Saints and Bears and Poweful Drugs

After watching last night's Bears/Seahawks game I was once again reminded just how little training one needs to be an "NFL Expert." Before the game, three of the four "experts" I heard said Seattle was going to go in to Chicago, without star back Alexander, and defeat the puny Bear, proof in my mind of the powerful drugs being passed behind closed doors on these gridiron sets.
Why on Earth would anyone, let alone an "NFL Expert," believe this. "Seattle has a powerful offense," they said. Ya, sure, against the puny Giant last week, this same Seattle team put up 42 points in the first half. Then, in the second half, they gave up 30 straight points against this same, lame Giant team. Did any of these guys notice that? Three picks for Hasselback??? In one half?
And then you have the Bears. The Bears are hideous, and I mean that in the most flattering way. They wear black shoes, white tape, smudges of black under their eyes, nothing that would make you believe they should be feared. They look slow. They aren't.
Two weeks ago, against Minnesota, it was obvious to me, the Bears were playing harder, hitting harder, in the fourth quarter of the game than the first quarter. They are a well oiled pain dispensing machine, and to top it off, they are in the worst division in football, or close to it. I think they are on their way to the post-season, DEEP into the post-season, and right now there is no other team in the NFC on pace with Chicago.

Now, on to more important teams, like New Orleans. Being a Saint fan for over fifteen years, I have begun to hear things I have yet to hear in all my years supporting this team. And let me remind you, in case you forgot, what it is like to BE a Saints fan. Oh, and I'm not talking the new, "America's Team," Saints fan, I'm talking about the one playoff win in francise history fan, or the "Ain'ts" fan, or the paper bags Saints fan, or the 3-13 post Katrina Saints fan. It hurts. It hurts to be a Saints fan, and has every year since I have been following the black and gold. All these new "Americ'a Team" fans, frankly, I can do without you.
Yesterday, MY Saints lose a squeaker to Carolina, in Carolina. A drag, yes, but better to lose early than late. I knew they would lose, again, been following them for a long time, and they always lose. I'm somewhat glad it happened now. Now the pressure of being undefeated is gone, and most importantly, we get a chance to see how they respond. The old Saints would go on a four game skid, someone would get a DUI, someone else would get caught in a strip club with someone else's wife, etc.
Personally, I think, mostly due to Sean Payton coming in and cleaning house, I have a feeling those days might be over. This team looks really good, is playing smart, and had this Caroline game in their hands. I think this team comes back with a vengeance and smears puny Buc all over the field, at home, and remains in first place in NFC South, perhaps the TOUGHEST division in all of football.
The curse is still in effect as the Saints face crossover games againt Bengal, Steeler and Raven. How do you go 3-13 and get this schedule NFL? Someone please help me with this!
But, Sean Payton is front runner for Coach of the Year. Drew Brees is a possible Comeback Player of the Year, (Grossman is possible as well), and Reggie Bush, who has yet to explode could be Rookie of the Year.
Who dat?