New Orleans Saints fans were surprised at the outcome of last season’s game between the Saints and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Surprised, but in no way shocked.
For fans of 31 of the NFL’s 32 franchises, the idea that their team could pull off one of the greatest plays in NFL history by executing lateral after lateral with no time left on the clock to put themselves in position to win and then to miss the extra point, is utterly unthinkable.
It just couldn’t happen. At no point would the possibility of a missed kick have entered their minds.
But for Saints fans?
We’re conditioned to take Murphy’s Law – or is it “Mora’s Law” – as gospel. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
John Carney, who hadn’t botched an extra point kick in over 10 years, missing the kick wasn’t expected, but it was in the back of our minds.
None of us thought it would happen, but when it did, the response after the realization that it did happen was all too familiar: “Typical Saints!”
Sadly, ever since the team’s thrilling playoff win over the St. Louis Rams four years ago, the Saints have been as typical as ever, boasting records of 7-9, 9-7 and 8-8. They win half their games and lose half their games, the losses usually provided in spectacular fashion.
I think I speak for all Saints fans when I say: It’s time to do something.
Go for it all, and give us no more excuses. Coach and play the games to win and not to avoid losing. If we go 12-4, great. If we go 4-12, at least we can start over.
Either way, everyone’s seen enough of the 8-8 Saints. It’s time to make a move in New Orleans, and another .500 year and vague promises to “tweak things” and “do better next season” are not going to be welcomed.
They’re extremely talented, make no mistake about that, boasting one of the NFL’s very elite runners, playmaking receivers, a strong-armed quarterback entering his prime and a dangerous pass-catching tight end. Yet, these pieces have been in place for the most part in each of the last two seasons, and some for all of the last three.
The media always crow the same rhetoric in the preseason about the team. They are words that once inspired optimism, but now screech like long nails on a Loyola chalkboard.
We hear how dangerous our squad is. We hear how they should win, but just don’t for whatever reason. We hear whispers that they don’t have the killer instinct, and even that they have no heart.
As the season starts anew, I don’t want to be negative. I have many reasons to feel optimistic about this year.
They boast the most explosive offense and one of the league’s best return men in Michael Lewis.
But unlike the fans of teams with similar talent, like the Packers and Seahawks, I can only hope for playoff results. After one season ruined by a collapse and another by the 2-14 Bengals, it’s time for this team to put up or shut up.
It’s time to play like they’re capable of playing.
That may be the only result left that could truly shock Saints fans.
