Sports Redux: Oh When the Saints Went Marching In

Once upon a time - let's call it Yesterday - the Patriots were seen as the team that was going to knock the New Orleans Saints off their pedestal of perfection. Big Game Brady was going to lead the way into the Superdome for the biggest game in New Orleans history. It was going to be epic and exciting.

And it was just that for about 40 minutes - and Bostonist was happily liveblogging every moment of it. But then, at 9:11 pm, Tom Brady, enjoying a 7-3 lead, launched a pass. It landed in the arms of New Orleans' Mike McKenzie and everything changed. Drew Brees, who couldn't miss on a passing play if his life depended on it last night (18 for 23, 373 yards, 5 TDs and his first career 158.3 perfect passer rating), led the Saints as they marched to a 38-17 victory over a New England team that looked inexperienced, shaky and terrified by what was taking place.

Big Game Brady? Forget about it. True, the NO defense was fantastic, but Brady was having difficulty finding the hands of his receivers. Wes Welker? The man was being thrown around by the men in black. Moss? Um, no. As the beyond euphoric broadcast team was quick to remind us - and as Bill Belichick admitted over the shrieks of New Orleans fan girls during the post-game presser - New Orleans did everything better than New England.

Everything.

So OK, that happened. Now what? We might be tempted to curl up under rocks and hide (very tempted), but it's time to shake off the hangovers. We now know several things of importance: why Belichick went for it against Indy, that New Orleans really is the real deal this season, Drew Brees is talented and gosh darn likable and that the Pats will be run through the ringer before Sunday's game in Miami.

Fortunately, we have a few things to be able to help us escape our Patriots bubble of doom and misery. The question about what the Sox want to do about their left field situation continues. Word broke that members of the team were awarded $28,263.28 for playing terribly during their three postseason games. No one will have to worry about listening to Chip Caray during TBS broadcasts anymore. Marc Savard's only a signature away from seven more seasons with the Bruins. The Celts are taking on Charlotte tonight. We're surprised we haven't heard people talking about the fact that Dan Shaughnessy (or, as it says, Dan Shuaghnessy) is now writing for SI.com. We still don't know what's up with Tiger Woods.

See? It's all going to be OK. And if it doesn't seem like a good Tuesday for you today, just remember that it could be worse.

You could be Tom Brady today.