METAIRIE (AP) — Sean Payton briefly allowed himself to smile faintly when asked about his blood pressure.”My wife asked me that,” the Saints’ coach said Tuesday, a day after New Orleans’ error-filled 30-27 loss to Minnesota. “I’m fine. You know, I’m disappointed.”Other coaches might have used stronger language if their teams had made the blunders that plagued Payton’s squad on Monday night.The Saints had one field goal blocked and returned 59 yards for a score, missed another field goal that would have given them a late lead, committed four turnovers, dropped several passes and committed 11 penalties for 102 yards.One of Drew Brees’ interceptions came on a tipped pass at the Minnesota 12-yard line. And the Saints also failed to recover a surprise onside kick in the first quarter, leading to a Minnesota field goal.Such failures proved too much to overcome, even with Reggie Bush returning two punts for touchdowns and the Saints’ defense impressively limiting Adrian Peterson to only 32 yards rushing on 21 carries.The Saints have had more than their share of memorable losses since their inception in 1967. This is the same franchise that used a 75-yard pass play involving three laterals to score a touchdown as time expired in a 2003 game at Jacksonville — only to miss the tying extra point.When Payton was hired to replace Jim Haslett in 2006, he predicted he would change the culture of the franchise, preaching discipline while revamping the roster with smart, detail-oriented players who would know their assignments, minimize mistakes and do all the little things that help win games — especially the close ones.He named the New England Patriots’ model as one he’d like to emulate.He appeared to be succeeding in his first campaign, when he was named AP Coach of the Year after leading the Saints to their first appearance in an NFC championship game.In his second season, however, the Saints conjured follies of old. They lost one home game to Carolina because of missed field goals and an interception on which Brees’ well-thrown pass bounced out of receiver Devery Henderson’s hands. They lost another home game to Tampa Bay after turning the ball over on a botched exchange between Reggie Bush and Henderson on a reverse, when all the Saints really needed to do was protect a late lead.Still, one day after the Saints finished 2007 at 7-9 and out of the playoffs for the 35th time in 41 seasons, Payton bristled at the notion that New Orleans was falling back into the same old patterns of ineptitude.”This isn’t the same old Saints,” Payton asserted at the time. “We’re changing that.”- – – -Contact The Daily Reveille’s sports staff at [email protected]