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Saints Start Strong, Finish Strong in 35-20 Victory
September 15, 2002 - print me!
Saints vs. Packers - New Orleans, Louisiana
Deuce McAllister had trouble finding running room throughout the game, but came through when it counted. In the Saints' final drive of the game, McAllister provided all 73 yards on his way to the game-sealing touchdown. With 4:24 left and the Packers having success on offense and rallying back under Brett Favre, the Saints needed a lift. Up 28-20, the Saints handed the ball to McAllister and put the game in his hands. Runs of 6, 62, 3, and a final touchdown burst of 2 yards at the two-minute warning padded the lead and put the game out of reach for comeback specialist Brett Favre. "Oh yeah, it's a great win for this football team," QB Aaron Brooks told WWL and NOPF's Kenny Wilkerson after the game. "Again, we were another underdog going into this game. That's understandable. We're glad to be in that position. Brett Favre is known for so many things in his career and we're glad we escaped out of here with a win." McAllister scored on the opening drive for the Saints with a four-yard touchdown plunge up the middle, and had a 50-yard touchdown dash in the third quarter that was called back because of a holding penalty on TE David Sloan. McAllister finished the game with 21 carries for 123 yards rushing and one reception for four yards. The most important was McAllister's 62-yard dash to the Packer 5-yard line late in the fourth. Aaron Brooks had another efficient, productive day, leading the Saints to four touchdown drives. Brooks finished 16 of 28 passes for 217 yards for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Brooks had a five-yard touchdown pass on a scramble to Jerome Pathon. Donte Stallworth took a short receiver screen pass the distance, getting help from a devastating block by Jerry Fontenot, and dodged tacklers down the left sideline for a 34-yard catch and run. "A total team effort," Aaron Brooks told Wilkerson after the game. "Everyone is behind one another. Everyone is rooting for one another. The offense is rooting for the defense and the defense is rooting for the offense, and I think that type of team unit can take us places." WR Joe Horn led the Saints six receptions for 120 yards, his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game. Horn had catch-and-runs of 40 and 33 yards in the first half. With Fred Thomas ruled out after breaking his hand against the Buccaneers, veteran Ken Irvin and third-year pro Michael Hawthorne started at cornerback, with rookie Keyou Craver playing nickelback. The three rose to the occasion, coming up with big plays and pass defenses. Craver scored a defensive touchdown when he picked up a fumble by Terry Glenn and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown. Another reserve cornerback Fahkir Brown put a big hit on Glenn to force the fumble. Sammy Knight also had some big hits, including a jaw-rattling hit on rookie receiver Javon Green to break up a pass at the Saints' five-yard line. "We said this from day one back in February when we met for the first time," Saints defensive coordinator Rick Venturi told Kenny Wilkerson after the game. "This was going to be a cumulative effort, it wasn't going to be about individuals and that we're going to be as good as the cumulative team is. We'll only play with who's there, we can't worry about the rest of it. We have to tweak with who you play with." Favre was playing catch-up all game long to the Saints explosive offense, and like Tampa QB Brad Johnson was battered and hurried all game long. Favre finished completing 29 of 44 passes for 270 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Rookie Keyou Craver, who later left the game with a torn MCL in his right knee, broke up a pass that popped in the air and was intercepted by LB Darrin Smith in the first quarter. It was Favre's first NFL interception in the Superdome, and the loss was Favre's first loss in the Superdome. Favre tied Warren Moon at fourth place on the career touchdowns pass list with 291 with his two touchdowns on the day, and passed up Johnny Unitas, who died this past week. DE Willie Whitehead collected his second sack of the season and the only sack of the game for the Saints, but the entire defensive line had opportunities to hit Favre throughout the game. "We thought initially with all the blitzing we did a week ago that we needed to redial a little bit and not be predictable," Venturi told Wilkerson in the locker room after the game, "but not for long. We put a little pressure on the front to get to the passer this week." Middle linebacker Charlie Clemons forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, four tackles including two solo tackles. Smith lead the Saints with nine tackles, three solo. "They (the victories) get bigger every week," Saints defensive coordinator Rick Venturi told Kenny Wilkerson after the game. "This was the number one offensive team coming in every department. We knew were were a little shorthanded. We had to tweak the game plan a little bit but the guys played their tails off for sixty minutes. it wasn't all perfect that's for sure. they rallied, they played in critical situations. that group was ready to play, they bought into the game plan and they were ready to play." Saints K John Carney missed a 38-yard field goal wide left but was 5-5 on extra points. It was Carney's first missed field goal attempt of the regular season although he missed several in preseason. Kick returner Michael Lewis had added playing time on kick coverage teams but for the first time this season struggled with ball handling on kick returns. Lewis bobbled the opening kickoff and fumbled two later kickoffs, which the Saints luckily recovered. Lewis also was on the field for a few snaps on offense. "It was a win, it's over," Venturi said after the game. "There's another big one next week. You savor this one for a very short time and get right back into the next one."
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