Saints Rally to Top Patriots, 37-27
Running game comes through for Saints; two late TD's clinch victory

posted August 18, 2005 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com

The Saints topped the Patriots in New England on the wings of two late touchdowns.

The Saints kept their starters in through three quarters - as promised - while the Patriots started pulling their starters late in the second quarter.

Deuce McAllister and the running game of the Saints did a good job against the Patriots throughout the game. McAllister finished with 88 yards on 20 carries, a healthy 4.4 yard/carry average. Antowain Smith had 54 yards on 11 carries and Aaron Stecker played well as a third-down back with one 14-yard carry for a key first down and a 10-yard catch and run for another third down.

The running game helped the Saints convert on 11 of 18 third down opportunities and dominate the clock for over 38 minutes. The Patriots converted only 2 of 9 third down attempts, one in each half. The Saints had 82 offensive plays to the Patriots' 51, but if it wasn't for the late heroics of two players not likely to make the team, the Saints would have lost.

The Saints got off to a great start when FS Dwight Smith intercepted Tom Brady on his first pass attempt and returned it to the Patroit 25. Seven plays later the Saints stalled at the five-yard line and kicked a field goal. Brady zipped the Patriots down the field on the strength of a 45-yard bomb to Tim Dwight, who wrestled the ball away from Fahkir Brown, and two big plays by Kevin Faulk. RB Patrick Pass scored on the dive. Pass later had a 45-yard run and finished with 11 carries for 88 yards and his early score.

The Patriots added a field goal to make it 10-3 but the Saints struck back. A 17-yard run by Deuce McAllister, and strikes of 25 yards to Donte' Stallworth (4/42) and 14 yards to Zach Hilton (2/21) powered the Saints down to the one yard line, where FB Mike Karney dove in for the score to tie it at 10.

On the Saints' next drive, Brooks hit Joe Horn on the deep slant, but Horn was having a lousy night. Amongst an uncharecteristic number of drops, Horn bobbled this one into the air and it was intercepted by Rodney Harrison. Harrison returned the ball to the Saints' five yard line when Horn redeemed himself by catching up with him and ripping the ball out in the tackle. Unfortunately, Pats DE Marquis Hill outwrestled G Kendyl Jacox for the fumble at the three yard line. The Patriots punched it in for a touchdown on the next play, when 42-year old Doug Flutie entered the game and handed off to Kyle Eckel.

The Saints went down the field again on the next drive and collected another John Carney field goal at the two minute warning. After a big kickoff return to the Saints 41, Flutie needed only two miraculously-placed passes for another touchdown. The Saints responded with a big return by Lewis and then executed the two-minute drill and kicked Carney's third and final field goal as the half expired. The Saints were down 24-16 at the half.

The Patriots' first drive of the third quarter would produce their last points of the game on an Adam Vinatieri field goal. Aaron Brooks left the game after two long third-quarter drives, including a six-minute drive that produce no points and a four and a half minute drive that ended in a dashing, diving, rolling touchdown by Devery Henderson (3/58, 1TD). A two-point conversion pass to Horn was incomplete, so the Saints entered the fourth quarter down 27-22. The Saints held the ball in the third quarter on two drives for 10:31.

Backups of both teams held eachother in check until the two-minute warning. QB Todd Bouman struggled early on, as usual, getting sacked and throwing off-target with regularity. But on the last drive of the game for the Saints, Bouman was 5/8 for 61 yards and connected with Nate Poole (4/46, 1 TD) on a crossing route for the score. On the touchdown, Poole caught the ball and leaped completely over the Patriots defender, extending the ball outward to cross the goal line high in the air. A replay review by the umpires ruled it a touchdown, giving the Saints the lead.

The Saints lined up with four wide receivers on the two point conversion and then Aaron Stecker walked in off left tackle, giving the Saints a 30-27 lead with 1:50 left in the game.

On the next drive, the Patriots were set to move down the field for a potential tying field goal when long snapper/defensive end LP Ladouceur sacked Patriots QB Matt Cassell, forcing a fumble that rookie seventh round pick Jimmy Verdon picked up and ran into the end zone with from nine yards out. The score put the Saints up 37-27 and closed the book on the Saints' first playoff victory. Cassell drove the Patriots down to the Saints' five yard line before time expired.

While Deuce McAllister and Antowain Smith regularly found big gaps in the defense, Keith Joseph found little. Joseph had six carries for seven yards and had a 13-yard reception nullified by a defensive holding penalty. The collegiate fullback has slimmed down to tailback and looks to have a spot all but locked up on the practice squad. He is in the mold of McAllister and Smith as a hard, tall runner.

While the Saints' first team defense played well, it collected no sacks. Jason Craft, LP Ladouceur and Tony Bryant all gathered sacks late in the game.

Quarterback backup contenders Kliff Kingsbury and Adrian McPherson didn't see playing time in the game, but likely will see the bulk of the remainder of the games. Three linebackers, James Allen, Cie Grant and Roger Knight, all missed the game, as did T Spencer Folau and TE Boo Williams. LB Sedrick Hodge played throughout the game on defense and special teams.

Hodge and Craft led the team with four tackles and one special team tackle each.

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