Saints Panthers Preview

The New Orleans Saints are sat on a perfect record heading into week 9 but with the Carolina Panthers coming to town is that record safe?  Find out as we explore the Saints Panthers showdown.

It's been a week of pure joy inside the Falconer Saints helmet looking at the NFC South standings pinned to my white board.  I've stood up close with nose pressed against paper and admired from afar from the Saints dens door. I've spun around at speed to check my eyes are not deceiving me (getting quite dizzy in the process) and I've charged head long through the house knocking over the innocent in order to recheck what is surely a trick of the mind but no, it is true, the New Orleans Saints are 7 and 0!!

It's a statement of fact that is worth savouring heading into the week 9 game against the Carolina Panthers.  Only once previously have the Saints obtained such a perfect record and I tell ya that team did not have the total balance and weapons the 2009 Saints bring to the party. 

That said this week the Facloner is trepidatious at the prospect of the Panthers coming to town for one simple reason... we have not beaten Carolina at home since a young Tom Brady was filling in for Drew Bledsoe over at the Patriots of New England.  Yes my friends 2001 is the white elephant in the room that dare not speak its name.

Records are there to be broken

Of course records are always there to be broken however I fear it is ours on the line for a couple of reasons:

1 - I was so consumed by the Falcons visit I somewhat overlooked the banana skin of a game in week 9 of our schedule,

2 - Teams will now be honing in on our record and looking to make a name for themselves as the team to knock us from our lofty perch.  You can bet those pesky Panthers have been talking of nothing else all week in training.

3 - The Panthers possess a fine running game that could eat up the game clock if left unchecked.

Now all things considered I should not be so fearful as we are playing the football of our lives and possess in Drew Brees the finest Quarterback in our teams history.  However I just cannot get beyond all those losses at the Dome to the Panthers and the fact that they don't always play that well and still come out with a win.

So the key for me is to stop Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart early, contain Julius Peppers and jump out to an early lead.  If the Panthers then need to rely on Jake Delhomme I fancy our chances to see out the game.  Easier said than done I know but heck that's as deep as I'm going this week.

Beyond anything else Drew Brees needs to remain healthy for the rest of the season.  He is the key that unlocks opposing defences and the prospect of loosing him, well it doesn't even bear thinking about (see my gut Saints feelings are coming out, always looking at the glass half empty). 

OK so let's enjoy our perfect record whilst we've got it and hope we march through the Panthers like we should.  Just being a long suffering Saints fan like y'all I can't help but feel this is too good to be true.  In fact I'd better head back to the den to make sure those standings are for real one last time.  Till game time have good Sundays.

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