Here’s a great interview from former New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who recently talked shop with his former teammate Lance Moore for Boot Krewe Media. When asked to share his take on the best-ever Saints team, regardless of the season’s result, Vilma took a painful trip down memory lane.
“2011, it’s 2011,” Vilma said. “Bro, to be very frank for everyone that’s watching us, we felt like that season was a disappointment when we lost — especially the way we lost — to San Francisco. Like we were supposed to run all the way back to the Super Bowl. It still hurts to this day when I think about that season. I don’t think about that season as a success. All the records you guys broke offensively, we were humming on defense. And then we literally just s— the bed with a minute left in the d— game.”
Vilma grimaced, adding, “God knows how we let Alex Smith score a touchdown on us.”
That 2011 Saints team is the stuff of legend, rebounding from a stunning upset to the then-winless Rams in Week 8 to claim victory in each of the eight games left on their regular season schedule — including a 49-24 dismantling of the eventual Super Bowl-champion New York Giants. Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s single-season passing yards record and four different players racked up 900 or more scrimmage yards while scoring 6 or more touchdowns:
- Darren Sproles: 1,313 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns (7 receiving, 2 rushing, 1 punt return)
- Jimmy Graham: 1,310 scrimmage yards, 11 touchdown catches
- Marques Colston: 1,143 scrimmage yards, 8 touchdown catches
- Pierre Thomas: 987 scrimmage yards, 6 touchdowns (5 rushing, 1 receiving)
But as Vilma ruminated, it all came undone when Smith led a miraculous comeback in the playoffs. That Saints-49ers divisional round matchup is widely considered one of the best playoff games of all time. The game featured four lead changes in the final four minutes, including touchdown catches of 44 and 66 yards by Sproles and Graham, respectively. But it came down to a 28-yard touchdown by Smith and a 14-yard scoring pass to Vernon Davis in the closing seconds to wipe that all away.
It’s a shame. If the Saints had won that game they’d get to host the same Giants team they’d run off the field at midseason, and then all that stood in their way was a vulnerable New England Patriots squad. As Vilma said, it’s the one that got away.
