New Orleans Saints' Recent Sins May Ruin Bid at Perfection

This season has been a dream season of sorts for the New Orleans Saints, the city, and its fans. The offensive explosion. The reinvention of the defense that averages three turnovers per game. The huge comeback win against the Miami Dolphins. The ensuing late-night reception consisting of thousands at the airport. The 7-0 record. The Saints have beaten the Eagles, Jets, Giants, Dolphins, and Falcons each by an average of 16.2 points. All of this, combined with the easiest remaining schedule in the league, has people locally and nationally whispering about the possibility of perfection. But if the Saints don't reverse a few recent trends, then New Orleans may see its unblemished record become scarred this weekend against the Carolina Panthers. 1) The rushing defense must improve. The Saints have really struggled to stop the run over the same four-game stretch. While they rank 11th in rushing defense, that stat may be a little deceiving. In three of the past four games, ... (link)