the league offense, and almost more importantly, they are going to struggle to close out games.
The Saints' running game is entirely dependent on 33-year-old Taysom Hill doing Taysom Hill things. I love Taysom Hill; we all love Taysom. 33-year-old Taysom getting 15 touches a week is not a sustainable situation. The Saints must get better at running the football late in games or it will cost them.
The Saints had the ball on the Bears side of the 50 4 times while up 7 points. Those drives totaled 15 plays, 39 yards, and a missed field goal. That’s abysmal when you consider that 2 rushing first downs make the game a stroll in the park late instead of an absolute rock fight with the 2-win Bears.
The Saints might be miles away from being a Super Bowl contender, but they are an average pass rush and running game away from waltzing to the NFC South title.
For all the screaming, complaining, and unhappiness some fans have, the Saints are 5-4 and alone in first place. The Atlanta Falcons are staring straight into the abyss after losing to a quarterback the Minnesota Vikings traded for last week and I’m pretty sure is staying at an extended-stay Embassy Suites.
Tampa Bay hasn’t won a football game since they defeated an injured Derek Carr and declared themselves kings of the South.
Does Carolina still play NFL games? Someone confirm that.
The Saints have 8 games left and they are exactly where they wanted to be after spending the most guaranteed money of any team in the NFL this offseason. The only question now is can they stay there?
Ralph Malbrough is a contributing writer and Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at saintshappyhour@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @SaintsForecast or download the Saints Happy Hour Podcast.