Welcome to the Saints Insider newsletter for Thursday, Dec. 30. Ian Book said it best the other day. When talking about COVID-19 and it’s impact on the NFL, the Saints rookie quarterback said, “It's tough playing these last two years with COVID. It hits teams in different weeks.” So true. The virus is unlike anything the league has ever seen or experienced. It's not a matter of if it's going to impact your team but when it's going to impact your team. Last week, it was the Saints’ turn. Twenty-two players and four coaches were sidelined for the Saints’ 20-3 loss to the Miami Dolphins. This week, it’s Carolina’s turn. The Panthers had 14 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list as of Wednesday, including star defensive players Brian Burns, Hassan Reddick and Shaq Thompson. And the Panthers' list appears to be growing by the day. Like the Saints last week, the Panthers sent players home on Monday in an effort to stem the tide of infection. We’ll see how effective the measure was come Sunday, when the teams kick off at noon in the Superdome. The Saints, meanwhile, are trending in the right direction with the virus. In all, 13 players have been cleared to return to team activities this week, including 11 players on Wednesday. Saints coach Sean Payton said last week his cell phone was pinging with alerts about which players were being lost. This week, it’s the opposite. The pings bring welcome news about players returning to the fold. Luke Johnson has the story on which Saints players are back and which key defender was added to the reserve/COVID list. The Saints’ diminishing COVID list wasn’t the only good news on Wednesday. The team’s estimated injury report was shorter than usual, a sign that they made it through the Miami game in fairly good health. Amie Just has the story. Saints coach Sean Payton called John Madden 'a good friend' and took time on Wednesday to reflect on the former coach and broadcasting legend’s impact on the game and influence on his coaching career. Good stuff from Payton, via Luke Johnson. If you're interested in hearing my thoughts about Madden's impact on the game and how I think the Saints stack up for Sunday's game against the Panthers, make sure to check out this week's "Dattitude" podcast with Jim Derry. And last but certainly not least, columnist Rod Walker takes a look back the 2021 Year in Sports and relives some of the images, people and memorable moments of one of the wildest years in New Orleans sports history. Rod's annual look at the highs and lows of 2021, always a must-read. Once again, thanks for being a loyal reader and follower of our Saints coverage. And make sure to check back throughout the week as we ramp up our coverage of the Panthers-Saints game. Until next time... Cheers, Jeff Duncan | 