Saints shocked the world - but not Drew Brees. COVID closures stacking up

The Lunch Line: Saints shocked the world - but not Drew Brees. COVID closures stacking up

By Bob Warren

We own the Buccaneers: So much still to unpack from last night’s stunning Saints win over Tampa Bay (and Tom Brady). Interim coach Dennis Allen, covering for the COVID-positive Sean Payton, deserves a game ball, columnist Rod Walker writes. And columnist Jeff Duncan notes that while Payton was scowling from the sidelines, his fingerprints are all over this one. Also, did you notice Drew Brees ignored his NBC sidekicks and picked the Saints to win last night? Shrewd move.

COVID on the rise: Don't look now, but COVID cases are on the rise. They've more than doubled across Louisiana in the past week. Ugh. And the closures and cancellations are also on the uptick.

Hail Bacchus: Bacchus named its king this morning. Actor Josh Duhamel – no stranger to the Crescent City – will reign over the Feb. 27 parade. Bacchus, of course, is one of a handful of parading krewes that choose celebrity monarchs.

Life, for a $20 worth of weed: Have you been following our stories looking at Louisiana prison sentences? Here’s the latest.

Ain't dere no more: It’s the end of an era on Magazine Street. Big Fisherman Seafood, the origination point for many a successful boil across the metro area, hasn’t reopened since Hurricane Ida. And after 32 years, our Ian McNulty reports, the proprietor has decided not to reopen.

Hope you enjoyed the Lunch Line. Thanks for taking a break with us today.

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