NEW YORK (AP) — Comments on the New Orleans Saints by the AP Pro32
panel (ranking in parentheses):

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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (15)

Chris Berman (ESPN, 13) — 0-4 hole now means REAL trouble in five-day
span.

Clifton Brown (Sporting News, 10) — Loss to 49ers hurt. Could be the
best team that misses the playoffs.

Cris Collinsworth (NBC Sports, 16)

Rich Gannon (CBS Sports/SiriusXM NFL Radio, 15) — Still dangerous
despite the league's worst defense (32nd).

Bob Glauber (Newsday, 11) — Saints can't protect Drew Brees against
49ers' ferocious defense, so they take a major step backward in the
wild card race. They'll need some help down the stretch.

Rick Gosselin (Dallas Morning News, 17) — The Saints are on pace to
allow a record 7,277 yards, almost 500 yards more than the current
record. New Orleans ranks last in defense, last in run defense and
30th in pass defense.

Clark Judge (CBSSports.com, 11) — Joe Vitt's Interim Coach of the Year
campaign just got derailed.

Ira Kaufman (Tampa Tribune, 16) — A daunting schedule and this soft
defense suggest it's not their year.

Pat Kirwan (SiriusXM NFL Radio/CBSSports.com, 11) — The Saint defense
is now adequate, but not good enough to overcome Drew Brees
interceptions for touchdowns. They can still make the playoffs with
most of the other wildcard candidates losing this week.

John Lynch (Fox Sports, 15) — The 49ers are really good. Just ask the
Saints.

Alex Marvez (Foxsports.com, 17) — Drew Brees clearly didn't help
matters with two interceptions returned for touchdowns, but the
Saints' defense remained disastrous in last Sunday's 31-21 loss to San
Francisco.

Dan Pompei (Chicago Tribune, 12) — After a tough loss to the 49ers,
they face a near must-win at Atlanta on Thursday.

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