New Orleans Saints: Losing to Rams ultimately a blessing

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Samson Ebukam
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 26: Samson Ebukam /
facebooktwitterreddit

The New Orleans Saints took their first loss in eight weeks, falling to the Los Angeles Rams. It might sting for now, but it’s truly a blessing in disguise.

The New Orleans Saints eight-game winning streak was finally broken. After a highly anticipated and tough game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Saints got their first loss since Week 2. While it’s sad to see the streak end, it’s actually a blessing for a team seemingly destined for the postseason.

Admittedly, it’s hard to see this as a blessing. However, it’s possible and potentially the right way to view the defeat. Going into the game, it was such a huge deal, and now, all of the hoopla is over. The Saints got beaten, not by much, but still took the L after an almost-loss to Washington.

It takes the pressure off the team and it’s probably a huge relief. Losing is never fun, but it could be a sign of stress. Much like when the Panthers went 15-1, it was a huge burden and a constant question hanging over them. It only leads to more questions than answers.

More from NFL Spin Zone

This loss against the Rams proved the Saints need to step up. They have been playing great, but they need to bounce back this week. They’re playing the Panthers in Week 13, who they demolished earlier this season. Since then, the Panthers have been on a hot streak and it’s going to be tougher now.

The Panthers are incredibly close to becoming NFC South champs if the Saints can’t keep it together. I’m not saying one loss will derail all their momentum. Personally, I think it will have the opposite effect. Instead of breaking the team down, it will lift them up and make them an even bigger threat.

It will be a way for them to exact some revenge and prove they’re more than just one loss to a slightly better team. They’ve lost some great players on defense so they’ll need to work on a new strategy there. As for the offense, they’ve got to keep playing at a high-level and getting those much-needed first downs.

Next: NFL 2017: 20 Bold predictions for Week 13

The biggest issue I see for the team is having an early lead and then losing it. It happened against the Redskins and last week against the Rams as well. They can’t keep assuming they’ll get the come-from-behind win. It’s not going to work that way anymore and it was the wake-up call they needed.

Even though it was a tough lesson, they’ll be strong against the Panthers. They will defeat them, taking both games against their division rival. The next few weeks will be tough too, but taking the loss against the Rams is the start of something bigger.