NEW ORLEANS — They billed this one as the biggest regular-season game in New Orleans Saints history, and while that was a mouthful to be sure, you couldn’t argue about there being an electric, almost Super Bowl-like atmosphere in the sold-out Superdome Monday night.
And here’s the real news flash for you: These Saints best get used to playing on the big stage. Because thanks to New Orleans’ statement-game 38-17 win over the outclassed New England Patriots, there are a lot more spotlight moments to come this season for Sean Payton’s 11-0 juggernaut. A whole lot more. And like the stakes themselves, the games are only going to get bigger as this magic carpet ride of a season continues to unfold in New Orleans.
We just found out in eye-opening fashion that the only team in NFL history to mount a 16-0 regular season wasn’t remotely capable of keeping the Saints from joining them in that distinction. New Orleans overwhelmed the Patriots in every meaningful way, and was so dominant that never-say-die New England actually ran up the white flag with a little more than five minutes remaining, pulling Tom Brady in favor of backup quarterback Brian Hoyer.[From New Orleans Saints look unbeatable while dismantling Patriots – Don Banks – SI.com]