Good afternoon and a Good Wild Card Saturday to you and yours. The NFL playoffs start today, and this special day calls for a special Wild Card Gameday Edition of Fleur-De-Links to help you get ready for tonight's clash with the Detroit Lions.
By now we've probably all seen the injury reports that let us know that Lance Moore will be out this week, so since we won't be seeing him in action on the field, I thought it appropriate to give us a little taste of Lance's Sweet Dance Moves to keep our spirits high.
And also, since tonight's game will feature the Golden Band From Tigerland as the halftime entertainment (warming up for the BCS Championship Game on Monday), here's a preview of what you might see if you'll be at the game tonight (just switch the purple and gold fans to black and gold in your mind).
Make the jump for your collection of pre-game links, tweets, and videos...
Official_Saints Wildcard Saturday! The Saints & Lions battle tonight in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome at 7 pm CT on NBC!
MalcolmJenkins This is the day that the lord has made Let us rejoice and be glad in it!! Especially because we get to play some ball tonight!!!! Who Dat!!
ChaseDaniel Wildcard weekend! It doesn't get much better than this. Playoff football. It's pretty easy, WIN or go home!
JonVilma51 icloud...yes? No?
wwltvsports Jim Mora just got introduced on the big screen. Fans still love that guy here.
ZachStrief So happy for my guys Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans for their all-pro awards. It was a no brainer but still...
DougTatum fun time to be sports editor in nola. 20-page section saturday. plenty of #saints, #bcs coverage. bargain for 75 cents
AlbertBreer Anyone else notice how, last year, letting Seattle in the playoffs was considered borderline criminal, yet no one has an issue with Denver?
AlbertBreer Seahawks were 7-9, Broncos are 8-8. I remember the Chargers being called on it at 8-8 in 2008, too. No mention of it. Strange.
AlbertBreer Also ... No outrage that 12-4 Steelers have to go to 8-8 Denver, like in 2008, when 12-4 Colts had to go to 8-8 San Diego. Interesting.
AlbertBreer By the way, I'm not questioning right/wrong here. I think winning your division should have that kind of award. I'm questioning perception.
JonVilma51 They jus showed the Illinois lottery live in new Orleans wth?!?
thomasmorstead Good night #WhoDatNation Tomorrow is Gameday #BeatTheLions
Pierre_Thomas Playoff Football...this is why we play the game!! See ya'll at the dome tomorrow, who dat!!!
JohnnyPatrick32 Goodnight y'all...
j_bushrod7475 Colossians 3.23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for working for the LORD, not for men!
robyslyfe Goodnite World..time to get this rest to be at my best..didn't mean to rhyme but it works, LOL..nite y'all #WhoDat
hakimdropsball "@KVanValkenburg: Here is me trying to rank the 12 coaches in the NFL playoffs. bsun.md/zL9i2v" can't argue with Payton's placement.
wwltvsports In a sea of purple and gold and crimson and white..I just saw some lions fans.
JonVilma51 Go hard or go home...
-
From the Saints Sideline
Forecast: Decision to rebuild Superdome helped lead to this wonderful weekend | wwltv.com
Ralph says he doesn't know how people will remember the decision about how to rebuild the Superdome after Katrina, but he knows how he'll remember it.
New Orleans Saints playoffs hopes will be realized or dashed by defense | NOLA.com
Jeff Duncan - Super Bowl champ will be the one that has the best defense in the upcoming month.
New Orleanians know why Detroit loves the Lions | NOLA.com
Bob Marshall - We know what it's like for a football team to be larger than life
New Orleans Saints vs. Detroit Lions, scouting report | NOLA.com
Andrew Lopez - Breaking down the Lions.
Tight ends have changed the way NFL offenses play | NOLA.com
Bob Marshall - Saints Jimmy Graham is one of those guys.
New Orleans Saints vs. Detroit Lions, inside the game | NOLA.com
Mike Triplett - News and notes previewing Wild Card round game in New Orleans.
