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.