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Two teams that came into the 2012 season with high hopes, the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers, square off today in a Week 4 matchup that has far less luster than the schedule makers envisioned back in the spring. It sees the Saints seeking their first win of the year while the 1-2 Packers are trying to recover from getting robbed and jobbed by the fake refs on Monday Night Football.

Well, the way I see it, that just means that both teams are very hungry for a win, and should be fighting for all they’re worth this afternoon. Hopefully that will make for an entertaining and exciting game.

After careful consideration and research I have come up with the following four Hot Reads that the Saints must make correctly to emerge victorious…

Saints vs Packers coverage

Saints vs Packers preview

Acme Packing Company

Primary Option

Now more than ever, with the defense in disarray and the offense still trying to find its’ groove, it begins and ends with PROTECTING DREW BREES so he can do what he does best. I’m afraid that at this point in the season, the way it’s been playing out, it’s going to take a perfect game from Brees for the Saints to get a win.

What I’d Like To See: The Saints must keep Brees upright and off the ground with time to throw, especially with ferocious sackmaster Clay Matthews (6 sacks in 2012) on the prowl, and with a sealed pocket to step into. From the stat sheet, that means 0 sacks and 0 INTs will be what does it.

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Checkdown # 1

Against the Chiefs, Devery Henderson nearly broke a long TD catch and run in the first half, and Jimmy Graham dropped a difficult but catchable deep ball over the middle that would have converted a crucial third down in the second half. These plays would have made a huge difference in that game, so the Saints absolutely must hit on these BIG PLAY PAYDAYS IN THE PASSING GAME to stun the top-ranked Packer pass defense they’ll be facing this week.

What I’d Like To See: Either at least one huge scoring pass play (40 or more yards) or at least 5 big gains (25 or more yards) through the air. If they give me both, I might die from over-joy. And with the real refs back, I’ll count defensive pass interference calls of 25 or more yards in this category.

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Checkdown # 2

You think things have been bad for the Saints defense so far? Well, this week, injuries to starting weakside linebacker David Hawthorne as well as his backup, Jonathan Casillas leave the Saints with only five healthy linebackers, and a probable starting trio of: Scott Shanle, Curtis Lofton, and Will Herring. So in addition to depending on the skills of an interim-interim head coach, they’ll be depending on the mad skillz of the RISE OF THE BACKUP-BACKUP LINEBACKER.

What I’d Like To See: Good Will Herring is one of my favorite movies, and a good Will Herring is who needs to show up on the field. Six or more tackles, at least two for losses, and no major gaffes in pass coverage.

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Safety Valve

For this week’s final piece of the victory puzzle, I’m going to call on the lyrical wisdom of the 70s and 80s superband Toto. It comes from a single that peaked at # 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and topped the South African Singles Chart of 1978-79. Any guesses yet? Allow me to continue.

The Packers’ high-octane offense has stalled a bit this year (does that sound familiar?), averaging only 226 passing yards and 78 rushing yards per game while scoring just 19 points each week. For a 2012 Saints defense that has allowed three teams to notch notable and even record-setting offensive output, it’s not in the way you look or the things that you say that you do (you’re welcome for the 10-minute Live in Amsterdam version), but it may be too much to ask them to shut down anyone’s offense. So, please just HOLD THE LINE on a struggling Packer offense.

What I’d Like To See: An improving Saints defense that keeps the Packers’ offense somewhere close to their 2012 season averages to date (within five points and 50 yards).

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And even though the look and feel are new, this is STILL the place for our pre-pre-pre-game Open Thread. What are you wearing? What are you eating/drinking? Who are you watching in the early games as we await the 4:25 EDT kickoff? What do you think about these Hot Reads and the Saints’ chances today?

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Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

Twitter

New Orleans Saints ‏Let’s see what college is best represented in Who Dat Nation – who are you cheering for today?

WWL-TV Sports ‏ICYMI from Friday: “In spite of record, 2011 game in Green Bay, playing at Lambeau still special” http://bit.ly/Sr2OyK #NFL

JUNIOR GALETTE ‏I Used to hit da kitchen lights CockRoaches Everywhere!

skooks ‏Does the bye week count toward Joe Vitt’s suspension service?

New Orleans Saints ‏White jerseys, black pants RT @JRxTune @Saints which uniforms are the Saints wearing tomorrow? #NOvsGB

Jason Babin ‏At my son’s pee wee game and just asked the refs if it sucks they are not doing @NFL games anymore.

Johnny Patrick ‏Headed to Green Bay.. You look good, you feel good, you feel good, you play good, you play good, they pay good…. pic.twitter.com/PgEWsNfq

Johnny Patrick ‏“@num1jennifer: “@JohnnyPatrick32: Louisville lets get this win..”Southern Miss all day!!” Not even going to be a close one lol…

Joe Horn ‏ROUSES GROCERY STORES WILL BE CARRYING JOE HORN SMOKED SAUSAGE BETTER THAN THE SAUCE ALMOST!!!!!!!!!PROMISE!!!!!

skooks ‏Rickey Jackson unveiled a BBQ sauce. Now Joe Horn is endorsing a sausage. They are the T-P and Advocate of backyard dining.

Jimmy Graham ‏“@aimeenuss9: @jimmyjames009 I have a sense of humor. But when it comes to @TheJimmyGraham I get a little defensive!” True fan!

Andrew Juge ‏Kids are ready for Tech to roll UVA http://lockerz.com/s/248821567

Thomas Morstead ‏“@E_Sanders88: In Dallas for the SMU vs tcu game! Pony up! Gonna tailgate for the 1st time in my life if the rain ever stops! #smu” #PonyUp

Bradley Handwerger ‏Delta…where you can fly to Milwaukee and the elevator music is a Spanish radio station.

Grandmaster Wang ‏Holy s***. There’s a dude named Munchie Legaux.

deuce mcallister ‏Nervous as i prepare to attempt to call this Tulane/ULM game on CST. Wishing both teams great health

skooks ‏Been busy. Just looked at scoreboard. Didn’t know Spags was allowed to moonlight for both Baylor and W. Virgina during the same game.

The Angry Who Dat ‏Can nobody say the Dome could be louder without going all #realfanz with it? Jesus, you’re loud, you’re not a superior f****** being

The Angry Who Dat ‏Everytime someone says “real fans” they completely lose me, no matter how valid their point is. And “the Dome’s not very loud” is valid.

Chris Chamberlain ‏Prayers 🙏Up👆 for my guys @Saints for a safe and successful trip to Green Bay!

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From the Saints Sideline

New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers: Inside the game | NOLA.com
Nakia Hogan – Drew Brees can tie Johnny Unitas’ record with a TD pass Sunday.

New Orleans Saints offense a ‘Noah’s Ark’ of problems — two of everything each week | NOLA.com
Mike Triplett – What’s wrong with the New Orleans Saints offense? It’s obvious, isn’t it?

New Orleans Saints need Drew Brees to be brilliant | NOLA.com
Jeff Duncan – During 0-3 start he’s just been average.

Could Drew Brees be trying too hard in first season after $100 million contract? | NOLA.com
Larry Holder – Saints, Brees face tough challenge Sunday in Green Bay Packers.

Big contracts, NFL playoff spots don’t always go hand-in-hand for top quarterbacks | NOLA.com
Larry Holder – There are mixed results for quarterbacks in their next season after receiving a huge payday.

New Orleans Saints plan to be aware of Green Bay’s Charles Woodson | NOLA.com
Nakia Hogan – Woodson has 55 career interceptions.

Some New Orleans Saints relish opportunity to play at Lambeau Field | NOLA.com
Nakia Hogan – Saints set to play Packers at legendary stadium.

New Orleans Saints will be thin at linebacker against the Packers | NOLA.com
Nakia Hogan – Hathowrne, Casillas among three injured Saints ruled out.

Saints trying to find right balance on offense against Packers | wwltv.com
Bradley Handwerger – Statistics can sometimes mask the truth and, in 2012, at least on offense, they’re doing that for the New Orleans Saints.

Packers aim to keep QB Aaron Rodgers on his feet vs. Saints | The Advocate
Chris Jenkins (AP) – For all the Green Bay Packers’ complaints about a mistake by replacement officials Monday night, they probably wouldn’t have been in position to lose on a last-second play if their offensive line had done a better job protecting Aaron Rodgers in the first half.

Saints defense insists that numbers don’t tell the whole story | The Advocate
Brett Martel (AP) – Cam Jordan refuses to let the New Orleans Saints’ dreadful defensive statistical rankings get him down.

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers: The big picture | The Advocate

N.O. Saints defense tries to get on track against G.B. Packers | The Advocate
Brian Allee-Walsh – The trick for New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo this week is to build on the good and learn from the bad, or it could get downright ugly Sunday against the Green Bay Packers at storied Lambeau Field.

Kromer: Saints Will Win More Than We Lose – WWL | AM870 | FM105.3
New Orleans Saints Offensive Line/Running Game Coach Aaron Kromer spoke with the media on Friday before the team heads to Green Bay to take on the Packers.

Pete Carmichael Previews Matchup Against Packers’ Defense | neworleanssaints.com
Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael met with the media after practice on Friday to discuss Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Includes link to video of it.

New Orleans Saints Look to Earn First Win of 2012 at Lambeau Field | neworleanssaints.com
The Saints will face the Packers in Green Bay for the second consecutive season on Sunday. Includes link to NFL Films preview video.

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Packers’ Propaganda

Will offense return to form against Saints? | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Tyler Dunne – At halftime of Green Bay’s 14-12 loss at Seattle, left guard T.J. Lang took a look at the stat sheet, saw that the offensive line had allowed eight sacks and admitted he was “embarrassed.”

Packers receivers struggle to duplicate 2011 performance | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Bob McGinn – They say tape never lies when it comes to playing in the National Football League.

