By: Nick LaPorte, 10/21/2019
When Drew Brees went out with a thumb injury in the Saints’ loss to the Rams in week 3, I believed they still could make the playoffs. Now, after 5 straight wins, the Saints look every bit as stacked as we thought they were before the season. Backup QB Teddy Bridgewater has done just enough, and the Saints even survived an injury to star RB Alvin Kamara this week to beat the Bears 36-25. Now, with Brees’ return imminent, the Saints once again look like the favorite to win the NFC.
That’s no disrespect to other standout teams like the surprise 6-0 49ers, or the 6-1 Packers that finally got a vintage Aaron Rodgers game. But the Saints have competed without their hall-of-fame QB. No other team, except maybe the Patriots, can survive and thrive this long without their guy. To be fair, the Saints won 4/5 of these games by one score. It’s not that they are thrashing teams week to week; rather it’s that they find a way to eek out a win in tough spots. Take their win against Dallas in week 4: Bridgewater led the offense to a dismal 12 point day, but the Saints still won. Then again, the Saints can still score even without Brees, putting up 30+ points in 3/5 weeks Brees-less.
It’s too early to tell much about which teams are true contenders. The Cowboys and Eagles are both extremely talented. But they’ve combined to go 7-7 on the year. Still, don’t be surprised if the Saints are once again playing in the NFC Championship. 2 years ago, the Saints lost in the Divisional Round on a miracle play to the Vikings. Last year, they were a missed call away from making the Super Bowl. With perhaps their most stacked roster since 2009, the Saints look ready to make one more push to get Drew Brees another championship. And with Brees’ return coming after their bye, the Saints could very well still finish atop the NFC.
Here are some other quick hitters from week 7:
Mahomes is Out, but Maybe Not for Long
On Thursday, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes went out with a dislocated kneecap. While the fear was that he may miss an extended period of time, Mahomes has dubbed himself week-to-week. All in all it’s the best case scenario, and Mahomes should return no later than the December 1st game against the Raiders, after their bye. The Chiefs are still serious contenders in the AFC, and they lead the West by 2 games. Mahomes’ injury will hopefully just be a blip on an otherwise dominant season once again from Kansas City.
Cincinnati and Miami Are Still Winless
What a disaster. While the Bengals and Dolphins remained somewhat competitive on Sunday, the teams have lost all 13 of their combined games. Miami gets more attention, what with their seemingly intentional tanking for Alabama QB Tua Tagaloiva, the Bengals are just sad. They have talent, they nearly beat the Seahawks in week one, but it’s a mess in their first season after Marvin Lewis was finally let go. Don’t expect a win any time soon from either of these dumpster fires, it’s going to be a long season.
Diggs and Cousins Are Figuring it Out
After a 3-week saga of inconsistent QB play from Kirk Cousins and Stefon Diggs’ semi-trade request, the Vikings are back on track. Cousins tossed for 337 yards and 4 TDs, and Diggs caught 7 passes for 142 yards. Last week, Diggs caught 3 TDs from Cousins, who put up 333 yards and 4 total TDs. The wins were against the Eagles and Lions, both respectable teams that have playoff hopes. It turns out the key to making your WR happy is to throw him the ball more. I’m sure Kirk likes that.
The Colts are the Real Deal
I don’t know what more evidence we need from the Colts to prove they are legit. They beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead, then off their bye they beat the Texans at home. At 4-2 they only lead the South by 0.5 games, but convincing wins against 2 contenders is enough to prove it to me that they belong. Whether it’s the division or a Wild Card, the Colts have hardly missed a beat since Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement. It is a shame though, because this Colts teams is stacked. If Luck had stayed on, they would be Super Bowl contenders. Now, they look like a surefire playoff team, but I don’t know much beyond that.
Lamar Might Run His Way to A First-Round Bye
The Ravens stumbled after a 2-0 start, losing to the Chiefs and Browns in back-to-back weeks. But as the Browns have fallen off, the Ravens have put their foot on the gas. Baltimore is 3-0 since then, with 2 divisional wins and a smack down of the Seahawks on Sunday. Lamar Jackson the QB is a mystery; in week 1 he had a perfect 158.3 passer rating, and yesterday in Seattle just a 69.4. But his legs can carry this Ravens team, as we saw Sunday when he again ran for 100+ yards and a TD. With Mahomes out for the time being, the Ravens have a chance to grab the #2 seed. Both teams are 5-2, but since Mahomes is out for at least a few weeks, Jackson may be in position to sneak into that 2nd seed and let the Ravens enjoy a first-round bye.
That’s all I have for you tonight, except for a little personal happiness that the Nationals are in the World Series, which still feels unreal. They are, according to Vegas, the biggest underdogs since the 2007 Rockies. Well, that didn’t work out for Rocktober, but maybe the Nats can baby shark all the way to a title. Either way this has been the best season in Nats history, and I think people are overlooking how good they’ve been since May. The Astros are a great team, and it should be a fun series. And hopefully at the end, the Nationals are popping champagne one more time.
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