Now the pressure is off the Saints to make records, we can now focus on what is the most important thing now on the field. Playing a great game of football. I am still admired by the fact the Saints is the third team in history to score a 13-0. Now we can focus our mind on how our team is performing on the field. And that’s exactly what I’m checking out during today’s game with Tampa Bay.

It is now the second half and our team is doing an amazing  job.

I can”t talk about the second half without acknowledging Drew Brees for doing an amazing job with his throws. Tampa Bay had a chance to knock him down when they caught his legs, but Drew sees open teammates , and can throw the ball, even if he is inches away from hitting the ground. The one thing I am wondering about is how our teammates are defending Brees. During the first three downs, there were so many open spaces where Tampa Bay’s defense can knock him down.

Aside from our offense, I have to give credit to our defensive team. I know the crowd is thinking “What the heck are they doing on the field?” The defense is doing what a great defensive team does: wait, locate, and then contain.

Tracy Porter has made an amazing comeback. He missed a few games due to an injury, but you can’t take a good defensive player down. Porter proved it when he made that interception, which would have been a touchdown for Tampa Bay.

Fourth quarter has just arrived. This is the time I have been waiting for. Saints are known for being a 4th quarter team. If we did bad in the beginning, we make a comeback during the 4th quarter. Tampa Bay has scored their first touchdown, making the score 10-17. If they score one more touchdown, they are tied with us. So we have to score a touchdown or prevent Tampa Bay from scoring another touchdown in order to stay ahead.

I really like the teamwork between Brees and Colsten. Colsten always find open spaces, making it easy for Brees to locate him.

Tampa Bay scored an interception when Colsten dropped the ball. That gives them a chance to even the score out. That means the Saints has to contain the team, so that by 4th down, it comes back to us.

Tampa bay had a chance to make a 4th down. Then they were inches away. Just when it looked like the Saints had the ball when they knocked down Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay called a timeout, which gives them the chance to try again. They made their second chance, and my favorite defensive player Grant knocked the ball down at what appears to be an attempted pass.

Now that we have the ball, we only have two choices.

1) Run the clock out

2) Score another touchdown

I felt the same way the crowd felt when Tampa Bay scored that touchdown, tieing the score 17-17. There are 2 minutes to go. It’s crunch time.

There a few seocnds left in the game. These are times when pressure really makes your heart start racing. The Saints really make you feel the pressure. Hartley missed the kick, thereby making us go into overtime.

Now that we are in overtime, and Tampa Bay has the ball. Our defense really needed to step it up.

Tampa Bay has proven to make a great game. They have won the game 20-17. Saints are now 13-2.

The Dallas Cowboys prevailed last night over the New Orleans Saints 24-17.  The game was not very close until the fourth quarter.  Early in the game the Cowboys proved to have the quick-strike offense when Tony Romo hit Miles Austin for a 49-yard touchdown.  The Cowboys established the running game early, which limited the Saints to 23:34 in time of possession, compared to 36:24 for the Cowboys.  The edge in time of possession and the 21-point lead entering the fourth quarter forced the Saints to become one dimensional with the passing game.  Tony Romo and the passing game delivered in the fourth quarter, with Romo hitting Miles Austin for a 32 yard gain on third and seven from the Dallas 23, and on the next play connecting with tight end John Phillips for a 23 yard gain, down to the New Orleans 22.  Unfortunately for the Cowboys, Nick Folk missed a chip-shot field goal, and likely ended his days as the team’s kicker.  Folk’s missed field goal gave Brees and Company the ball with a little more than two minutes to go.  The Cowboys’ defensive line was able to get great pressure on Brees.  Dallas linebacker Demarcus Ware, playing after a frightening neck injury against the Chargers last week, sacked Brees, forcing a fumble and preserving the victory for the Cowboys.

Dallas exposed a weakness on the New Orleans offensive line, and showed what can happen when New Orleans becomes one-dimensional.  New Orleans did not effectively establish the running game (65 yards on13 carries, the bulk of which came on a Reggie Bush 29-yard run).  The Minnesota Vikings, with run-stuffing tackles Kevin and Pat Williams, were probably taking copious notes on this game.

With the win, Dallas gained momentum in its quest for a playoff spot.  Tony Romo silenced critics of his performance in Decembers past, and took some pressure off of Wade Phillips, albeit only until kickoff of the Cowboys vs. Redskins game next week.  New Orleans has already clinched a first-round bye, but is aiming for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.  With upcoming games against the woeful Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers, the Saints have a good chance to lock up home-field, depending on how it handles the adversity of its first loss of the season.

I mixed the sports teams, but it adds a little flair to my first post on Saints Scoop.  Tonight, the New Orleans Saints put its 13-0 recond on the line against the struggling Dallas Cowboys.  Dallas’ December struggles have been well publicized, and served as fodder for many a color commentator or blogger.  However, like my stance on a famous golfer’s personal life, I feel that issue has been beaten to death, and I won’t discuss it.  Instead, I’ll focus on something more important: the actual match-ups.

It cannot be ignored that New Orleans has played down to its competition since decisively beating the New England Patriots, escaping with three-point wins against both the Redskins and Falcons the past two weeks.  Facing the Cowboys at home may be just what the Saints need to maintain momentum in its quest for an undefeated season.  The key match-up in this game will be the Saints’ offense, ranked first in scoring (35.8 points per game) and total yards (426 yards per game), against a Cowboys’ defense ranked seventh in scoring defense (17.9 points per game), but 14th in yards allowed per game (329.4 yards per game).  Dallas’ defense is ranked 21st in passing yards allowed (229.2 ypg), and its best pass rusher, three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Demarcus Ware, who accounts for almost one-third of the team’s sacks, is listed as questionable.  I expect the Saints to go to the air early and often, particularly to exploit the favorable match-up between Marques Colston (6′ 4″) and cornerbacks Terence Newman (5′ 11″) and Mike Jenkins (5′ 10″).  If the Saints are able to stretch the vertically stretch the field early, expect to see some openings in the short passing game for Reggie Bush.

To keep the game within reach, the Cowboys need to establish the running game early.  Dallas, ranked fourth in the NFL in total yards per game (391.1), can pile up the yards, but cannot consistently convert those yards into points (ranked 13th in points per game with 22.8).  New Orleans’ defense is ranked 18th against the run (112 ypg) and 23rd against the pass (235.6 ypg).  Dallas’ three-back rotation of Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice provides several ways to keep the Saints’ defense on the field for long drives, and more importantly, keep Drew Brees and the Saints’ offense on the sidelines.  Look for Dallas to pound the ball between the tackles with Marion Barber, particularly in the red zone.  Tony Romo and the passing game give Dallas a great chance to win, but the Saints’ defense has 24 interceptions, five of which have been returned for touchdowns.  No doubt Romo is aware of Darren Sharper’s tremendous play this season, as well as Jonathan Vilma’s stellar performance last week against the Falcons.  Keeping the ball on the ground early will take pressure of Tony Romo, allow the Dallas defense to stayed rested, and most importantly, keep the New Orleans offense on the sidelines.

In the end, New Orleans moves to 14-0, Dallas slips to 8-6 and the whispers of Wade Phillips being dismissed get a bit louder.  Final Score: Saints 35, Cowboys 17.