CHAMPIONS.

Drew Brees scrambles towards the line of
scrimmage prior to his illegal forward pass.
Good effort to try to make something happen.

I had to put the period on it instead of the exclamation point, because we got in through the back door.

The Saints are NFC South champions because the Falcons and the Panthers lost. Not because the Saints won, because they didn't.

I'm sorry, but I am pissed. And I'm sure Sean Payton is pissed too.

Everything about that game was terrible. The dropped passes. The terrible offensive line play. The questionable play calling. The running holes up the middle of the front seven. There is no way the Saints should have lost to this team, and yet they did.

Now the #2 seed is in jeopardy. I guess God has a special place for overconfident Saints fans. But here's what's going on:

If the Giants win or lose this week, the Saints would eliminate them from the 2 seed next week by beating them. Period. If the Saints lose to the Giants next week and the Giants win this week, they would be tied with the Saints, and would have the tie-breaker over them. But the Cowboys would still have to lose a game for the Giants to win the NFC East.

The Cowboys are tied with the Saints, but they have the tie-breaker over them. The Cowboys have two games left--one is a sure win at home vs. the Lions. The other game is against the Eagles. If the Cowboys win both (which I'm predicting will happen), the Saints would have to win both games to get the #2 seed.

The Seahawks are mathematically alive, but on life support. The Saints need to win one or the Seahawks need to lose one. Like I said in an earlier post, the Seahawks are playing the Chargers next week. I think that they will lose that game.

So, basically, the game in New York next week was just supposed to be a formality. Now it's a must-win.

Ultimately, here's the probable scenario: there's a distinct possibility the Saints will be playing the Cowboys again in the 2nd round of the playoffs. It's just not determined where it will be played. And they won't be pissed off and pumped for that game, I promise.

It's a half-empty day for me. But I would have taken 9-5 and a division title at the beginning of the year. It's just that it could have been so much more if they would have won today.

#2 Seed Scenarios

TAGS: NFL, New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins, Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister