Titans Run Away From Saints
New Orleans beaten on the lines, Brees throws 4 INT's

posted September 16, 2007 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com
by neworleanssaints.com

The New Orleans Saints 2007 season continued to get off to a rocky start, as the Black-and-Gold fell to the Tennessee Titans 31-14, in the Saints’ first home game of the season.

The Saints had briefly taken a 14-10 lead in the third quarter on RB Reggie Bush's second TD run of the night, but the Titans responded with three second half touchdowns of their own to break open the contest and improved their record to 2-1.

“Obviously this was a disappointing loss for us,” Head Coach Sean Payton said after the game. “When we scored the (go-ahead) touchdown in the third quarter I thought that we captured some momentum, but it wasn’t meant to be. It’s frustrating.”

The Titans opened the scoring with a Rob Bironas 33-yard field goal 2:44 into the game and widened their lead to 10-0 in the second quarter on a 35-yard pass from QB Vince Young to WR Roydell White.

On their second series of the game the Saints drove to their own 45-yard line but were unable to pick up a third-and-one, as RB Deuce McAllister was stacked up at the line of scrimmage. The Saints went for it on fourth down and tried to surprise the Titans with a deep pass from Brees that was intended for WR Marques Colston, but the duo was unable to connect.

“I was trying to create a little momentum for us and it backfired,” said Payton. “I feel like we had something I liked play-wise and I thought our approach was to be more aggressive tonight in the play-calling. I was trying to create some momentum but it wasn’t meant to be.”

The Titans took over and struck quickly, as Young drilled Jones over the middle for the aforementioned touchdown pass.

The Saints and Titans both exchanged interceptions in the second quarter, with Titans LB Keith Bulluck stepping in front of a Brees offering on a third-and-14 that he returned to the Saints’ 31.

One play later though, it was the Saints’ turn to return the favor, as CB Jason David picked off a pass intended for TE Ben Troupe and returned the ball 19 yards to the Saints’ 31.

Brees then hit Colston for an 8-yard gain before FB Mike Karney was decked for a one-yard loss by massive DT Albert Haynesworth, which brought up a third-and-three from the Saints’ 39 with 8:45 remaining in the first half. Brees hooked up with WR Lance Moore for a five-yard completion over the middle despite tight coverage from two Titans defensive backs. The Saints weren’t able to get any further after three passes netted and were forced to punt the ball away and the Titans took over at their own 17 with 7:03. The Saints held the Titans without a first down and forced a Miller punt.

However the Titans were flagged on the punt for an illegal procedure and were forced to punt again and Miller hit a 52-yard punt that Bush returned 10 yards to the Titans’ 38.

Two plays later on a third-and-11 Brees hooked up with Colston for a 37-yard completion to the Titans’ 26. On the play, Brees located the man-to-man coverage and Colston made a leaping grab despite tight coverage from right cornerback Cortland Finnegan. Brees and TE Eric Johnson then connected for a three-yard completion and then Bush picked up 6 yards on a jitterbug-type run, which brought up a third-and-one at the Tennessee 17. RB Aaron Stecker dashed off left guard for a 2-yard gain and the first down just before the 2-minute warning.

Moore then made a reaching one-handed grab for 5 yards and ran out of bounds to stop the clock. On the second down, Brees again looked Moore’s way, but Moore got tangled up with a defender and the pass fell incomplete. On the third down, Brees was nearly decapitated when DE Kyle Vanden Bosch grabbed a hold of his fast mask and dragged the quarterback down, but the personal foul penalty gave the Saints new life at the Tennessee five. Bush then took an inside hand-off and dove for the goal line but the ball was ruled down at the one by the officials.

Since the play happened inside the two-minute warning, the officials via replay reviewed the spot and it was confirmed that Bush, despite his reaching one-handed effort, was ruled down inside the Titans’ one, which brought up a second-and-goal. Brees and Bush were unable to hook up on a quick hitting pass into the end zone on second down, but Bush came right back on the ensuing play with a darting touchdown run off the right end with 1:00 left and Olindo Mare’s extra point closed the Saints’ deficit to 10-7.

RB Deuce McAllister, who left the game in the second quarter with a left knee injury and didn’t return, was drilled on an open field hit after a short reception in the second quarter. Payton said after the game that McAlister would be evaluated further on Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury.

“It was hard losing Deuce, without a doubt,” Payton said. “We’ll find out more tomorrow. He was really looking forward to playing tonight.”

The second half saw the two teams trade their opening possessions before the Saints took over and marched 62 yards in nine plays in 4:51, capped off by Bush’s second one-yard scoring run of the night. The run gave the Saints a 14-10 lead.

Tennessee answered right back, covering 57 yards in nine plays in 5:36 and ended the drive with a one-yard TD run by LenDale White that gave the Titans a 17-14 lead to end the third quarter.

The Saints started to march and got to midfield but suffered a setback when Brees was sacked and stripped of the ball by DE Travis LaBoy and Tennessee’s Randy Starks (DT) recovered the football.

The Titans then continued hammer the ball against the Saints and churned time off of the clock, and capped the drive with a three-yard TD pass from Young to TE Bo Scaife. The 10-play, 55-yard drive gave the Titans a 24-14 lead with 8:55 left in the game.

The Saints attempted to get back in the game, but were thwarted when a Brees first down pass attempt was muddled when his arm was hit as he released the ball and ended up in the hands of a diving Bullucks, who returned the ball to the Saints’ 13 yard line with 7:22 remaining in the game. It was Bullucks’ second interception of the night and the Saints challenged whether Bullucks indeed had complete possession of the ball, and after the review, it was determined the play stood as ruled on the field.

“The bye week, initially I thought it was too early, but now I think it comes at a good time,” said Brees. “We’re just trying to get the first win right now and we have 13 games left, but are just trying to get that first one right now. That’s where our focus is and has to be.”

Tennessee was unable to convert the turnover into any points after Bironas’s 27-yard attempt sailed wide left of the uprights with 4:49 left in the game.

The Saints’ faced a defense that had its ears pinned back and caused Brees to throw underneath routes, but were again victims of the turnover bug when Brees was intercepted by S Vincent Fuller, who dashed 61 yards untouched for a touchdown that gave the Titans a 31-14 lead with just over 2 minutes in the game.

Bulluck collected his third interception of the game with 1:11 to go in the game when he snared a Brees offering at the Tennessee 28.

The Titans out-gained the Saints 284 yards to 252 yards, but in the end, it was the Saints’ five turnovers that proved to be too much to overcome.

The Saints and Titans both do not play this upcoming weekend, as both teams are slated for their bye weekends.

The Saints were held to 34 yards on 15 carries and collected the majority of their yards through the air, as Brees was 29-of-45 for 225 yards and four interceptions.

“Tennessee did a good job tonight,” Payton said. “Give them credit. I thought that we had a good week of practice but they did some things to hurt us in the second half.”

“We need something,” said LB Scott Fujita. “I am pretty disappointed right now. I liked our chances heading into the game tonight and we got the spark we needed in the third quarter when we went ahead, but the end result was disappointing.”

“0-3 is not a good place to be right now. We get the chance to come back in two weeks and play a good Carolina team. I am not going to freak out yet, but I am getting more and more pissed off.”

Reis Added

The Saints signed training camper S Chris Reis to a contract before game time, releasing injured veteran safety Jay Bellamy. Reis was active on Monday night and played special teams.

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