Cha ching, bitches! Hopefully you still have at least a tenuous grasp on what’s left of your sanity. Enjoy it for as long as it continues to linger and fade.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen just about enough of this newfound "flirt with doom, then lower the boom" strategy, thank you very much. Quit toying with me, assholes!

But hey, all’s well that ends well, and it ended just about as well as you could ask for. Again. And as long as it keeps ending like this, we can reasonably keep swaddling ourselves in the warm glowing warming glow of the Saints’ grit, determination, resilience, "clutch" and all that other stuff. It sure does seem pretty clear at this point that when the light goes on, when they finally get around to flipping the switch, God help the poor bastards on the other side of the ball. It’s just a matter of flipping the switch before it’s too damn late. So far, so good, but they sure are cutting it close here lately.

Then again, it’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?

The Saints gave up 182 rushing yards, but they also forced five fumbles and recovered three of ‘em, including one to ice the victory.

DeAngelo Williams ran all over them for 149 yards, but they held Jonathan Stewart to 24 yards on 13 carries (1.85 yards per.)

And while I’m well aware of the fact that it’s weak to say "take away the one big play" I’m gonna do it anyway… take away the 66 yarder on the second play from scrimmage, which should have been called back for a chop block on Hargrove, and the Saints’ numbers against Williams would have been a lot more respectable. Still not great, but a lot less concerning.

And, while pointing out once again that I realize it’s weak to discount one big play… aside from the 66 yarder, the Saints held the Pants to 3.41 yards per carry the rest of the way.

They allowed Jake Delhomme to throw for 201 yards, and they didn’t intercept him, but they made him fumble twice. He didn’t throw for a touchdown, and Steve Smith was held to 64 yards on four receptions with no touchdowns. And 46 of those 64 yards came on one reception. 3 for 18 otherwise.

The Pants won the time of possession battle by almost a full five minutes. Yet, they lost by 10.

Why? Well, we can start here: 45 yard completion to Colston, 63 yard completion to Jack Hunt, 54 yard touchdown completion to Pontchartrain Meach.

As badly as things were going early on, down by 14, Drew was still 7 for 7. You knew it was just a matter of time, because you’ve seen it the last two weeks. 43-10 vs. Miami, 28-10 vs. Altanta. This week? 27-3 once the switch was finally flipped.

And just as impressive as the 43, 28 and 27 are the 10, 10 and 3. When the switch gets flipped, the circuit gets closed on both sides of the ball.

Poochie has a relatively quiet day, and Hands Christian Andersen has possibly his worst game as a pro? Bob Snagit is inactive? No problem. Enter Jack Hunt and Pontchartrain Meach. Mike Bell is being held to 17 yards on 5 rushes? Pierre puts up 81 total yards, including a big handful of Dulymus-esque backbreaking runs.

And, by golly, I had sworn off of even mentioning Reggie on this here blog ever again after Ralph, Kevin and Dave just brutalized me on this week’s preview podcast.

Homer Jay: Please stop pummeling me! It’s really painful!

Ouch. I mean, if it weren’t so fuckin’ spot on, it might not have been so unbelievably amusing. Alright fine, damn. I’ll shut up about Reggie, just quit raining blows down upon me like Frank Costanza at a pre-Festivus shopping excursion, I’m begging ya.

But before I do, I feel like I need to go ahead and mention him one more time. Because I’ll be damned if he didn’t have one hell of a quiet but effective game. I could get used to 57 total yards and outrushing Drew Brees. And not a single gouge your eyes out moment. I know that’s gonna come off as sarcastic (hey, we reap what we sow) but I’m dead serious. If Reggie wants to start doing that every week, I hereby pledge to consider everything else gravy and keep my damn piehole shut about him until the trade rumors start flying in March. (I make no promises beyond that, because I know that by then, I’ll be jonesing for that 3rd round pick and the Pro Bowl offensive lineman it’s sure to produce.)

Sharper has a quiet day? (0 pick sixes… what the hell, Darren???) Roman Harper has 4 tackles for losses and Tracy Porter is credited for two forced fumbles. Malcolm Jenkins makes yet another HUGE special teams play and holds his own in some pretty extensive playing time on defense in the second half. And for lagniappe, Pierson Prioleau recovers a fumble.

And don’t even get me started on Tony Hargrove. Hey, I want Big Sed back as much as the next guy. But this guy… this is my kinda guy. Doesn’t get a whole lot better than a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a touchdown to ice the win.

Oh and by the way, that’s four defensive touchdowns in the last three games. Bitchin’.

Julius Peppers? 1 tackle, and… well, that’s it. Zero sacks, zero anything else. Say, while we’re accumulating 3rd round picks….

I’ll leave the bulk of the Colston commentary to funnyHat. The floor is yours, my friend…

Meantime, don’t look now, but it’s not like Minnesota and the NFC East are gonna make it easy. The Favres are 7-1 and have Detroit, Seattle and Chicago the next three weeks. Dallas is 6-2 and has Green Bay, Washington and Oakland.

Pete Finney: So don’t get too comfy just yet, folks.

Fortunately, Minnesota plays in a dome and Dallas plays in Texas. And Minnesota’s quarterback could turn to dust any minute now, and Dallas’ quarterback is The White Aaron Brooks. So… yeah… no reason to panic either.

8-0 and I’m talking about there being no reason to panic. Saints fans… we carry a little baggage, don’t we? Sheesh.