Shields shows improvement at cornerback | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Bob McGinn – Sam Shields is entrenching himself more with each passing week as the right cornerback for the Green Bay Packers.

Triplette will be referee in Packers-Saints game | Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Tom Silverstein – Veteran referee Jeff Triplette will lead the crew that officiates the Packers-Saints game, according to an NFL source.

McCarthy praises Packers’ character | packers.com
Mike Spofford – As the Packers concluded one of their more tumultuous weeks in team history, the energy was back up to its usual level at practice on Friday, Mike McCarthy said.

Video: Under the Cap with Randall Cobb | packers.com
In this edition of ‘Under the Cap,’ packers.com’s Larry McCarren sits down with Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb.

One last look: Can Packers defense shut down Saints? | packers.com
Mike Spofford – After a dominant Week 2 victory over the Bears, Packers defenders were reluctant to proclaim a defensive turnaround based strictly on one game.

Final Word: NFC North – NFC North Blog | ESPN.com
Kevin Seifert – Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 4. The Goodell Bowl: That’s how I’m referring to Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field, which pits two teams that have felt aggrieved by the policies of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

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BountyCrap

Former New Orleans Saints player Scott Fujita meets with Commissioner Roger Goodell | NOLA.com
Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York for about one hour Friday about his suspension in the Saints’ bounty case that was temporarily lifted earlier this month.

Joe Horn: Sean Payton suspension could be cut to 8 games | sportsnola.com
Jude Young – The man who used to the the unofficial voice of the New Orleans Saints has tweeted what would be good news for Who Dat Nation.

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Lagniappe

Clay Matthews: ‘No sympathy’ in Saints-Packers game | NFL.com
Kareem Copeland – Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews knows his team is desperate for a win with a 1-2 record, and more losses than they had all last season.

NFC South programming notes – NFC South Blog | ESPN.com
Pat Y. – I’m about to begin the journey up to Atlanta for Sunday’s game between the Falcons and Carolina Panthers.

Video: Accuscore on Saints-Packers – NFC South Blog | ESPN.com
Prim Siripipat goes inside the numbers for the Saints-Packers matchup.

Biggest NFL games of Week 4 – John Clayton’s First & 10 | ESPN.com
The New Orleans Saints-Green Bay Packers game couldn’t come at a more interesting time for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Coaches under unprecedented pressure – Adam Schefter’s 10 Spot | ESPN.com
Items 1 and 7 have to do with the Saints/Packers.

SI’s Peter King Raising Money for Team Gleason | sportsnola.com
Lenny Vanglider – Thanks to one of the NFL’s most visible writers, the fund-raising efforts of former Saint Steve Gleason will get a boost Saturday.

New Poll! | thesaintsnation.com
Andrew Juge – I’ve had the same poll up on the left hand side of the blog forever, so it’s time for a new one.

New Orleans Super Bowl in 2013 will surpass the city’s last turn, sports industry leaders say | NOLA.com
Mark Waller – When New Orleans hosts the Super Bowl in February, the production will be larger and the landscape altered compared to the last time the behemoth sporting event came to town in 2002.

NFL week 4 selections from NOLA.com experts | NOLA.com
Four out of five have Packers beating Saints.

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Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

Roger has stolen my mojo. That’s my rally cry, that’s my fuel, that’s the reason I’m going to have a good week this week and whip the guy in front of me. I’m taking all my anger, all the undeserved punishment, and I’m gluing a picture of Roger Goodell to the guy who lines up on the other side. Time to dominate.

This week’s contests feature nine divisional games. Many times you can discount the records because division opponents know each other so well. That’s why an 0-fer team can play an undefeated divisional opponent to the whistle and come out with a win. They get pumped and exited to play their rival and find extra incentive to forget the past weeks and play their best.

Last week, home teams went 8-8. The favorites went 6-10. I split the difference.

Last Week: 7 wins, 9 losses

Season Total: 20 wins, 28 losses

Season Average: 6.7 wins, 9.3 losses

Home Teams: 31 wins, 17 losses

Favored Teams: 29 wins, 19 losses

Best Season (2011): 173 wins, 83 losses

Canal Street Chronicles Rank (confidence points): 20 out of 25 (56 points out of 1^st place)

This Week’s Picks:

Saints over Packers – Upset #1 – Enough is enough. The Saints have had a rough go of it and the replacement officials provided the point difference in all 3 of their games, as opposed the one play against Green Bay on Monday. It’s time for the Saints to forget about scheme and match-ups and focus all their energy, effort, and pent up anger against the guy lined up across from them. I’ll look for the Saints to physically dominate Green Bay with a Confidence of 1.

Redskins over Bucs – Upset #2 – I don’t trust Josh Freeman. Despite getting one of the best Guards in football and a “#1 WR”, Freeman has looked like turd. I’ll take the top fantasy scorer in Robert Griffin and the better coaching staff to pull off the upset against a well disciplined Shiano with a Confidence of 2.

