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NFL coaches stick to their script. Whether it is their carefully laminated playsheets or their words to the media, coaches are always "on message."

Here's my message. On the 6th of October at 7:30 pm at the dome, the Saints will have reached a crossroads. A loss would send the Saints to 2-3. That means they would likely need 7 wins, perhaps even 8 in their final 11 games to reach the playoffs.

A check of the NFC standings tells you this: Barring injuries to their starting quarterbacks, the 4-0 Giants and the 4-1 Cowboys look like playoff locks. The Redskins are also 4-1, and have the tiebreaker on the Saints. The Redskins beat the Saints in Washington 29-24 in week 2.

The Saints will likely have to win the NFC south to make the playoffs. 4-1 Carolina has a healthy Jake Delhomme back at quarterback. The Panthers have improved their offensive line. And pairing rookie Jonathan Stewart and veteran DeAngelo WIlliams are among the bestt tailback tandems in the league. Carolina's only loss was at Minnesota.

Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan could be a terrific player in the NFL for a long time.

The Bucs still play great defense.

After Minnesota, the Saints remaining schedule has two games at bottom feeders Kansas City and Detroit. But, the Saints are go to Chicago, play Carolina twice, Atlanta twice, go to Tampa Bay, play San Diego in London, and Green Bay and Oakland at home.

If you look at the standings and the schedule, you'll see why Monday night's game is so important for the fellas in black and gold.

In the Les Miles era, LSU has been a remarkably consistent football team. I can think of what I would call only two "bad" losses. Last night's drumming at the hands of Florida was one, the other was a 34-14 loss to Georgia in the 2005 SEC championship game.

Bad losses happen to every LSU coach. Not just LSU teams coached by Nick Saban.

The Tigers have some serious work ahead. South Carolina is 5-2, and no pushover. October 25h in Baton Rouge the Tigers play Georgia in what could amount to a national championship elimination game.

Alabama is 6-0. Arkansas is 3-3. But, remember they did exactly what LSU did, win at Auburn.

Even if LSU were to win out, a national title may not be possible. Remember, both LSU losses last year were in multiple overtimes to Kentucky and Arkansas. One 30 point loss may be more to overcome in the polls that a pair of 2007 overtime defeats.

Your thougts? email at ed@abc26.com

Check with me on Sunday November 9th. At that time, we'll know whether the Saints are a playoff team, or not.

How can that possibly be with only 9 games played and 7 remaining? Simple: 10 wins will likely be needed for a wild card spot, or to win the NFC South. If so, the Saints must win 7 of their last 10.

The Saints have 3 tough games ahead. Carolina has always been a challenge for Sean Payton's teams. No one knows Payton better than Carolina coach John Fox. Remember, they were on the same staff with the Giants. Carolina has quarterback Jake Delhomme healthy, they've added Jonathan Stewart to run in tandem with D'Angelo Williams, and the Carolina offensive line is much improved. Then , the Panthers strike up field with Steve Smith. Carolina is a huge test for the Saints defense.

San Diego is starting to come on. The Chargers lost the opener on the final play of the game against Carolina, and lost at Denver on the controversial inadvertant whistle by referee Ed Hochuli. San Diego is loaded up offensively. Again, another huge test for the Saints defense.

After a bye. The Saints travel to Atlanta. The Falcons are solid . They are running the football and quarterback Matt Ryan is a rookie of the year candidate.

So, if the Saints win 2 of 3. They are 5-4 ....needing 5 wins with 7 to play. This is doable considering the Saints play Detroit, Kansas City, and Atlanta at home.

I know Sean Payton says play em one at a time. But, if you injected him with truth serum, he would tell you how important these upcoming trio of games truly are.

Ed Daniels
Thursday 3:45 pm

Saturday night's second half at South Carolina was one of the best halves of football played by LSU in the Les Miles era.

Yes, it was that good. The LSU defense finally responded with 6 sacks of Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia. And, the LSU offensive line responded with an outstanding performance.

LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton showed why he is one of the top offensive coaches in the college game. Quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch often alternated snaps, but played efficiently.

And, Crowton came up with a nice wrinkle. Charles Scott moved to fullback, and teamed up with Keiland Williams at tailback. Williams ran as hard as he ever has in an LSU uniform. And, more importantly he protected the football.

Despite the blowout loss at Florida, LSU won 2 of 3 early season SEC road games.

LSU plays five of its last 6 games at home.

I walked to the mail box Wednesday to scoop up Sports Illustrated's NBA pre season issue.

I opened it to find out the Hornets were the 5th best team in the Western Conference. Really?

The Lakers are 1, Houston 2, The Spurs 3, Utah 4, the Hornets 5.

An NBA scout said forward David West isn't a "number 2 guy that a championship contender needs." Really? Last season, West averaged 20 points a game. He also shot 48 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free throw line. And, I think West has proven he elevates his performance in the final two minutes of games.

The Lakers deserved to be picked one. Houston is two. Not sure about that one. Ron Artest is a great talent who can divide a lockerroom. And, Rafer Alston is an average NBA point guard.
San Antonio is picked third, even though Manu Ginobili will be out till December after a ankle surgery. And, even though they have a ton of guys over 30.

Utah at 4 I don't agree with. Deron Williams is an outstanding player, but Carlos Boozer, who had a great regular season, did not play well in the playoffs.

Hornets have a great shot in the West, if they can stay healthy.

A huge edge at the quarterback position manifested itself in Georgia's 52-38 win over LSU. LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee admitted to "locking on" receiver Brandon Lafell on the first play from scrimmage. Linebacker Darryl Gamble read Lee's eyes, intercepted the pass and ran 40 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

Lee threw 3 interceptions.

Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno ran for 172 yards. Both of his long runs, including his 68 yard touchdown pass were runs to the left, or to the right side of the LSU defense. On both runs, safety Harry Coleman, #24, overran the play.

On a 49 yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to A.J. Green, the Dogs sent three receivers in the pattern, and kept seven in to block. "Max Protect" worked as Georgia picked up the blitz, giving Stafford time to hit Green in man coverage by Jai Eugene.

LSU coach Les Miles said his team had to play from behind the entire game. And, there was no pressure on Georgia. He was exactly right.

Jarrett Lee will one day be a very good SEC quarterback , but not today. The maturing process in the SEC can be painful, ask Matt Stafford.

Ed Daniels
Saturday 10/25
10:58 pm

Here are some notes for tonight's prep football games ..

1) Winner of the Northshore at Mandeville game gets at least a share of the district title

2) Riverdale and East Jefferson play tonight. Riverdale's last win in the series was 1988.

3) Last year St Paul's routed Covington 48-6 . Covington much improved. Game tonight at Jack Salter Stadium.

4) St Aug and Brother Martin kickoff tonight at 6 pm. The game was moved up due to Halloween.

5) Thibodaux is unbeaten and having its best season since 1991. Last night, Thibodaux beat Central Lafourche 70-14. The head coach then was Dennis Lorio. This year Lorio has returned as head coach. Last year, he served as the offensive line coach at East St John.