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Only Rams/Saints comments are posted. To read the rest of the article click the link below. Btw Peter King is on cloud 9 because his beloved Patriots and his mancrush Tom Brady are doing well. So be forewarned.
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https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...packers-tom-brady-fmia-nfl-week-9-peter-king/
By Peter King
Saints-Rams
Now you know why the Saints want to be home in January
It’s not just Seattle that’s a decibel graveyard for visitors in very big games. If you heard the crowd in the Superdome on Sunday for the visit of the previously undefeated Rams, you know why home-field advantage in the NFC is so important.
“You could feel it be a factor,” said tight end Benjamin Watson from New Orleans an hour after the Saints’ rollicking 45-35 win over the Rams. “We certainly got energy from it.”
Nine years ago, the Saints discovered what home-field in the NFC meant. The Superdome gave them a jolt in a divisional playoff rout of Arizona, and blew away some Vikings in the stunning NFC Championship win a week later. There are three prime contenders for top seed in the NFC—the 8-1 Rams, 7-1 Saints and 6-2 Panthers—but none would have a home-field edge like the Saints would.
I think the NFC home-field team will have no more than three losses.
• The Rams have the toughest single game left—in Mexico two weeks from tonight against the 8-1 Chiefs. But there’s only one other team with a current winning record, Chicago (5-3). Finishing with the Cards and Niners helps tremendously.
• The Saints, obviously, will have the tiebreaker edge against Los Angeles by virtue of Sunday’s head-to-head win. But they have a game against Atlanta and finish with a tough trio (at Carolina, Pittsburgh at home, Carolina at home).
• The Panthers have a short-week Thursday-nighter at Pittsburgh, winners of four straight, this week. And they finish thusly: Saints, Falcons, at Saints. And Carolina has to catch up and pass two one-loss teams.
“The Rams did a great job of coming back from 18 points down today,” Watson said. “They’re a really good team. We have a lot of weapons too. The one thing I like when I watch our team practice is how hard the young guys work. They know what it takes to be great. Every play in practice, Michael Thomas runs full-speed with the ball, just like it’s a game.”
Watching a good bit of that Saints’ win here before Pack-Pats, it’s hard not to wish for a January rematch. Imagine title games of New England at Kansas City, and New Orleans at Los Angeles. There were 83 points in the first game between those AFC foes Oct. 14. There were 80 points scored Sunday in Rams-Saints.
That doubleheader would be a referendum on whether the league needs to put defense back in pro football. My guess: The NFL would sign up (and root for) 43-40 and 45-35 conference title games. Right now.
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Offensive Players of the Week
Michael Thomas, wide receiver, New Orleans. His dumb touchdown celebration aside—he’s lucky it didn’t hurt the Saints more than it did—Thomas had one of the greatest games a New Orleans receiver has ever had. His 211 yards (on 12 catches) set a franchise record and his 72-yard catch-and-run touchdown sealed the first loss for the Rams this season. What a day for New Orleans, which loud and clearly announced itself as a favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta.
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Los Angeles football: 14-3. New York football: 4-13.
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MVP Watch
3. Todd Gurley, RB, L.A. Rams. Last week: 2. His first mortal game of the year—79 scrimmage yards and one touchdown. But he’s been so good for so long he drops only spot.
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Well, Marcus Peters sure got Breesed on that last touchdown pass to Michael Thomas.
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https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...packers-tom-brady-fmia-nfl-week-9-peter-king/
By Peter King
Saints-Rams
Now you know why the Saints want to be home in January
It’s not just Seattle that’s a decibel graveyard for visitors in very big games. If you heard the crowd in the Superdome on Sunday for the visit of the previously undefeated Rams, you know why home-field advantage in the NFC is so important.
“You could feel it be a factor,” said tight end Benjamin Watson from New Orleans an hour after the Saints’ rollicking 45-35 win over the Rams. “We certainly got energy from it.”
Nine years ago, the Saints discovered what home-field in the NFC meant. The Superdome gave them a jolt in a divisional playoff rout of Arizona, and blew away some Vikings in the stunning NFC Championship win a week later. There are three prime contenders for top seed in the NFC—the 8-1 Rams, 7-1 Saints and 6-2 Panthers—but none would have a home-field edge like the Saints would.
I think the NFC home-field team will have no more than three losses.
• The Rams have the toughest single game left—in Mexico two weeks from tonight against the 8-1 Chiefs. But there’s only one other team with a current winning record, Chicago (5-3). Finishing with the Cards and Niners helps tremendously.
• The Saints, obviously, will have the tiebreaker edge against Los Angeles by virtue of Sunday’s head-to-head win. But they have a game against Atlanta and finish with a tough trio (at Carolina, Pittsburgh at home, Carolina at home).
• The Panthers have a short-week Thursday-nighter at Pittsburgh, winners of four straight, this week. And they finish thusly: Saints, Falcons, at Saints. And Carolina has to catch up and pass two one-loss teams.
“The Rams did a great job of coming back from 18 points down today,” Watson said. “They’re a really good team. We have a lot of weapons too. The one thing I like when I watch our team practice is how hard the young guys work. They know what it takes to be great. Every play in practice, Michael Thomas runs full-speed with the ball, just like it’s a game.”
Watching a good bit of that Saints’ win here before Pack-Pats, it’s hard not to wish for a January rematch. Imagine title games of New England at Kansas City, and New Orleans at Los Angeles. There were 83 points in the first game between those AFC foes Oct. 14. There were 80 points scored Sunday in Rams-Saints.
That doubleheader would be a referendum on whether the league needs to put defense back in pro football. My guess: The NFL would sign up (and root for) 43-40 and 45-35 conference title games. Right now.
-------------------------
Offensive Players of the Week
Michael Thomas, wide receiver, New Orleans. His dumb touchdown celebration aside—he’s lucky it didn’t hurt the Saints more than it did—Thomas had one of the greatest games a New Orleans receiver has ever had. His 211 yards (on 12 catches) set a franchise record and his 72-yard catch-and-run touchdown sealed the first loss for the Rams this season. What a day for New Orleans, which loud and clearly announced itself as a favorite to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta.
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Los Angeles football: 14-3. New York football: 4-13.
-------------------
MVP Watch
3. Todd Gurley, RB, L.A. Rams. Last week: 2. His first mortal game of the year—79 scrimmage yards and one touchdown. But he’s been so good for so long he drops only spot.
-----------------
Well, Marcus Peters sure got Breesed on that last touchdown pass to Michael Thomas.
