Saints play with urgency, win by 20

That was a pretty nice effort. The offense moved the ball all day. Aaron stecker ran like a man who is playing for a job next year -- which he is. David Patten caught the ball like a man playing for a job next year -- which he is (dare I say Patten looked like a guy who used to wear the number 87). Gary Gibbs coordinated like a man who is coordinating for a job next year -- which is.

Sean Payton opened the game with an end-around to Devery Henderson, to "get back on the horse." Then he went for a fourth-down conversion early on his own 35, because, well, maybe he got bored.

Hokie and Henderson seemed convinced that the Saints were better off without Reggie Bush. I'm not ready to say that, but I think both Stecker and the line played fine games. For once, it was nice to see the Saints play like they needed a win. Stecker's a good spot starter, but I wouldn't want to enter a season with him pencilled in at No. 1.

And to think, the Saints are one Olindo Mare miss and a boneheaded playcall from being 8-5 and tied for first in the South (with a 5-1 divisional record). As it is, they finish 3-3 in the division, which doesn't really matter, since they weren't going to win the South anyways. But it would have been nice to go better than .500 in the worst division in the NFL. Oh, well.

Be on the lookout for a Johnson groin injury and a Patten (something?) on the injury report.