Mardi brawl.

Quarterbacks JEFF BLAKE and AARON BROOKS will engage in a fierce competition for the starting job in Hew Orleans

Fourteen months ago, the Saints had no quarterback, no head coach, a relatively obscure general manager and no future. Now, they've two starting quarterbacks, a whiz kid doing their game planning, hottest general manager in the league and the kind of city-wide expectations that can create more disappointments than happiness.

"We spend a lot of time talking about making sure we are not one-year wonders," says Randy Mueller, the team's general manager of football operations and the architect of the Saints' unexpected climb last season from the pits to the first playoff victory in franchise history. "It concerns you. We are in this for the long haul, and we're not even close to where we want to be. But you don't want to ever go backwards."

How far the Saints progress this year depends mightily on the wisdom of Jim Haslett, who, in his first season as a head coach, took Mueller's nifty bundle of personnel moves last year and molded the remade roster into a bunch of overachievers. Haslett, whose honesty with his players is one of his more endearing qualities, finds himself smack in the middle of a potential row over his starting quarterback. He steadfastly maintains there will be no quarterback controversy, at least not internally. But he has no control over the media or the fans, and you can bet there will be increasing speculation--and advice--regarding the appropriate starter, veteran Jeff Blake or young sensation Aaron Brooks.

A former unhappy Bengal--is there any other kind?--Blake enjoyed a career resurgence last season in New Orleans. He was steady and gaining more confidence and had the highest passer rating (82.7) of his eight NFL seasons when he fractured and dislocated his fight right against the Raiders on November 19. And it wasn't an ordinary break either. His foot was pretty much mangled, with bones shattered and tendons tipped. Surgeons needed three screws to help get things realigned properly, and Blake had to sit while Brooks, who never had taken a regular-season NFL snap, became the favored son of Bourbon Street with an inspired demonstration of speed and dating.

Blake, a strong-armed passer who adapted nicely to a West Coast-style offense, had led the Saints to six straight wins before getting hurt. Brooks beat the Rams in St. Louis in his first start and guided the Saints to a 3-2 record and into the playoffs, where they topped the Rams again. In the process, Brooks proved to be a fan's delight, what with his mobility and boldness and calm under adverse situations.

Haslett might have defused any initial speculation about who would be his starter if he had declared Blake couldn't lose his spot because of injury. But Haslett is too blunt and upfront to assume that bail-out posture. "I will start the best player, the guy who will help us win games," he says. "That is how we do it at every other position, and quarterback is no different. Money will have nothing to do with it."