Saints Biggest Winners and Losers vs. the Texans

Dec 13, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints tackle Zach Strief (64) during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. New Orleans Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

LOSER: ZACH STRIEF, RIGHT TACKLE

For the last decade, right tackle Zach Strief has been one of the most well-respected and dependable players on the entire Saints roster.

He is universally loved by teammates and members of the coaching staff, as well as the key figures in upper management within the Saints organization.

Unfortunately, time doesn’t play favorites; and when your “time is up”, it’s time to start looking at other options in life once you aren’t able to do the things as well as you used to be able to do them once upon a time.

That time appears to have arrived for the 11-year veteran Strief.

Here’s what our Editor and featured columnist Barry Hirstius said in his latest article, about what happened to Strief last night against Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney: 

“Veteran Zach Streif didn’t fare much better, and got tossed aside like a rag doll on a speed rush by Clowney in a manner very reminiscent of Strief’s struggles last year against Texans All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt — who mercifully for New Orleans, sat out the game.”

Now I haven’t been writing for the Big Easy Believer all that long, but I can tell you for sure that the term “rag doll” and a 6-foot-7, 320 pound man don’t belong together in the same sentence.

As much as it hurts to admit, perhaps the end of Strief’s great career in the Black and Gold is a lot closer than we realized, if what happened last night is truly indicative of what is happening to him right before our very eyes.

The plain truth is that maybe Strief has hung around for one year too many, and the Saints are going to have a tough decision to make in order to ensure the protection of its most valuable asset in QB Drew Brees.

Time waits for no one, and it doesn’t seem as if it’s willing to wait around any longer, for the beloved and respected old warrior Zach Strief…..