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Well, the Ravens couldn't pull out the victory last night, so the Falcons move to 7-2 and stay atop the NFC South. Our Saints helped the Ravens by defeating the Steelers three weeks ago and they just couldn't return the favor last night against our own divisional nemesis the Falcons. Thanks for nothing, Baltimore!
Our matchup with the Falcons on Monday, Dec. 27th may wind up being a NFC South championship game. No other game on the schedule looms larger than that one. The one after that against the surprising Bucs might also be huge, since it appears they aren't going away either. I doubt Coach Payton will have the luxury this year of securing a favorable playoff seed early and then resting his starters in week 17. This is shaping up to be a battle to the very end.
Not much Saints news today, but there are lots of player tweets. The USA Today article by Drew Brees is a great read.
TWEETS:
usama_young28 Thursday Night Football... Who y'all got?
usama_young28 I kno all the Who Dat Nation is goin wit the ravens... Just checking
alexbrown96 Can some one please tell me the score to the game? There is no NFL network at Nickelodeon Hotel! #pissedoff
alexbrown96 Damn!! 10-0 ATL!!!! Come on Baltimore let's get to work..
MalcolmJenkins If they say that wasn't a catch ima be pissed !!!!
alexbrown96 Score please!!!!!
alexbrown96 Hell yeah!!!! RT @msobert: @alexbrown96 RAVENS TD!!!! HEAAAAAAAAAAP....HOLD EM D!!!!
MalcolmJenkins Ok let's play some D now B-more!!!
T_Porter22 Leeeegoooo Ravens...
alexbrown96 Holding my breathe lol come on Ray Lewis and company! RT @jaejr: @alexbrown96 1.5 minutes until first place
MalcolmJenkins C'mon Man!!!!!!
usama_young28 No, that KR deserves a C'mon man! RT @MalcolmJenkins: C'mon Man!!!!!!
usama_young28 Good game good game, eyelids gettin heavy... I'm out folks. Gotta get up early and take my students to school. Peeeeaaaaace
T_Porter22 Riddle me this: Why has nearly every1 changed their name to "No Hands" on twitter? #epicfail lmao
dmcallister26 Yawning. R the Lakers winning AGAIN. GEEZZYY
T_Porter22 Ugggh don't u had when u are in a GREAT sleep but then it gets interrupted when u have to used the restroom #random.
usama_young28 Good morn. Another chance to get out this bed and b productive. Bout to get the students at Mcdonogh and give them a glimpse of college life
alexbrown96 In the van with the guide headed to the Magic Kingdom and then some fun rides later today.. http://plixi.com/p/56472806
alexbrown96 And the first ride of the day is..... http://plixi.com/p/56476131
LanceMoore16 Shout out to the fact that its friday!!! Have a good day everyone. Gonna be a great weekend.
alexbrown96 Hahahahaha the things we do as parents... Yes I'm on one too! http://plixi.com/p/56478905
alexbrown96 Lmao but soooo true lol RT @richramirez1: @alexbrown96 The DUMBO ride. That is actually a major at FSU! :-)
alexbrown96 It's time to get wet.... (in my daughters voice) http://plixi.com/p/56490887
usama_young28 Bout to grub at Dillard University. One thing I missed out on at Kent state was this soul food. M mmmm good http://plixi.com/p/56495988
dmcallister26 S/O to my angels tht protect me daily R.I.P. Demetrius C. McAllister. I miss u big bro
MalcolmJenkins at Thurgood Marshall UNO College w/the winner of the contest for naming NOLA's campaign to stop shootin! http://twitpic.com/366pox
JonVilma51 Just got the best massage of my life!!
usama_young28 Had a good time at Dillard with Mcdonogh 35. Headed to UNO now
scottshanle Kanye West Cancels 'Today' Show Concert After Matt Lauer Spat - The Hollywood Reporter http://t.co/w5cWBND...what u guys think about this?
scottshanle heres the video of the horrific interview!! LOL ............http://scoop.todayshow.com/_news/2010/11/12/5455343-kanye-cancels-today-concert.
