The greatest Saints team in franchise history wasn't good enough to make the Super Bowl.

Facing the most opportunistic defense in the league, the Saints became too one-dimensional. The Bears knew Drew Brees was passing every down and they got to him. The Chicago defensive line beat the Saints up front. The Chicago offensive line pushed New Orleans around, running at will for stretches of the game.

It's trite, but this Saints team will be remembered for generations in New Orleans. There weren't many dry eyes in the Superdome last week, and there probably aren't many as I write this.

I suspect the Saints will still receive a hero's welcome at Louis Armstrong International Airport late tonight or Monday morning. I wouldn't be surprised if they received a parade. In a town conditioned to the worst possible result happening, an NFC Championship loss won't feel so bad.

Note:I won't be liveblogging the Patriots game, but I'll be back for some Super Bowl thoughts after the game. Thanks for checking in and dealing with our technical difficulties.