Lions over Vikings – This game is a little tougher to pick because Christian Ponder’s growth has become evident over the last two weeks. A divisional game also muddies the water. I like LeShoure, and I think he’ll be the difference. The Lions secondary is probably the worst in the NFL, so this should be a very close contest. Lions with a confidence of 3.

Chiefs over Chargers – San Diego’s offensive line has been horrible, and I think the Chiefs turned a new leaf. If Justin Houston continues his coming out party, Norv Turner might match his lowest scoring output a second week in a row. If Jamal Charles has another big day against the Chargers stout front 7, my fantasy teams will do very well, so I do have bias in this one, KC with a Confidence of 4.

Seahawks over Rams – This is a game I gave serious thought to going the other way with, but I think Pete Carroll and his oversized cornerbacks won’t give Danny Amendola the wiggle room to be that crafty little Welker clone. Both teams feature a violent runner, but Seattle’s RB is a little younger and healthier. At this point, Bradford is obviously the better QB. Fisher has gotten his team to play extremely well despite the talent they have on paper-every game has come down to the end. Yet you can say the same for Carroll. I’ll take the Seahawks with a Confidence of 5.

Forty-niners over Jets – Without Revis, the Jets can’t blitz with abandon. I like San Fran’s rushing attack much more and doubt they only give Gore 10 carries in this one. I like Alex Smith’s passing attack over Mark Sanchez, and I like the Niner D better than the Jets. On all levels, I like San Fran over the Jets with a confidence of 6.

Falcons over Panthers – Uncle. I’ve gone 0-3 picking against Atlanta this year, and I won’t do it for a fourth consecutive week. The Falcons have one of the best scoring offenses and defenses this season. Who yelled a four letter word when Atlanta hired Mike Nolan in the offseason- raise your hand. Carolina got embarrassed by the Giants, but they have had a few extra days to prepare for this divisional game. However, Newton played his worst against the Falcons last year, so I’m taking Atlanta with a Confidence of 7.

Bengals over Jaguars – Where is Justin Blackmon, or even Laurent Robinson for that matter? Gabbert has made a game winning play to Cecil Shorts in 2 out of 3 games. Both teams will have a good rushing game, but the Bengals have at least two WR’s that are doing well this season, so I’ll take them with a Confidence of 8.

Broncos over Raiders – I’m 0-3 when picking a Raider game this year. Like the last few, they always do the opposite of what I think. This might be another week because McFadden historically has good days against Denver. Carson Palmer is top 5 in yardage, but I’m hesitant in picking Manning to lose a third consecutive game, so I’ll roll with Denver, against my gut, with a Confidence of 9.

Cowboys over Bears – Okay Dallas, don’t screw this up. I don’t like Jay Cutler’s pass protection (neither does he), and I love the CB play in Dallas. Rob Ryan can put those corners on an island and blitz like he was born to do. Cutler will have another hissy fit, so despite their safety woes, I’m going with Dallas and a Confidence of 10.

Giants over Eagles – Upset #3 – I think Vick is the most over-rated QB in the NFL and he continues to make mistakes against New York’s defense. The blueprint has already been laid out, and I don’t think Andy Reid can fight his nature and give McCoy the ball enough to have a chance. I like the two headed rushing attack the Giants now have with Bradshaw and Brown, and I love Eli on my fantasy teams, so I’m rolling with the G-Men, despite no Nicks, with a Confidence of 11.

Texans over Titans – Houston looks like the best team in the AFC right now. They held back a late Manning charge to come away with the victory last week. Jake Locker obviously had a big day in putting up over 40 points against a suspect Detroit secondary, but Houston’s DBs will give their pass rush enough time to get home. Chris Johnson is a bum with 45 yards on 33 carries or something to that affect. Houston has the better running game in spades. I’ll take the Texans against their divisional foe with a confidence of 12.

Ravens over Browns – This game has already been played, and I finally got off my 0-fer Thursday streak and gained 13 points with my Confidence of 13.

Patriots over Bills – this will be a very interesting game to watch if both CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson are healthy for it. The game is in Buffalo-where the Bills won it last year-and it is a divisional game. If Tom Brady hadn’t already lost two in a row, I’d be picking the Bills. I’ll go the other way with a Confidence of 14.

Cardinals over Dolphins – When I look at this game I think I am happy to have Ryan Williams on almost all of my 8 fantasy teams, especially considering I got him late and Beanie Wells is on IR with turf toe. I also have Bush on most of my teams, but he had a bounty on him last week and might not play on Sunday. Both teams have a solid defense, but Arizona’s is better with their ability to pressure a rookie QB who lacks a rounded WR group. So I’ll take the Cardinals to go 4-0 for the first time in over 50 years with a confidence of 15.

Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

Sorry, everyone. The mailbag’s late today. I had more technical difficulties this week than a Saints defensive tackle. HEYYOO! Seriously, though, it’s not SB Nation’s fault (this new design is sick, am I right?). If you need someone to blame, may I suggest Roger Goodell?

