Saint's playoff picture - 2018

[nolaexpat]

2 hours ago, Jlowe22 said:

That's true, but it's true for us too.  Any given Sunday a random could beat us, but on paper we should be beating everybody.

I'm also pretty sure we'll drop 1-2 on the way up. We were sloppy against Atlanta and Drew was definitely off. It's coming. Maybe as soon as Thursday. So the Rams need to start losing again pronto!

[Mid Iowa]

59 minutes ago, nolaexpat said:

I'm also pretty sure we'll drop 1-2 on the way up. We were sloppy against Atlanta and Drew was definitely off. It's coming. Maybe as soon as Thursday. So the Rams need to start losing again pronto!

IMO, every time we see an outing like this from Brees, he comes back the following week and lights it up. He's his own worst critic, so I'm hoping....hoping that's the case.

And yes, the Rams need to drop a game or two.

[Dome]

1 hour ago, Mid Iowa said:

IMO, every time we see an outing like this from Brees, he comes back the following week and lights it up. He's his own worst critic, so I'm hoping....hoping that's the case.

And yes, the Rams need to drop a game or two.

Let’s also not forget that Brees (and co.) was coming off 4 days rest. Thursday he’ll be coming off 7 days rest, and  the game after that it’ll be 10 days since his last game.

He’s fine. 

[Destructo Spin]

So if I'm not mistaken, with the Panthers losing today, all we have to do is win one of these last 4 games to win the division. And two more wins, I believe, clinches the #2 seed and a bye.

 

I honestly love watching the Panthers lose, it gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling inside. LOL

[Mid Iowa]

55 minutes ago, Destructo Spin said:

So if I'm not mistaken, with the Panthers losing today, all we have to do is win one of these last 4 games to win the division. And two more wins, I believe, clinches the #2 seed and a bye.

I honestly love watching the Panthers lose, it gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling inside. LOL

That sure sounds right. We really need the Rams to dump another game. Even still, our road is not easy. I feel the Panthers losing streak is a prime trap set up for the Saints to go in unfocused and lose one.

Trubusky should be ready to play next week, and the Bears will be hungry/pissed that they lost to the Giants today. 

Bottom line, I'm not going to be comfortable with how the Saints are sitting until February 4th.

[Dome]

3 hours ago, Destructo Spin said:

 

I honestly love watching the Panthers lose, it gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling inside. LOL

I love watching Cam throw 4 picks in a game they could and should have won.

[Destructo Spin]

53 minutes ago, Dome said:

I love watching Cam throw 4 picks in a game they could and should have won.

 

I only saw the final score, but LOL

[Mid Iowa]

Weekly update

13 weeks in the books, and there have been some minor changes.

As of week 13, with 4 weeks to go, The NFC looks like this:
#1 Rams 11-1 (Still looking strong with a suspect defense allowing a ton of points)
Rams remaining schedule only faces one serious competitor, the Bears, next week. (at Bears, Eagles, at Cardinals, 49ers).
#2 Saints 10-2 (Saints win the head to head over the Rams if the W/L column is the same)
Saints remaining schedule (at Buccs, at Panthers, Steelers, Panthers). Ending 2 games at home will be nice.
#3 Bears 8-4 (A scary good defense, and an offense that is finding it's path in a crumbling division that they'll win)
Coming off a horrible loss, and with a schedule that looked scary a few weeks ago, now just the Rams look scary (Rams, Packers, at 49ers, at Vikings), I think the Bears move to the #4 spot, and the Cowboys jump to #3 by season's end.
#4 Cowboys 7-5 As predicted, the Skins didn't hold their #4 spot. The Cowboys did jump into this position, and will likely take the division)
The Cowboys are the 2nd hottest team in the NFC right now and have a schedule that's not too scary (Eagles, at Colts, Buccs, at Giants)
#5 Seahawks 7-5 As predicted, the Seahawks are the newcomers to the playoff race, and take the #5 seed away from the Panthers with a convincing win over the lowly 49ers. The Seahawks have a 1/2 & 1/2 difficult schedule remaining (Vikings, at 49ers, Chiefs, Cardinals) including 3 remaining home games. The Chiefs and Vikings are the big challengers here.
#6 Vikings 6-5-1 Found their way back in to the seeding, and owe the Skins for keeping them in the Wild Card race. The Vikings just can't muster any defense to support their meager offense. I don't see the Vikings in a wildcard spot by season's end. To boot, they've got a fairly tough schedule ahead (at Seahawks, Dolphins, at Lions, Bears). Could easily go 1-3 down the stretch.

Contenders
This is an interesting race, and I'd say the Panthers are the only "in the hunt" team that could take the #6 spot from the Vikings. If I had to bet, I'd say the Vikings hang on due to their remaining schedule. But it won't be easy. this could be an 8-8 tie for both the Vikings and Panthers, with the Panthers on the outside looking in, yet again.

#7 Panthers 6-6 These guys have cooled off, but are still scary. A good Defense that will support Cam, if Cam decides to play at a Pro level again.
Their remaining schedule is not a favorable one (at Browns, Saints, Falcons, at Saints).
#8 Eagles 6-6 They are not a Super Bowl team this year, but can't be ruled out... yet. They probably have the toughest remaining schedule (at Cowboys (7-5), at Rams (11-1), Texans (9-3), at Redskins (6-6)).

