... season superiority does not necessarily translate into postseason glory. 

Sure, any given team needs to be some semblance of good during the 16 game schedule. Otherwise, they wouldn't make the playoffs.  But, more often than not, the studs of the regular season come up short.  

Over the past couple of years, it has not been the 13 to 14 game winners who have triumphed in February, it was the 11-12 win teams that prevailed.  

So, in many ways, I'm glad the New Orleans Saints got their first loss out of the way. While it's nice to be atop the power rankings in December, what ultimately matters the most is who comes out on top two months later.  

In many ways, the first loss is a cathartic gut check.  ...

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