The Caesars Superdome is a special place.
For a Saints fan, the experience is almost spiritual. It is our church.
Returning to New Orleans, I walked through Champions Square, into the newly renovated stadium and out into the stands.
My expectations were low with the Saints on a seven-game losing streak. But the excitement never wavers.
We had a new interim head coach in Darren Rizzi. Things felt different.
The first Saints possession saw Taysom Hill’s 88-yard touchdown reception spark hope. It was called back for holding but we had seen something. The Dome woke.
Freshly anointed team captain Alvin Kamara took just two plays to eclipse Mark Ingram II as the Saints’ all-time rushing leader. The Dome went crazy – I had tears.
After a drive with the best Saints football we have seen since Week 2 of the season, Marquez Valdes-Scantling pulled in an absolute dime from Derek Carr for a 40 yard reception over three Falcons defenders. His first touchdown as a Saint. The Dome erupted.
‘MVS’ would add another touchdown in the second quarter. There were falters along the way. This is not the same Saints team that scored 91 points in the first two weeks. But the difference was the grit and determination in the face of adversity.
The Saints were helped by three missed Atlanta field goals, one blocked, which is unheard of for Younghoe Koo – especially against the Saints!
A blistering fourth-quarter interception from Tyrann Mathieu almost took the roof off the Dome.
I cannot explain the utter desperation felt when a wide-open Kamara dropped a pass from Carr on the next drive.
Under Dennis Allen, this is where we have seen the team crumble again and again.
But the defence held. Ugo Amadi made sure the Saints snapped their losing streak, tackling Ray-Ray McCloud inbounds to run the clock out.
The ‘Who Dat’ chants were loud. We started many in the stands and on our way out of the Superdome.
We all got ‘The Rizz’, and we loved it.