Speaking of Roger Goodell (that’s how you do a smooth segue right there, folks), this weekend’s matchup features the two teams in the league whose fanbases probably harbor the most animosity toward the Most Righteous King, so in his honor, I’ve accepted only Roger Goodell-related questions this week. And GO!

Mack Wasalla, Waukesha, WI:
“Holy crap, Roger Goodell is ruining the game! He’s terrible! Did you see that last week? I can’t believe he’s doing this to us!”

Shut up. Just stop it. We tried to tell you. We’ve been trying to tell you for months. And when the replacements showed up to lay it to the entire league, everyone was fine. “They’re bad, but they’re not costing anyone a game! They haven’t decided an outcome yet.” Yet, genius. Yet. I hope this can serve as a lesson to all of you. When the commissioner sets out to destroy another team, and you turn a blind eye, you’re as guilty as he is when the next lick comes your way.

Seahawk fans, by the way, are the worst. Truthers, the lot of them. What goes around comes around, fellas.

Janice Patrice, Appleton, WI:
“Did you see that Roger Goodell actually defended the refs? He said there’s no evidence that they’ve compromised player safety! He’s a liar! A crook! A NAZI!”

Well, I’ll get to that quote in a minute. It is indeed quite infuriating. But first, this “Nazi” thing.

That’s become the go-to keyword for Roger Goodell, hasn’t it? The message boards are satisfying Godwin’s Law at an extraordinary pace these days. Nazi! I don’t like it. Besides the obvious hyperbole in calling any sports commissioner a Nazi, the comparison doesn’t hold weight. How is he a Nazi? He’s, like, mean and stuff? Whatever, that’s lazy. Goodell’s evil deserves some nuance. David Stern is a Nazi. Your high school English teacher was a Nazi. Dan in Lafayette is a Nazi. Goodell is a sixteenth-century French Catholic Leaguer.

“Oh, great. Is this one of those things where you make a hyperbolic comparison between the NFL and a vastly oversimplified version of some historical event?”

Why, yes, it is! But damn, isn’t that the same thing as the Nazi reference? At least I’m putting some thought into mine.

See, the comparison works on a few levels. The sixteenth-century French believed that their king was put in place by divine providence. Sound familiar? He was tasked with not only protecting the kingdom, but also with rooting out heretics. Like that blasphemous Protestant scum Gregg Williams. Or something. Anyway, they got so caught up with rooting out this heresy that they came up with all kinds of ridiculous stories about the heretics, and basis in fact wasn’t really important. The goal was simple: demonize the Saints Protestants, and protect the One True Shield Church. Blood libel? Yes sir! Had Roger Goodell accused the Saints in March of human sacrifice and cannibalism, I’m quite sure the Jeff Duncans of the world would have swallowed it. You know what I mean.

Anyway, eventually a big bloodletting occurred, and in the minds of the oppressors, the Protestants had only themselves to blame.

Anyway, back to that infuriating quote you mentioned. Roger Goodell said this:

I do not believe this [the replacement ref fiasco] put any greater risk to player health and safety, there is no data to back that up.

I fell out of my chair when I read that nonsense. The delusion. The arrogance! Six months ago Roger Goodell accused the Saints of all sorts of crimes without a shred of evidence of the “risk to player health and safety.” Does this dude even think before he talks?

Packer fans, you swallowed that crap in March. You have only yourselves to blame. One more time:

I do not believe this put any greater risk to player health and safety, there is no data to back that up.

Wow. Take comfort in the fact that eventually hunger for power and righteous indignation turned the most bloodthirsty Catholics against the king. Division within! We can only hope that our strictly-metaphorical Jacques Clément will show up soon. Maybe it’ll be Jonathan Vilma. (The knife is a metaphor for a lawsuit, or something.)

For the record, I’m acutely aware of the irony in the analogy of Saints as Protestants, and also all the many other reasons this analogy is a failure. But it gave me a chance to use the term “blood libel,” a reference everyone usually enjoys, and a Dominican monk killed the Commissioner with a dagger 400 years ago, so there’s that.

Bret Farmeit, Green Bay, WI:
“I texted a picture of myself to Roger. Told him it was from you Saints fans. Boom!”

Nice. Take that, Goodell.

“Hell yeah, that’s what ahm talkin’ bout! Roger can kiss my redneck –”

Ok, that’s enough.

“My high school team would whip them Golden Eagles’ ass, you know.”

Hey, that’s not cool.

“YEEE-HAW! I’M A PACKER FAN WRANGLER WRANGLER CHEESEHEAD WRANGLER!”

Sigh.

Shonn Pateen, Manitowoc, WI:
“Wow, the Saints sure do need their Head Coach. He should get a raise next year. They should give him another six and a half million just on principle. Sure does show how much credit he should get for that Super Bowl run. Even his press conferences are better. Everyone is a moron next to that genius. What a great guy. You miss him yet, bro?”

That wasn’t about Roger Goodell at all.

John Parker, Wausau, WI:
“What are you guys even mad about? According to the new rules, interceptions are bad and wide receivers don’t have to catch the football to score a touchdown. Advantage: Saints, right?”

