Shreveport Times:Saints seek to rebound

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http://www.shreveporttimes.com/html/75C8DFE9-ACBB-42F9-9572-F7A1592CF8E0.shtml

Saints seek to rebound

Nakia Hogan / The Times

Posted on November 30, 2003

LANDOVER, Md. - Given the offensive weaponry at their disposal, the added speed to the defense and a fourth year under the tutelage of coach Jim Haslett, the New Orleans Saints never quite imagined there would be days like these - when the ball seems too slippery to hold onto, the opposing players too quick to catch and the victories too tough to grab.

With all they've encountered the last couple years with the late-season collapses, the Saints figured they'd at worst have a winning record by now, as they prepared to head into the month of December that's produced just one victory during the past two seasons.

As the Saints get ready to play their final game of November against the Washington Redskins in FedEx Field at 3:05 p.m. today, their goal of making the playoffs appear to be a long shot since they've managed just a 5-6 record and have played with little consistency, while seldom displaying the sense of urgency needed to overcome a 1-4 start.

"I'm very disappointed," Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks said. "You have to be able to manage the lows as well as the highs. Don't feel as disappointed. There are a lot of good teams out there in the same situation. Not to feel less than what we are, we just got to take it as it comes, because every team has their own situation. We're in a situation that we shouldn't be in, but we got to deal with it."

Mathematically, the Saints still are alive in their quest for an NFC playoff berth. Realistically, though, they need a small miracle.

Last week's 33-20 loss at Philadelphia dropped the Saints behind seven teams in the race for the six playoff spots, and six of those contenders have two-game leads on New Orleans, with five games remaining.

The loss was also damaging to the Saints' spirits, which were high after winning four of the previous five games, while making the playoffs look like a decent possibility.

"You don't like to lose," Haslett said. "We just have to get back on board and try to beat the Redskins."

Despite the Saints' record, all their hopes of gaining a playoff berth weren't dashed, albeit most of them were, with the 12 penalties and the three turnovers they committed against the Eagles.

Since the NFL went to a 12-team playoff format in 1990, eight teams have earned postseason berths after starting 5-6 or worse, including the 1990 Saints who won three of their final five games to finish 8-8 and earn a wild-card berth. Two teams have even made the playoffs after a 4-7 start.

"I can't worry about those things (like) if we are going to make the playoffs," Haslett said. "I've just got to worry about if we are going to win games."

While Washington coach Steve Spurrier's 4-7 team has all but abandoned any thoughts of the postseason, he shares similar sentiments with Haslett in trying to get his team a confidence-building win.

The Redskins have lost six of their last seven games, blowing late leads in the last two. On Sunday night the Redskins entered the fourth quarter with a 23-10 lead against the Miami Dolphins, only to lose 24-23 on former Saint Ricky Williams' 24-yard run. Making matters worse, starting quarterback Patrick Ramsey, a former Ruston High and Tulane standout, is doubtful for today's game with an injured right foot. Tim Hasselbeck, who completed 15 of 30 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown with one interception last week against the Dolphins, is expected to start.

"We're one game worse than the Saints, so we're not doing very well right now," Spurrier said. "We lost the last two, had leads in the fourth quarter, couldn't hold 'em, couldn't stay on the field. We're struggling a little bit right now and trying to play our best this week."

Meanwhile, the Saints are seeking not to revert back to their old ways that led to their 1-4 start and reoccurred against the Eagles.

This week, Haslett and team leaders demanded that the players concentrate and cut down on the mental errors that led to six pre-snap penalties and the three fumbles that the Eagles turned into 17 points.

"We are a team that needs to be accountable for all actions and show more discipline," Brooks said. "We all still got to go out there and do it. It's the big thing to do the fundamentals of football. Things like that hurt us in the first quarter of the Philly game.

"We just got to learn from it. You got to learn from it. I don't think it's too much of a problem. A lot of teams have been in the same situation that we are here. Let's clean our house out and make the adjustments and the whole playoff thing will be fine at the end."