MalcolmJenkins The name of the campaign is Solutions Not Shootings (SNS NOLA)
reggie_bush This ladies babies were crying and screaming for 2 hours non stop on my flight! I felt sorry for her and irritated at the same time!
usama_young28 Feels like I'm back in college again http://plixi.com/p/56513996
MalcolmJenkins @usama_young28 u just gonna tweet in class.... i knew you aint learn nothing at Kent lol
ltorrence24 What's going on ATL, home for a couple days, get @ me!
usama_young28 Touring UNO's campus with the kids http://plixi.com/p/56520271
HeathEvans "@RealSkipBayless: My guess: Cam Newton will be suspended before season's end, now that NCAA, FBI interviewing (cont) http://tl.gd/6ui577
ltorrence24 Nice Work @usama_young28 for Mayor!!!: Touring UNO's campus with the kids http://plixi.com/p/56520271
dmpressley Is it bad that I miss football...? I know our bodies need a break but Haven't put my cleats on in a few days and I'm anxious already....
alexbrown96 Kids meeting Donald duck! http://plixi.com/p/56526900
SAINTS AT THE BYE WEEK:
2theadvocate.com | Saints | MICKLES: Getting better in off week — Baton Rouge, LA
Payton knew things had to change in 2008 after his team muddled through a third straight post-bye loss since he arrived in 2006.
Saints at the Bye: What will happen in the NFC?
You are what your record says you are; therefore the Saints are in second place in the NFC South, and very much in the thick of the NFC playoff race. When they return from the bye, they will play seven more games, five against NFC opponents, two against division opponents. In the division they can finish pretty much anywhere North of Carolina, and in the conference anywhere North of Carolina and Dallas.
Saints at the Bye: What's next for the defense?
Personnel: The Saints are getting healthy on defense after an injury-plagued first two months. Only four players – end Alex Brown, tackles Sedrick Ellis and Remi Ayodele, and middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma have started all nine games at the same position.
FALCONS WIN, GAAAAAAAAAAA!!:
Matt Ryan, Falcons 'Rise Up' twice - NFC South Blog - ESPN
ATLANTA -- GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
Roddy White's perfect streak ends - NFC South Blog - ESPN
That leaves Jason Witten, Eddie Royal and Lance Moore as the only players who have been targeted at least 50 times and have not dropped a pass. White’s two drops leave him at fifth in the league, one spot behind Larry Fitzgerald, who has one drop.
Atlanta Falcons rally to defeat Baltimore Ravens 26-21 | NOLA.com
They squandered 13-point lead in fourth quarter
LAGNIAPPE:
Drew Brees: WWII vets still deserve our attention - USATODAY.com
On this holiday, Saints quarterback recalls his grandfather's service in Okinawa. This is a great piece.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees gets rousing welcome at Mandeville school | NOLA.com
Super Bowl MVP presents $10,000 check to school as part of the NFL's 'Play 60' program
Final Word: NFC South - NFC South Blog - ESPN
NFL, manufacturers agree there's no perfect helmet
In a series of interviews with The Associated Press, representatives of the NFL, the NFL Players Association and the four equipment companies that make every helmet worn in the league all say there is no such thing as a football helmet that eliminates concussions.
Rex Ryan vs. Greg Robinson: What makes a good coordinator? - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
A lot of defensive coordinators out there like to "bring the house" and send all out blitzes quite often, but sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. We saw Gregg Williams struggle to get on the same page with Jack Del Rio during the one year Williams was there partially because of the high amount of blitzes that Gregg Williams would dial up. The very next season, when Gregg Williams took over as defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints, the Saints went on to win the Super Bowl.
Plenty of pleasant surprises around league - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
9. New Orleans Saints: Does the fact that Drew Brees’(notes) passes were 62.7 percent accurate in Sunday’s victory over the Panthers suggest a report that he has a fracture and torn meniscus in his left knee was less than "100-thousand-million-trillion percent" accurate?