Fair enough! Also, in this brave new world, you can bitch and whine about the refs for a solid week – to the point that the NFL just puts the refs back on the field – after allowing like 43 sacks, none of which the Packers should be blamed for, because, you know, referees.

Or maybe – just maybe – the Packers aren’t really that good either. It’s entirely possible that this weekend’s matchup of two teams who are a combined 1-5 is, in reality, a matchup between two pretty bad teams. At least right now.

I’m wondering if the referees gift-wrapped an excuse for the Packers last week. A reason to believe that 1-2 isn’t a reality. Hey, I’m happy for you guys. We have an excuse too, am I right? Ours isn’t going away, though. We can ride that excuse straight through January to the 3rd overall pick. Yours, my Packer friend, is gone.

Sarah Montazo, Oshkosh, WI:
“How do you think the Goodell Bowl will turn out? You’ve predicted three Saints wins, and every time you were really wrong, because the Saints lost the first week, and the Saints lost the second week, and the Saints –”

Ok, we get the point. Thanks, though. I’m going with Saints 31, Packers 24.

If you think that’s a severely optimistic prediction, you’re dead wrong. That’s the Angry Who Dat’s special brand of cynical pessimism. We get a win this weekend because I, like many Saints fans, am looking for a reason to just give up and look for some humor in all this. A few are already there. Not me. This, a 7-point win over Green Bay, in Green Bay, is precisely what it would take to suck me back in and make me start hoping for a successful season. Even a playoff run.

There’s one thing the Saints do well as an organization when they can’t do anything else right. They encourage the delusion.

That’s my prediction for the weekend. The Saints will encourage the delusion.

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Believe it or not, this article actually started out as an examination of Mark Ingram’s 2012 carries to see if the stats and film proved one way or another whether the term “bust” being thrown around by some Saints fans had any merit.

But as I started poring over the numbers, I was led in a different direction entirely and this post quickly transformed into a full on autopsy of the Saints offense as a whole, complete with frightening conclusions. Before we go any further, I’ve got to give you fair warning: some of these stats may be disturbing to some Saints fans.

I began by checking out the down and distance situations for each of Ingram’s carries this year. What could they tell me? What I discovered was that a vast majority of them come on first down. In fact, of his 27 carries this season, 20 of them were first down situations. In other words, 74% of the time that Ingram touches the ball it’s on first down.

Is that a lot? It seemed like it to me but I had nothing really to compare it to. So I looked at the same stats for Pierre Thomas to see if his rushing work load was any different, such as a wider variety of down and distance situations. Turns out, it’s not. Out of 19 total rushes in 2012, 16 of them were on first down. In other words, 84% of the time that Thomas touches the ball it’s on first down.

None of this is really a big deal. After all, one would expect a football team to run more on first down than any other. But if Ingram and PT are getting the bulk of the first down carries, what’s happening on all the other downs? Here is where it gets a little worrisome.

In three games the Saints have run a total of 106 plays on second, third and fourth down this season. Would you care to guess how many of those plays were rushes? Eleven! That’s right, eleven. That means that on any given 2nd, 3rd or 4th down play, there is a 90% chance the Saints will pass. That’s just too predictable.

Surely they at least run more on short yardage plays, right? Wrong again. Out of 15 plays that were 2nd and 5 or less, the Saints only rushed 4 times (26%). Out of 14 plays that were 3rd and 4 or less, the Saints only rushed 3 times (21%).

I understand that Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and not a weapon to simply be ignored. I acknowledge that the Saints are a pass-first team. But it’s gone too far. The numbers don’t lie. And if an idiot blogger like me notices this, I’m certain opposing coaches know this, too.

Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

TWEETS:

New Orleans Saints ‏@Saints Kromer said McBride (ankle), Hawthorne (hamstring) & Casillas (neck) have been ruled out for Sunday #NOvsGB

Green Bay Packers ‏@packers Injury updates: Bulaga-knee, full participation, probable; Crabtree-shoulder, full, probable; Jennings-groin, limited, probable

Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer Things you don’t realize until you look at the stats — Kansas City has the NFL’s No. 1-ranked offense.

Johnny Patrick ‏@JohnnyPatrick32 Honestly do people work in New Orleans? Why is it traffic at 1:30pm

Johnny Patrick ‏@JohnnyPatrick32 “@Ktowery: @JohnnyPatrick32 #whodat Time to right the ship. 13-3 still a damn good record.” Dig that

Saints Nation Blog ‏@SaintsNationBlg Even if Barrett Ruud is completely washed up, it’s time to play him. Hawthorne/Casillas are out and we gave up a draft pick for him.

New Orleans Saints ‏@Saints RT @NFLhistory XLVII will be NOLA’s record-tying 10th as SB host (So Fla.) RT @SupEvents Happy b’day @MBSuperdome. Opened this date in ’75

Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer The meeting between the league and Scott Fujita will take place 1 pm ET in NYC this afternoon, per source.

