Escape From New York: Saints Squeak 21-19 Win
Brooks' three-TD performance enough to snap losing skip

posted November 27, 2005 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com
By Chris Pika - courtesy of neworleanssaints.com

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.--In a season full of tough breaks, New Orleans got a few to go their way in the right places, including the final play of the night, a 53-yard field goal attempt by Jets K Mike Nugent that fell just short of the crossbar as the Saints beat New York, 21-19 in Giants Stadium.

The Saints (3-8) broke a six-game losing streak behind a clutch performance by QB Aaron Brooks, who completed all but six of his 23 passes - three for touchdowns as New Orleans held off the Jets (2-9).

New York had an apparent 28-yard TD pass from QB Brooks Bollinger to WR Laveranues Coles late in the first half wiped off after a booth replay showed Coles bobbled the ball after landing in the end zone. But, the biggest break was a three-yard loss on a fumbled shotgun snap by Bollinger back to the Saints' 37 with less than a minute to go in the game. He then threw a three-yard pass to WR Jerricho Cotchery back to the 34 as time wound down.

Nugent, who had made four field goals, including a career-long 45-yarder earlier in the game, came on for a 53-yard attempt with 15 seconds left. The kick had the aim and the ball seemed to graze the bottom of the crossbar and fell to the turf as the Saints celebrated.

The Saints led 14-6 before the Jets scored 13 straight points for a 19-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. Brooks' third TD pass of the game, a 30-yarder to WR Devery Henderson with 8:32 to go in the game cemented his 18th fourth quarter comeback victory of his career.

Brooks completed nine straight passes at one point in the game, one shy of tying his career long streak. He finished the game with six straight completions - the last the TD pass to Henderson.

After both teams' offenses were held to three-and-out on their first two possessions, the Jets took a 3-0 lead with 1:56 to go in the first quarter. New York started from its own 12 and RB Curtis Martin became the fourth player in NFL history to go over the 14,000-yard mark on a 23-yard run out to the Jets 47. On third-and-10 at the 47, Bollinger was sacked by DE Will Smith, but it was wiped out by a defensive holding call on New Orleans. The five-yard penalty gave the Jets an automatic first down at the Saints' 48.

Three plays later, Bollinger hit Cotchery on a 33-yard pass play to the New Orleans 13. The Saints defense held and Nugent made a 29-yard field goal which gave New York the lead and capped a 12-play, 77-yard drive.

New Orleans took the ensuing kickoff and took a 7-3 lead. The Saints were helped by a defensive holding call on the Jets that took New Orleans out of a third down situation and gave them an automatic first down at their 39. New York was flagged for 12 men on the field on the following play to the 44 and RB Aaron Stecker ripped off a 10-yard run to the Jets' 46. Brooks rolled out and found TE Zachary Hilton on a 12-yard gain to the 34, and after a 12-yard reception by WR Joe Horn, Brooks hooked up with WR Donte' Stallworth on a 21-yard TD with 12:59 to go in the second quarter.

The TD catch was the sixth in the last six games for Stallworth while Brooks completed his ninth pass of 20+ yards in the last two games.

New York closed the gap to 7-6 with 7:02 to play in the first half as Nugent nailed a career-long 45-yard field goal which ended a 11-play, 40-yard drive.

Brooks led the offense on an eight-play, 74-yard drive as he went 4-for-4 passing for 45 yards, including the final 15 on a TD pass to Hilton, his first career scoring catch with 2:41 remaining as the Saints extended their lead to 14-6.

The Jets seemed to have trimmed the Saints lead to 14-12 on a 28-yard TD pass from Bollinger to Coles with 1:30 left before halftime. A replay booth review of the play showed that Coles got both feet down, but he did not have control of the ball as he landed in the end zone. Four plays later, Nugent made a 41-yarder with 14 seconds left as the Saints led, 14-9 at halftime.

Brooks completed his final seven passes of the half for 90 yards and two TDs as he was 9-of-12 passing for 98 yards in the first 30 minutes.

New York took a 16-14 lead on their first possession of the second half as Bollinger led the Jets on an eight-play, 82-yard drive. The Jets faced a fourth-and-two at their 26 and were in punt formation. Will Smith rolled into Jets P Ben Graham and the resulting five-yard penalty for running into the kicker gave New York a first down at their 31. On the next play, Bollinger went down the middle to WR Justin McCareins for a 36-yard reception to the Saints' 33. Four plays later, McCareins hauled in a 27-yard TD on second-and-22 with 5:35 to play in the third quarter.

New York pushed their lead to 19-14 with 14:56 to play in the fourth quarter on a 38-yard field goal by Nugent, his fourth of the game.

Brooks completed his final six passes on the Saints' next possession for 66 yards and a 30-yard touchdown to Henderson with 8:32 to play. New Orleans went for two points, but Brooks' pass to Stallworth in the end zone was taken off the board due to an offensive pass interference call on the Saints. K John Carney came on for the extra point as New Orleans took a 21-19 lead.

The Jets drove to the Saints' 34 on their next possession, but an intentional grounding penalty on Bollinger forced New York to punt. The Saints picked up a first down on a pair of runs by RB Antowain Smith, but the Jets held and the Saints were forced to punt. P Mitch Berger uncorked a booming punt which was fair caught at the 20. A personal foul on New Orleans wiped out the punt and Berger had to kick again 15 yards further back.

New York started their final drive from their 46 and Bollinger immediately hit TE Doug Jolley for a 21-yard gain to the Saints 33. RB Curtis Martin lost a yard as LB Sedrick Hodge brought him down. The next play, Bollinger fumbled the snap and two plays after that, Nugent's kick fell short.

Stallworth led the Saints receivers with five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. Horn had four catches for 47 yards and Hilton had three receptions for 33 yards and a TD.

Bollinger was 19-of-28 passing for 251 yards and one TD. Martin had 24 rushes for 91 yards to lead the Jets.

The Saints return to Baton Rouge next Sunday (Dec. 4) to take on Tampa Bay (Noon CT; FOX, WWL 870-AM, KGLA 1540-AM [Spanish], Saints Radio Network) in Tiger Stadium.

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