Saints' resurgence, Peterson explodes, bad QB play

Drew Brees threw for 445 yards and three touchdowns in the Saints' 41-24 win over the Jaguars. AP

INDIANAPOLIS -- A few quick musings, observations and the occasional insight as we struggle to remember there was more unfolding in Week 9 than a certain well-chronicled clash of AFC superpowers ...

• Marques Colston is back. Drew Brees is back. And because they are, so too are the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl chances. What a wild rollercoaster ride it's been down on the Bayou. From NFC favorite to 0-4, back to .500, all in a two-month span. Saints alive.

The standings in the NFC South still say the Saints are in a second-place tie with Carolina (both 4-4), a half-game behind first-place Tampa Bay (5-4). But don't believe it. A month later than expected, New Orleans has found its 2006 offense, and a bit of last year's mojo to boot.

In their four-game season-opening losing streak, the Saints averaged 12.8 points per game. In their four wins since then, they are scoring 30.5 points per game, including Sunday's 41-24 rout of the visiting Jaguars (5-3). New Orleans put up 538 yards of offense against the Jaguars' usually stout defense, including 435 yards of net passing. True, the Saints defense gave up 432 yards of offense to Jacksonville, but that's like last year's winning formula.

Even better news for Saints fans, the schedule is about to turn softer for the duration of November. New Orleans finishes this month home against St. Louis (0-8), at Houston (3-5) and at Carolina (4-4, with two consecutive ugly losses). In fact, New Orleans' Dec. 2 home date against Tampa Bay is its only remaining game against a team that currently has a winning record.

Nothing has gone as planned for the Saints this season, but they've survived in the weak NFC. They now have an excellent opportunity to become just the second team to overcome an 0-4 start and make the playoffs, joining the 1992 San Diego Chargers. In New Orleans, the football season is just starting.

• What could Adrian Peterson possibly do for an encore after rushing for an NFL single-game record of 296 yards in his eighth NFL game?

Oh, I know. Maybe crack the Vikings starting lineup for good.

It's time everyone admits that Minnesota got the steal of the 2007 draft's first round when it took the hard-running Oklahoma star at No. 7. But it's still important to point out that there are those -- even within the Vikings organization -- who fear that Peterson's fearless and upright running style will preclude a long NFL career.

Let's enjoy it though while it lasts, because Peterson is the most explosive offensive talent to enter the league since LaDainian Tomlinson -- the man he out-classed on Sunday -- in 2001.

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