Garrett Hartley ‏@GHartley5 Time is here, time to step it up to a level not yet seen this year! Improving daily on all accounts! #whodatnation

The Angry Who Dat ‏@angrywhodat No point in pointing out all the hypocrisy in the Goodell form letter. But full-time refs – any full-time refs – ARE a good thing.

The Angry Who Dat ‏@angrywhodat Love that Goodell pointed out that the league will BE ABLE TO hire full-timers, without even promising to do so. Pathetic.

Albert Breer ‏@AlbertBreer NFL sent a memo to all club presidents, GMs, coaches on the practice of faking injuries. Threatened fines, suspensions, docked draft picks.

New Orleans Saints ‏@Saints NFL Films’ video preview of Sunday’s showdown between the Saints and Packers http://bit.ly/S5PVjx #NOvsGB

New Orleans Saints ‏@Saints @Mark_Ingram28 interview (VIDEO) http://bit.ly/PKvzsd #Saints

Jedidiah Collins ‏@JedCollins45 This week @Saints find ourselves in a hole & the 1st rule of holes is: “When you find yourself in a hole STOP digging!” #Refocus

cameron jordan ‏@camjordan94 Jumped outta bed like I was about to be late for somethin, lol really

cameron jordan ‏@camjordan94 O well betta early than late… Betta jump start the day and try to be great. Beat my alarm clock by half an hr snaps

Saints Sideline ‏@SaintsSideline Times-Picayune: New Orleans Saints screen passes have been as inconsistent as the rest of their offense: First-and-10 http://bit.ly/Q7lu8B

Johnny Patrick ‏@JohnnyPatrick32 “@mena13suvari: Too funny. http://instagr.am/p/QGfzX7MY0p/“lol

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter Drumroll, please…Cincinnati and Jacksonville officials have been informed that, for Sunday, they will have Ed Hochuli and his crew.

Drew Brees ‏@drewbrees Just a few of our favorite @So_Delicious Dairy Free products. Coconut milk, creamer, and Greek yogurt. Yummy yummy http://pic.twitter.com/zofG9KTO

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WEEK 4: SAINTS @ PACKERS:

Saints list three as out against Green Bay Packers | wwltv.com New Orleans
Linebackers David Hawthorne (right hamstring) and Jonathan Casillas (neck) along with defensive end Turk McBride (left ankle) all won’t play against the Packers after not practicing all week.

Saints Injury Report: Three defenders still out again Wednesday
For the Packers, right tackle Bryan Bulaga has been limited for the last two days after giving up three sacks in Green Bay’s loss at Seattle. Pro Bowl wideout Greg Jennings, who missed most of the past two weeks but played Monday night, is still expected to be available Sunday despite limited participation in workouts this week.

Brees speaks, Saints listen – USATODAY.com
Brees is frustrated. Frustrated with the team’s 0-3 start. Frustrated with Commissioner Roger Goodell’s ruling in the Bountygate case that has taken away his head coach for this season and interim coach Joe Vitt for the first six weeks. Frustrated with the negativity surrounding a team and a city that had enjoyed four playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title in the previous six years.

Drew Brees sends message to Saints offense | ProFootballTalk
Coming into the season, the Saints had plenty of distractions that could get in the way of focusing on the task at hand and, according to interim coach Aaron Kromer, the team hasn’t done a good job of handling them during an 0-3 start to the season.

Saints visit Packers in battle of desperate NFC squads
New Orleans must get back to the offensive roots that catapulted the team to greatness over the past few years. And that starts with Brees, who has seven touchdown passes to five interceptions this season. Brees has thrown a touchdown pass in 46 straight games and can tie Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas’ record of 47 consecutive games with a scoring strike on Sunday.

In spite of record, game in Green Bay in 2011, playing at Lambeau still special | wwltv.com New Orleans
There’s Fenway Park and Wrigley Field in baseball. There’s Estadio Azteca, Camp Nou and Old Trafford in soccer. And in the NFL, there’s Lambeau Field.

Brees thrives on adversity; can he turn the season around? | New Orleans Saints | The Sun Herald
METAIRIE, La. — This is not the Drew Brees Saints fans know and love.

There are 5 Things The New Orleans Saints Must Do To Beat The Green Bay Packers
How will the New Orleans Saints beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field? Here are five things they must do to secure a victory.

Mickles: Playing at Lambeau not an easy task | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
After what happened to them Monday night in Seattle, the Green Bay Packers are probably going to be in a surly mood Sunday afternoon. Not e…

Packers vs. Saints: Five key matchups
2. Clay Matthews vs. Jermon Bushrod—The Saints offensive line, by its coach’s admission, is struggling. Bushrod will get a large dose of Matthews on Sunday.

