Miscellaneous

Everyone knows that tonight?s game with the Patriots is important to the Saints. Today I?ve been trying to figure out why. Objectively, it?s hardly the most important game in franchise history; any one of the Saints? handful of playoff appearances has been more important. It won?t go as far in determining playoff seeding as any game against an NFC team. For playoff-seeding purposes, last week?s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an NFC and divisional foe, was more important.

Here?s why tonight?s game is so important. It?s something that champion wrestler Ric Flair often said: ?To be the man, you?ve got to beat the man.? For the past decade, the Patriots have been The Man in the NFL, winning three Superbowls. The Saints aspire to be The Man, and so far this season, they?ve looked the part. But despite their 10-0 record, they have not yet beaten The Man. Tonight, they get that chance.

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p.s. At 10:55 p.m. CST, another Ric Flair catch phrase comes to mind: ?Woooooooooooooooooooooooo!?