Now that’s impressive. On Sunday, the New Orleans Saints defense took the ball away from the New York Giants offense on five consecutive possessions; something which hadn’t happened in the NFL since the Kansas City Chiefs last did it in 2016. For the Saints themselves, you have to go back even further. Further than you might think. The last time they managed this feat, dear reader, I was a year away from being born.
Old-school Saints fans remember the “Dome Patrol” defense well, and this is the kind of performance they almost made routine. The all-star unit led by Pro Football Hall of Famers Rickey Jackson and Sam Mills, and their Pro Bowl teammates Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson, managed to do this twice.
The first time was a 13-6 slobberknocker between the Saints and Philadelphia Eagles in which the Eagles were intercepted five times, fumbling six times (one recovered by Jackson), and took six sacks. It was far from a clean game for New Orleans, with two interceptions and two sacks of their own. The offense did a better job capitalizing on those turnovers the second time, beating the Phoenix Cardinals 27-3. They had five interceptions that game, too, along with two fumbles (recovering both of them) and two sacks.
What about this time? The Saints powered their way to victory with a two interceptions by Kool-Aid McKinstry, plus three fumbles recovered by Jonas Sanker, Jordan Howden, and Cameron Jordan (with Bryan Bresee and Demario Davis punching two of them out). We know they aren’t going to have that kind of production every week. It’s still worth celebrating, and it’s something they can build off of. Nobody can live up to the all-time great standard the “Dome Patrol” defense set for themselves, but there’s nothing wrong with chasing it. Sometimes you just might meet it.