It was a game that nearly went down to the wire against a largely inferior opponent. Studs played like duds, duds played like studs, but in the end, we got the “W” and that’s all that matters.

The Saints must have sensed I was nearing my breaking point in this dysfunctional relationship following last week’s “big fight” in Atlanta. So, they turned on the charm in the form of a goal line stand, 106 rushing yards, and 4 sacks. After their smack down against the Chiefs, I realized that when you win ugly one week, losing pseudo-ugly the next doesn’t feel so bad. It’s the football equivalent of make-up sex.

The Stubborn Standoff
The Saints didn’t come out of the gate trying to win me over. We went 3 and out on the first possession and Drew Brees threw a pick on the second possession, which lead to an easy 7 for the Chiefs. We still seemed hesitant to run the ball, forcing me to question whether they’d learned anything from our big blow up in the buffet line.

Seeing Eye to Eye
Come the 2nd quarter, it seemed like my “sleep on the couch” treatment was finally starting to pay off. We started to balance our offense with solid runs by Deuce McAllister and Pierre Thomas. Sean Payton’s commitment to the run opened up more passing opportunities for Drew Brees. #9 had all day in the pocket, due in part to his offensive line actually holding blocks. Not only did he survive the game without getting sacked, he hardly found himself under any pressure. It was enough to make me consider letting my guard down.

Flirting and Foreplay
When you’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster with the one you love, sometimes it takes a big gesture for them to let you know they really care. For the Saints, that gesture came in the form of a goal line stand. Will Smith, Jon Vilma, Scott Fujita, Marvin Mitchell, and Randall Gay each had a hand in keeping the Chiefs from scoring a touchdown from the Saints 1 yd line in the 2nd quarter. (It was like taking out the trash without being asked, surprising me with a bouquet of my favorite flowers, and giving me a foot rub after a long day at work all rolled into one.)

Even though the defense gave up a few big plays, they balanced it out by holding the Chiefs to field goals when it mattered most. They even managed to (gasp!) sack the quarterback on more than one occasion. Two of those sacks came at the hands of a dude I’d never even heard of, Defensive Tackle Jeff Charleston. The pickup from the Colts seemed ready and willing to earn his keep as a Saint…and God love him for it.

The Lusty, Schweaty, “I Forgive You Without Saying Words” Throwdown
It’s typical of the Saints to make you sweat in the 4th quarter. But it all pays off when they can actually close the deal. They did it today not by getting cute, but by going back to the football basics. They exploited the Chiefs weak run defense by running Pierre Thomas early and often and eating a substantial amount of clock. Then, we did something I wished we could have pulled off more often earlier in the season; we had a kicker come through in the clutch. Gary Hartley went 3/3 on the day by knocking a 35 yarder right through the uprights with just minutes remaining in the game. (Wherever you were Martin Gramatica, I hope you were taking notes.)

The Chiefs still had an opportunity to mount a comeback. With 3:28, they got the ball back. But their comeback attempt was short lived. Usama Young intercepted Tyler Thigpen on the Saints 42 yard line, securing our first away game victory. At that moment, I decided it was time to stop fighting the feeling. Cue the Marvin Gaye…the Saints and I are on and popping.