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NEW ORLEANS – There are moments that define teams, times when clubs are forced to look in the mirror and say they really believe in what they claim to defend, moments when they discover if adversity breeds fear, hesitation or the urge to attack the challenge before them.
In their thrilling 45-35 win over the previously undefeated Rams in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Sunday, the Saints left no doubt that their offense is all it claims to be: a aggressive and imposing unit that is always looking to win with the coup de grace rather than a series of strokes, as evidenced by the decision of quarterback Drew Brees to shoot the deadly shot in the final minutes while he could have try to control the clock by giving the ball or by trying short passes to move the chains.
"Drew, it's Mike Tyson at his peak," said running back Alvin Kamara.
With just under four minutes to go and the Saints clinging to a three-point lead after losing a 21-point cushion, they could easily have looked to play the stopwatch and keep the ball at Rams' offensive who had scored four of his previous goals. five possessions. He was third and seventh in their 28-yard line. Coach Sean Payton called for a short and safe pass for Kamara, in the hope that the Rams would double Thomas on a deep road. It's like that that they had practiced the game all week. Not once, the saints were opposed to a look where Thomas would be single.
But when they arrived at the line of scrimmage, Brees spotted the Rams in the men's cover on the outside, with cornerback Marcus Peters lined up in front of tight Mike Thomas. Forget the Rams defense, Brees was looking in the mirror. He could play security or go bankrupt. It could be all that New Orleans says is in violation, or it could go back. He went down the field.
"Since I've played here, even from the first stint, we've won through our aggression," said halfback Ben Watson. "Often, when you're not aggressive and you try somehow to play to win, or to preserve in advance, you're freeing yourself from what you're doing.It's an offense in This is how this offense behaves The best we have a quarterback who can do all the throws and make all the readings and check things in. He does everything that needs to be done. So when you come out of character, it's when teams get it wrong. "
The Saints, who have won seven straight since losing to the Bucs early in the season, did not want to win by decision. They wanted a knockout and got it thanks to Brees, who finished 25 of 36 out of a total of 346 yards and four touchdowns without any turnover. Kamara, who ran for 82 yards and two goals and added another by the air; Thomas, who had 12 receptions for a record 211-yard franchise and scoring; and a defense that came to a halt when it needed it late in the fourth quarter after the Rams scored on four consecutive possessions.
There is an athletic arrogance about this offense that will not fail to rub some. It's like how coach Sean Payton did everything possible to inform the media that their strategy was to attack Peters, who has certainly struggled in recent weeks. Payton did not just say that they liked the game. He insisted that they liked him "a lot". It seemed almost personal.
This also raised eyebrows when Thomas, after the longest touchdown of his career, went to the base of a goal post and recovered a flip phone that he had left under the padding to celebrate his score. It was a tribute to former Receiver of Saints, Joe Horn, who had done the same in 2003. Thomas was so faithful to the reenactment that he found the "Obama phone" in a liquor store "in black hole" and placed one for each purpose. to post.
His teammates had a kick of the moment. "I did not know that the celebration was going to happen," said linebacker Demario Davis, "but when he put me on the phone, I thought," Whoever it is here, it's a bad (end italic) man, yessir. "
The only problem is that the celebration resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty that could have turned against the Rams if the goal had been quick on shortened ground. (Payton said he would take care of it later, the league would probably fine him, as he did 15 years ago.) And opponents might interpret this as going beyond what was considered appropriate. Not that the saints care. As Kamara said, "We only worry about ourselves."
For a good reason. Their last four wins were against single or tied teams for their division head at the time: Los Angeles, Minnesota, Baltimore and Washington. On Sunday, they scored 45 points and collected 487 yards at the top of the season. did not allow a bag for the second consecutive week, against a defense that had recorded several sacks in six consecutive games, including seven two weeks ago; and limited the Rams to 93 yards on the ground, nearly 60 yards below average. In fact, the Saints did not allow a 100-yard run in their winning streak.
Which means little for Payton. He practically armed me when I asked him what it was important to put the Rams their first defeat in nine games and win the tiebreaker in the playoffs if the teams finished the game. regular season with the same record. He was standing alongside General Manager Mickey Loomis and Basketball Hall of Fame member Isiah Thomas in front of his locker room.
"We talked about it last night," he told Thomas before asking him, "How many games are there in the NBA season?" Eighty-two. do not talk, it's too early to talk about it, there's a lot of football to play in. Now do not get me wrong, you know the win is against a rival team, but there's still a long way to go. "
Two division games are expected against Carolina (6-2), one against Atlanta (4-4) and Tampa Bay, who despite his record of 3 to 5 beat New Orleans 48-40 on the first day. It's hard to see anyone defeating the Saints if they play as well as they did in the first period, when they scored touchdowns on five of their first six assets, with the exception of a lost fumble. They played chess at the Rams ladies. But Los Angeles adjusted at half-time and rallied thereafter, giving them a score of 35-35 with 9:48 to play.
But it is at this moment that Brees and New Orleans have regained their rhythm. He ran 40 yards for an investment, then found Thomas on the left side with the Tyson-like hook.
"That's why I came here, because of the GOAT, the greatest of all time," said Davis, an acquisition as a free agent of the Jets, about Brees. "It feels good to sit on the sidelines knowing that GOAT has the ball, and I say to the defense all the time: we only have to make one stop, it's like Michael Jordan." had the ball in play Do not worry, we're in good hands. "
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