HansDat's High Points of 2012: Victory At Last!

We've all spent too much time lamenting the woes and misery experienced by the New Orleans Saints in 2012, so I'm going to flip the script for us and for the next month or so, I'll be reviewing and reliving the team's high-water marks that I enjoyed in the previous year. Buckle up, bitches.

First up is the Week 5 win over the San Diego Chargers. Heading into this Sunday night tilt, excitement was building as the 0-4 Saints had come closer and closer to winning in the previous two weeks, and with the whole nation watching, Drew Brees was looking to break Johnny Unitas's long-standing consecutive games with a TD pass streak at 48 against the 3-1 Chargers. Payloo were even in the house, as they were given special permission from the NFL Home Office to attend the game! Thanks, Rog.

Prime time games always get me stoked, and with my CSC blogging role, they take on extra special significance for me as I usually take a vacation day from work after these games so I can stay up late, enjoy the game, complete my Who Dat Say!?! duties, and then rest and soak up more post-game coverage the day after. I call these my Who Dat Holidays. So, there's that, too.

Also, looking back at my post-game thread LINK, the summary and intro I wrote tell more about exactly and specifically why I have ID'd this game as the first of HansDat's High Points of 2012:

It took a nail-biting stop on the final drive by the defense and a record-setting night by the offense, but the Saints finally notched their first win of the year, 31-24 over the Chargers. Let's enjoy and chat it up in the comment thread.

With an impressive, record-setting performance by Drew Brees, Marques Colston, and Devery Henderson coupled with (finally!) a just good enough nail-biter by the defense, the Saints have finally gotten into the win column for 2012 in a thrilling 31-24 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

Brees ended the dramatic tension by setting the NFL's new consecutive games with a TD pass record at 48 on a 40-yard touchdown throw to Henderson late in the 1st quarter. Colston went 9 for 131 with 3 TDs, eclipsing Joe Horn as the Saints career touchdown reception leader (51). Add to that Henderson's 8 for 123 and a TD, and you have the first time two Saints receivers have gone over 8 receptions, 120 yards and a TD in a game. NICE.

In that post, you can also catch the stats along with our initial reactions to the win. Go ahead and jump back into that thread again, it's sweet nostalgia.

Here's THE LINK to the euphoric podcast immediately after the game:

Late Show edition with Ralph, Dave, and Kevin as the Saints try to avoid 0-5 and help Drew Brees make NFL history by breaking Johnny Unitas' consecutive games with a touchdown pass streak.

And here's your Who Dat Say!?! from the morning after. LINK Want to see a GIF of Philip Rivers cupping himself late in the game? CLICK HERE

Dave got us more GIFs from that game, too! Here are Travis's WINNERS and LOSERS, now check out the View from Section 140 at the game, and do you remember me getting very invested in whether or not Brees's lone interception in the game came on a tipped pass?

You have just simply and absolutely GOT to watch Real Saints Got Swag, the Sound FX video on this game from NFL.com. It's only 4:45, so go ahead, I'll tell your spouse/partner it's ok...

Finally, here are the Prediction Results & Voting from that week's predictions contest.

First win of the season, exciting finish, records falling like they're going out of style, special guest stars in the house, GIFs out the wazoo, Sunday night fireworks galore!!! What's not to love? What a great time that was for me as a Saints fan.

So, what was it like for you? What do you recall about that game and night? Is it one of your High Points of 2012?

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