Thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 31-24 victory against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:
What it means: It was a nice night for the Saints. Suspended coach Sean Payton, assistant head coach Joe Vitt and general manager Mickey Loomis were given special permission to attend the game and witness history. They did. They got to witness Drew Brees break Johnny Unitas’ record by throwing a touchdown pass in his 48th straight game. The Saints also got their first win of the season. But the reality is it’s probably too little, too late. They’re 1-4 and, unless they go on some sort of dramatic run, their chances of making the playoffs are slim.
The “other streak’’ ends: Safety Roman Harper came up with a fourth-quarter interception. Might not sound like a big deal, but it was significant. Harper and fellow safety Malcolm Jenkins didn’t produce an interception all last season or in the first four games of this season.
Colston’s big game: The night belonged to Brees, for obvious reasons, but receiver Marques Colston had a memorable night. Colston had nine catches for 131 yards and three touchdowns. After starting the season slowly, Colston got healthy and has had two big games in a row.
Signs of hope: Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and his defense took a lot of criticism in the first four weeks of the season. But there were signs Sunday night that Spagnuolo's defense is taking hold. It wasn't spectacular, but there were a few times when I saw sacks that were the result of coverage. When you're relying on your front four for your pass rush, you need some help from the guys in coverage.
Meachem’s revenge: In part because the Saints were in the process of making Brees the NFL’s highest-paid player, they didn’t have the salary-cap room to keep Robert Meachem, a former first-round draft pick. But Meachem provided the Saints with a reminder of what they’re missing. He caught two touchdown passes.
What’s next: The Saints have a bye week. They’ll return to action Oct. 21 at Tampa Bay.