Mike Tyson syndrome hurts the Saints

Rainey making impact at next level

December 5, 2018

To the Colonels, we thank you!

December 5, 2018

Mike Tyson was the most entertaining prize fighter of my time.

He’d shoot out of his corner like a bull. Where a lot of fighters will play safe in the opening rounds, he’d attack with vengeance.

A lot of his fights were over in the opening three rounds.

Some of it was Tyson’s dominance and skill, sure. But a lot of it was intimidation and fear. Opponents didn’t want to face Tyson. When he’d attack, they’d get tense and stiff. He’d tee off and put fights to bed early.

But not always.

On the rare occasion that a fighter could overcome those first 10-15 minutes of rage, Tyson was not nearly as effective.

Mike Tyson was 50-6 in his career. He won 44 of his fights by knockout. Do the math — that means that he was just 6-6 in fights that either went the distance and/or ended in someone else delivering the knockout punch onto him.

So why am I talking about Mike Tyson randomly in a column that’s being published in December 2018?

Let’s tie it all together.

I think the New Orleans Saints right now are in the midst of Mike Tyson-type syndrome where they’re at their best when they’re putting games to bed early.

Last Thursday, the Cowboys withstood the first quarter (and actually won it 10-0) and made it a four-quarter game.

With someone else actually firing the punches in New Orleans’ direction, the team wasn’t nearly as effective, falling in a 13-10 defeat at Jerry World.

Folks, this was a needed loss for the Saints. It will give the team a chance to refocus and right some wrongs before the postseason.

New Orleans’ 10-1 start was nothing short of amazing.

But let us not forget that the team has caught some breaks along the way, as well. It’s been far from perfect.

For every blowout win (like Philly and Cincinnati), there have been hiccups where the team could have just as easily lost in the final minutes.

Do you guys remember the Cleveland game? The Saints won 21-18, but the Browns missed two field goals and two extra points.

Do you guys remember Baltimore? That game was headed to overtime with the Ravens having 100 percent of the momentum until Justin Tucker missed a late-game extra point, which sealed a 24-23 New Orleans win.

Do you remember the Minnesota game? The Vikings were up 13-10 late in the first half of that game and were driving in to perhaps take a 20-10 lead — all while getting the second-half kickoff. But with a minute left in the half, the Vikings fumbled at the Saints’ 10-yard-line and New Orleans returned it into Minnesota territory, which set up a New Orleans score, completely changing the game.

We could go on and on.

Look, I’m not trying to take anything away from New Orleans, nor its successes. In no way, shape, nor form is that the intended purpose of this column. In fact, if I had to pick a Super Bowl favorite right now, I’d probably list New Orleans. I think they have the best combination of offense, defense and special teams in the league.

But I am saying that for as good as the team’s record is, there are still things they can work on and it’s important to not peak before postseason play.

And for that reason, I think this loss will be good over the long haul. It allows the team to refocus its energy and get back to playing winning football again.

Because the hysteria had gotten a little bit out of control in recent weeks.

At the open of the Saints/Cowboys game, the talk wasn’t about matchups or keys to victory. It was which Saints’ offensive players hadn’t yet scored a touchdown. They were discussing Taysom Hill catching touchdown passes and offensive linemen going out for passes — stuff that’s just trash fodder and distractions to winning teams.

With this loss in the bucket, hopefully some of that nonsense can now cool down a little.

Winning games and scoring 50 points is awesome.

Forcing turnovers and taking group pictures in the end zone is great.

But the meat and potatoes of the game is blocking and tackling and on Thursday, the Cowboys did both things better and that is why they won the game.

Don’t blame the referees. Stop kidding yourselves. The Cowboys had 8 penalties to the Saints’ 5. The only touchdown of the game that the Saints scored came on a blatant push-off by the wide receiver in the end zone. The Cowboys were called for a bogus offsides penalty on a play that negated a strip-sack of Drew Brees.

The officials missed some both ways.

But New Orleans didn’t block, nor tackle well enough to win the game. They didn’t get the first-round knockout this time and they lost a decision in the 15th round.