When the New Orleans Saints run onto the field for a Week 4 showdown against the Atlanta Falcons, they'll carry some memories and emotions of the entire fanbase with them.
But for more of those players, Hurricane Katrina and the 2006 'Domecoming' game we'll spend so much time reminiscing about this week is more history lesson than poignant memory. As Deuce McAllister, who was on the field for that game, explained this week on WWL Radio, there's only so much coaches can do.
"It will mean a lot more to me and you and people that experienced it and went through it, than probably moreso than the guys that are on the field," McAllister explained. "And I don’t know if some people understand that, and the reason I say that is, Kellen Moore was like 18 years old. I don’t even know if he was at Boise yet. The current players, they were like 2 years old. The Saints have done a pretty good job of telling the story and seeing some of the pictures of what it means, but I think … you talk about the reopening of the Dome, what it means to you. If you’re a current player, I don’t know if there’s the connection."
Hear more from Deuce McAllister on SportsTalk, breaking down the Domecoming anniversary and a lot more, in the player above.
That doesn't mean the point won't be driven home. The Saints coaching staff intended to spend a chunk of time on the extra day of prep this week to get the current crop of players up to speed on exactly what this game means for New Orleans. Head coach Kellen Moore did the same thing a year ago, showing clips from that game and other poignant moments from Saints history as he built up the culture of his team.
Several players have already said they understand the importance of this game and weight it carries in the city. It's moments like these that drive New Orleans' love affair with its football team, but happy memories typically go hand-in-hand with winning memories.
“They’ve got to learn, you know, and so that’s a part of being a New Orleans Saint," McAllister continued. "That’s a part of maybe a story that you didn’t know fully, and you may wonder, why does that building look like that. ... There’s a story behind the story, and so some of those things they have to learn, and like I said, the team is doing a better job of maybe, kinda teaching, particularly when the dates almost align like they do.”
Whether players feed off of the emotion surrounding the game or not, the reality is that the game means more than just memories. It also doubles as the Saints' first NFC South showdown of the season and their first primetime kickoff of the Kellen Moore era. After the late collapse against the Raiders, a win would mean sitting atop the NFC South, while a loss could mean a trip to the basement.
The crowd will be hot from go, but the players will have to take things from there if they want to capitalize on it. What gets mentioned less often than the blocked punt is that the game in 2006 also doubled as the home fans' first in-person look at the Sean Payton-Drew Brees era that saw the Saints win at as high a rate of anyone in the NFL. It kickstarted a season that ended in the NFC Championship that year. Winners get remembered, and if you can honor the past in the process, that's how legends are made.
“Nobody feels sorry for the pressure. The pressure is to go and win. You know, and the big check, you’re not paid the big check for one game. I hope every game is big. … It should be electric in there, and there should be some tears in there. I mean, and so for those players, they will feed off of that, but at the same time you want it to be sustainable," McAllister continued. "Can you take that emotion, can you take that excitement and pride and sustain it for four quarters. Because what Atlanta wants to do, they want you to shut up, they want you to sit down. They want it to be quiet so they can go out there and operate and do what they do, but for the players it’s can I electrify this crowd to where, hey, this is deja vu all over again 20 years later, whether it’s the 4th play or whether it’s 10 plays in. That building will be ready to pop.”
The Saints (1-2) will host the Falcons (1-2) for a 7:15 p.m. kickoff inside the Caesars Superdome. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.