Moore, Casillas, Gilmore to miss Detroit contest | The Advocate
Sheldon Mickles with some news and notes for the game.
Offensive display expected for Saints-Lions | The Advocate
Sheldon Mickles - If you’re going to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Saturday night to see some defense, you may have to go back a couple of nights later — if you’re lucky enough to have tickets.
Striving for perfection | The Advocate
Brian Allee-Walsh - After hours of exhaustive research, it appears the best way — and perhaps the only way at present — to halt dead-eye quarterback Drew Brees and the record-setting New Orleans Saints’ offense is get them to fourth down.
Defense may take back seat in Saints-Lions playoff clash | sportsnola.com
Sports Network - The Detroit Lions have waited 12 long years for the opportunity they'll be receiving this weekend, though the team's sorely- anticipated return to the playoffs could be a short stay if its defense duplicates its most recent performance. (Includes video preview/breakdown.)
Game Preview: Saints vs Lions | neworleanssaints.com
Saints Host Lions In NFC Wild Card Playoff Game; New Orleans Taking First Step In Quest For A Second Championship.
-
From the Lion's Den
Five things to watch in tonight's Lions-Saints game | Detroit Free Press
Free Press sports writer Dave Birkett looks at five story lines in tonight's game.
Saints' O-line vs. Lions' D-line may determine playoff game | Detroit Free Press
Carlos Monarrez - Ndamukong Suh and Carl Nicks played together at Nebraska. Suh even hosted Nicks when he made his recruiting trip to Lincoln, Neb., as a junior-college transfer
Will true Lions believers be rewarded? | Detroit Free Press
Drew Sharp - My late father will be on my mind tonight. I won't be alone. There will be others thinking of departed loved ones who loved them some Lions, who bore the hash marks of years upon years of dashed hopes, but always resolved that tomorrow would be better.
Lions hope to prove they're playoff contenders | Detroit Free Press
Dave Birkett - The Lions did their best to keep things normal this week with high-energy practices, loud music in the locker room and competitive games of P-I-G.
Having a plan for Saints TE Jimmy Graham will be key for Lions | detroitlions.com
Tim Twentyman - Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, in a lot of ways, is like Lions receiver Calvin Johnson.
The defensive line will need a stellar performance to help the Lions to a win | detroitlions.com
Tim Twentyman - The Lions don't stand a chance of stopping Saints quarterback Drew Brees on Saturday unless their defensive line shows up to play.
Final Word: Lions at Saints - NFC North Blog | ESPN.com
Kevin Seifert - Three nuggets of knowledge about Saturday's Lions-Saints wild-card game.
-
Lagniappe
AT&T finishes Superdome antenna upgrade | NOLA.com
Mark Schleifstein - It aims to end cellphone crashes suffered by New Orleans Saints fans. (HansDat note: Just in time for more folks to be shown on camera during the game not waving and hollering, but focusing down on their phones and type-texting.)
Biggest NFL games of wild-card round - ESPN.com
John Clayton - Saints-Lions come in at # 3 and 4, and a slight mention of the Saints in # 6.
Impatient owners don't allow coaches to develop | ESPN.com
Adam Schefter's 10-Spot. The Saints-Lions come in at # 3 with a bit on the aerial power to be on display in the game.
Darren Sproles has been a perfect fit for the Saints' offense | ESPN.com
Ashley Fox - Running back Darren Sproles has been the perfect fit for the Saints' offense, Ashley Fox writes. (Includes Countdown Daily Accuscore video with ethnic hottie woman.)
Broadcast Information: Saints vs Lions | neworleanssaints.com
The New Orleans Saints will battle the Detroit Lions, Saturday, Jan. 7, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Kickoff is set for 7 pm CDT.
NFC South light on All-Pros - NFC South Blog | ESPN.com
Pat Y. - The 2011 Associated Press All-Pro Team is out and the NFC South didn’t fare very well.
-
V-Roll Roll Call
-