When starting QB Derek Carr was injured in Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, back-up QB Jameis Winston came in and was part of a Saints comeback that gave fans hope that the Black and Gold might overcome a 21-0 start and maybe win the game. But the Saints fell short - again.
It was another Monday of Saints fans expressing their deep disappointment in another lackluster performance. While the Saints did launch a comeback, it was not enough to make up for their incompetent performance at the beginning of the game.
Once again, passionate criticism of Coach Dennis Allen and starting QB Derek Carr dominated another Monday afternoon discussion on our talk show on WWL.
After the game, QB Jameis Winston said during the post-game press conference, "Despite our record - despite the situation that's going on - we gotta stand together because the people that can fix this is us and that's y'all (the fans) included - that's the fans - that's the team - and that's it."
I love that Winston included the fans as an important part of the team and earlier acknowledged that the fans are the only reason they get paid. But I was in the Caesars Superdome Sunday afternoon and when the U2/Green Day song, "The Saints Are Coming" was blaring in the dome right before kick-off, the stadium was as loud as I have heard it. It sounded like we were a championship team with a winning record about to play a huge game.
And what happened after that deafening roar from Saints fans? The Lions took the opening kick-off and sliced through the Saints highly-acclaimed defense like a ginsu knife through a salmon. On the Saints first possession, the Lions intercepted a pass that went right through the hands of Saints TE Juwan Johnson and in less than 5 minutes of play the Lions were beating the Saints 14-0. In less than 7 minutes of play the Lions were embarrassing the Saints 21-0.
It was obvious the Saints were not mentally prepared to play that game. The Lions' 21-0 lead was unprecedented. After all of the fans and sports writers' condemnation of the Saints after the loss to the Falcons the week before, how could the Saints come out with such a lifeless, unfocused state of mind?
I do like what Jameis Winston said about the fans being part of the team, but my question is: What more can the fans do? We were there and we were loud and we were mentally prepared for the game. Saints fans grew silent as loud chants of "Let's Go Lions" came from the many Lions fans at the Dome for the game.
But the Saints fans were there - wearing Saints jerseys, shirts, dresses, and Black & Gold glitter. We were there buying concessions and pouring money into the back account of the Saints and the players. And we were LOUD. What more can we do?