Outside looking in
#9 Skins 6-6 They're facing a tough road. Hanging on to the #6 seed didn't work, and hanging on to the current #9 isn't going to be easy, but who's challenging at this point?
The Skins remaining schedule (Giants, at Jaguars, at Titans, Eagles) is somewhat favorable to hang on to the #6 spot, but who's tossing the rock?
#10 Buccaneers 5-7 I don't know what to say. At 5-7, they're still kind of in it, even though they are just horrible.
#11 Packers 4-7-1 I would say their totally out, but having fired their Head Coach, They may just go on a 4 game winning streak and take the #6 spot.

 

[Jlowe22]

I'm guessing 13-3 for us by the end of the year.  Wouldn't be surprised with 12-4, 11-5 would be a big disappointment though.  14-2 would be a good surprise.

[Destructo Spin]

While I'd really love to get homefield throughout, because playing at home is just more fun/exciting, I don't think we NEED it. Other than playing at home, playing in Los Angeles is a best case scenario for the Saints. 55-60 degrees, probably no wind and a crowd that is kinda far off the field and since it's open air and an old design, the noise is not going to reflect back down onto the field.

I'd way rather play there than say Soldier Field in January, or the noise of the Metrodome (or whatever they call their place now)

[Mid Iowa]

4 hours ago, Destructo Spin said:

While I'd really love to get homefield throughout, because playing at home is just more fun/exciting, I don't think we NEED it. Other than playing at home, playing in Los Angeles is a best case scenario for the Saints. 55-60 degrees, probably no wind and a crowd that is kinda far off the field and since it's open air and an old design, the noise is not going to reflect back down onto the field.

I'd way rather play there than say Soldier Field in January, or the noise of the Metrodome (or whatever they call their place now)

Agreed. We did okay last year in LA, and I think we have a better blue print to beat the Rams at home than we did when nobody had film on their current overall alignment. Not a mega flight to LA from NOLA (I like that, No, LA) at a little over 2 hours. That's about as good as an option as we have.

I do NOT want to play in Chicago! .......ever again......

[Jlowe22]

3 hours ago, Mid Iowa said:

Agreed. We did okay last year in LA, and I think we have a better blue print to beat the Rams at home than we did when nobody had film on their current overall alignment. Not a mega flight to LA from NOLA (I like that, No, LA) at a little over 2 hours. That's about as good as an option as we have.

I do NOT want to play in Chicago! .......ever again......

Yea, Chicago in January is a worst case scenario.  

[Mid Iowa]

Last week I typed up the whole update before the Monday Night game. Then I had to change most of it.

I'll not make that mistake again today.

So who do you want to win? 
Vikings (on the road) or Seattle (at the 12th something... whatever)?

Both teams are playing for a lot. The Vikings are struggling to hang on, but have so far, thanks to everyone below them continuing to suck. The Seahawks are actually playing okay ball right now.

The Vikings are literally win, lose, win, lose, win, lose since week 7's win. They're coming off a loss in New England, so they're due for a win, but I just don't see it tonight.
Seattle is on a 3 game winning streak, albeit to weak teams, and are playing at home. I think they cruise tonight and win by at least 13. I think the Vikings will then fire head coach Mike Zimmer, just so they don't let Green Bay 1 up them.

[Jlowe22]

10 hours ago, Mid Iowa said:

Last week I typed up the whole update before the Monday Night game. Then I had to change most of it.

I'll not make that mistake again today.

So who do you want to win? 
Vikings (on the road) or Seattle (at the 12th something... whatever)?

Both teams are playing for a lot. The Vikings are struggling to hang on, but have so far, thanks to everyone below them continuing to suck. The Seahawks are actually playing okay ball right now.

The Vikings are literally win, lose, win, lose, win, lose since week 7's win. They're coming off a loss in New England, so they're due for a win, but I just don't see it tonight.
Seattle is on a 3 game winning streak, albeit to weak teams, and are playing at home. I think they cruise tonight and win by at least 13. I think the Vikings will then fire head coach Mike Zimmer, just so they don't let Green Bay 1 up them.

Don't know which team I'd rather play.  Both teams can get hot and give us a hard time.  Although, they will have to come to the dome.  Vikings are the better team, but I'm not sure IO trust Cousins in a road playoff game.  If I had to choose, I'd rather play the Seahawks I guess, since I think Vikings have been underperforming and I don't see anything about the Seahawks that makes think they should beat us in New Orleans.

[Spartica4Real]

I could see Carolina giving us a tough time, 3rd straight road game and Ron Rivera is playing for his life while they're playing for their playoff life. If we win next week I think we go 14-2 (unless the Rams lose again and we rest starters in week 17). 

That said, I'm not scared of the Rams' home field advantage. I'd rather play the Bears over the Rams in general, but I'd way rather play the Rams in LA than Bears in Chicago. I think we make the Super Bowl as long as we get the bye, but #1 seed will of course be nice.