NFL Week 4 storylines: Darrelle Revis’ loss a gain for Niners, AFC West puzzle | Audibles
Saints, Packers in trouble already

Saints OT Zach Strief shoulders blame for problems | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
METAIRIE — In the aftermath of the New Orleans Saints’ meltdown Sunday, when they surrendered a 24-6 third-quarter lead and dropped a 27-24…

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THE STREAK:

Drew Brees can tie Johnny Unitas’ TD pass record | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ pursuit of another longstanding NFL record will continue in historic Lambeau Field on Sunday. Br…

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REGULAR REFS RETURN:

Jerry Richardson, Woody Johnson initially dug in after Monday night debacle | ProFootballTalk
Judy Battista of the New York Times reports that Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and Jets owner Woody Johnson initially wanted to dig in. Others, like Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Giants co-owner John Mara, were concerned that damage was being done to the NFL.

Jimmy Graham thinks regular refs will help Saints offense | ProFootballTalk
“We’re such a rhythm offense and there has been zero rhythm these past three games,” Graham told Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com. “Literally, the minute you have some kind of momentum there’s a 10-minute delay.

Saints players happy to have officials back | Saints | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA
METAIRIE — Before each game, Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton makes it a habit to greet the officials, inquiring about things such as their …

Saints voice thanks to replacement officials, happy regulars are back on job | wwltv.com New Orleans
It’s not that New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith was exceedingly happy to see the NFL’s lockout of the referees end. But he’s certainly not sad to see the replacement officials go.

Roger Goodell’s legacy always will include replacement officials mess – New Orleans Saints Football NFL News – NOLA.com
League was forced to act after numerous bad calls

Commissioner Roger Goodell sends note to NFL fans – New Orleans Saints Football NFL News – NOLA.com
Roger Goodell stresses his most important job is to improve the game

Roger Goodell attempts apology to NFL fans involving referee lockout
Roger Goodell attempts apology to NFL fans involving referee lockout.

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BOUNTYFARCE:

Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita to meet with NFL today; suspensions reinstated?
Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita to meet with NFL today; suspensions reinstated?

Saints’ Will Smith satisfied by meeting with Roger Goodell | News | NFL.com

Report: Fujita will deny existence of bounty program in Goodell meeting | ProFootballTalk
Here’s the primary issue, which continues to be largely ignored or misunderstood. No one has disputed that the Saints had a pay-for-performance system. And it appears that the pay-for-performance system included payment for clean, legal hits that prevented opponents from continuing.

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LAGNIAPPE:

Morten Andersen among first-year eligible 2013 Pro Football Hall of Fame candidates
Offensive linemen Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden, defensive linemen Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan, defensive back John Lynch and kicker Morten Andersen, are among the 13 first-year eligible modern-era candidates nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

Chick Fights: Clash of the Fans
When it comes to female football fans, hitting a rival where it hurts is all about getting the “W” on the field. That’s why the female fan site Chicks in the Huddle has teamed up with HLNtv.com to profile the fiercest, most loyal female football fans around as they prepare for their teams’ most anticipated match-ups of the season.

Fans in the Superdome need to do their job: Letter | NOLA.com

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VIDEO:

Video Preview: New Orleans Saints vs. Green Bay Packers

Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

The Saints look to finally turn things around this Sunday against the Packers but how will it all play out? That’s for all of you guys to figure out.

By now you should all know what to do and how to do it, but just in case you don’t, you can catch up on the rules of the game right here. As always, all are welcome to partake, including opposing fans. This is a great opportunity for those readers who have never signed up or commented to finally dip their toe in the water.

Before we get started, we must continue the tradition of acknowledging last week’s winner and today that would be CSC member, jonrockets. Here are the three predictions that earned him the win, courtesy of your votes:

1. Brees continues td streak
2. D comes up with 2+ turnovers
3. Chiefs D gets a turnover which leads to the FG

No special rules are in play for this week, so please feel free to make your lame ass “Drew Brees will throw for 150+ yards” predictions.

Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

This week, Dave and Kevin try and figure out if his horrible stint as interim-interim coach of the Saints has ruined Aaron Kromer’s head coaching dreams? Kevin is in awe of the regular NFL referees getting treated like WWE Raw stars but could they help the Saints receivers to not stink?

Would it be better for the Saints long term to go 4-12 instead of 8-8 in 2012? And Kevin and Dave play Game Time: What is More Painful to Watch edition. Plus, Dave explains the new and improved Canal Street Chronicles site.

Listen right now to track #1 below, get the feed right here and/or download it on iTunes right here.

Warning: explicit language and adult content.

Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts

This week, Dave and Kevin try and figure out if his horrible stint as interim-interim coach of the Saints has ruined Aaron Kromer’s head coaching dreams? Kevin is in awe of the regular NFL referees getting treated like WWE Raw stars but could they help the Saints receivers to not stink?

Would it be better for the Saints long term to go 4-12 instead of 8-8 in 2012? And Kevin and Dave play Game Time: What is More Painful to Watch edition. Plus, Dave explains the new and improved Canal Street Chronicles site.

Listen right now to track #1 below, get the feed right here and/or download it on iTunes right here.

Warning: explicit language and adult content.

Read more of this Saints News post via Canal Street Chronicles - All Posts