I'm sensing some anger in Who Dat Nation following the Saints upsetting loss to the Seattle Seahawks 41-36 yesterday at Qwest Field. But I'm not so sure that's the appropriate emotion. Disappointed? Fair enough. In a perpetual state of being pissed off? Don't waste your time.
Take a step back and look again at the big picture. Sure the Saints may have been unsuccessful at defending their 2009 championship but they still finished 11-5 - which many of you predicted before the season started - made the playoffs and did it all with a team plagued by injury since the very beginning. As wonderful as last season's success was, my greatest desire for this team has always been year-to-year consistency of quality football over the span of many years. With a record of 24-8 over the past two years and back-to-back playoff appearances, the Saints as a franchise are giving us exactly that. So quit the bitching.
Because let's face it, to think the Saints could possibly win the next ten Super Bowls (give or take two or three) would be incredibly unrealistic. Besides if that did happen, we'd all become as stuck up and obnoxious as Yankee fans anyway and nobody wants that. Sure it would have been nice to see them go a little deeper into the playoffs this year but I believe they were exactly one Marshawn Lynch run and eight missed tackles away from a divisional round playoff game. The best any fan can hope for from their favorite NFL team is for them to always remain competitive and contenders; a dynasty of sorts. Though it's ended sooner than we'd like, this season still meets those qualifications. Plus, you've got to admit we're all lucky to have one of the more exciting and fun teams to watch every week. There's a reason they're always setting local and national television viewing records.
So take another day or two to grieve if necessary, you're certainly entitled. Eventually, the pain will be gone and it will be time to focus on the next winning season. Because there will be another winning season. At their core, both on the field and off, the Saints are talented enough to allow me to say that. Which is why we should all take a moment from our current state of shock to appreciate that fact and to realize that it could be worse. Much, much worse.
Who dat!?