RB Aaron Stecker

Saints Win Shootout, 31-24
Warner gave Brees, Stecker a run but Saints make fewer mistakes

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

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Arizona Cardinals, 31-24, behind the pin-point passing day of Drew Brees a powerful rushing attack led by Aaron Stecker and two big defensive plays. With the victory, the Saints improved their record to 7-7 and pulled within a half game of the Minnesota Vikings (7-6) for the second wild card spot in the NFC.

Brees completed 26-of-30 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns for a completion percentage of nearly 87%, and Stecker gained 95 yards on 22 carries for a 4.3 average and two touchdown runs to pace the Saints, winners of three-of-the-last 4 games.

“Collectively we felt that this was going to be tough opponent and we all felt that this was going to be a really hard fought game,” said Head Coach Sean Payton. “I give a lot of credit to Arizona. The game came down to the last possession.”

The Saints churned out 421 yards of offense and limited the Cardinals to 321 yards. New Orleans converted 44% of their third downs while limiting Arizona to 27%, and the Saints averaged 7 yards per play offensively. The Saints were extremely balanced, running the ball 29 times and passing 31 times.

“Unbelievable balance,” said Brees. “I feel like the yards we picked up on first and second downs were the reasons we had success on third downs. It goes hand-in-hand.”

The game began inauspiciously for the Black-and-Gold, as the Cardinals took advantage of an early Saints turnover and converted the opportunity into a 7-0 lead 3 minutes into the contest.

The Saints had accepted the opening kickoff and began at their own 21 and quickly picked up 11 yards on a completion from Drew Brees to Mike Karney. On the second play from scrimmage, Aaron Stecker picked up 10 yards but fumbled the football after being stripped by S Aaron Francisco. The loose ball was recovered by LB Darryl Blackstock and returned 34 yards to the Saints’ 8 yard-line.

The Cardinals ran three straight times into the heart of the Saints’ defense, picking up 7 yards through three downs, which set up a 4th-and-goal from the 1, which the Cardinals converted with a completion from QB Kurt Warner to reserve TE Troy Bienemann.

“Not the way you want to start any game,” Payton summed up. “We have to continue to emphasize ball security, because it can jump up to bite you it you don’t.”

The Saints rebounded from the gaffe and responded with a drive of their own that started at their own 19 yard line. Brees began the drive with an 8-yard completion to Marques Colston, Stecker then ripped off a 15-yard run up the middle. The longest play on the drive came on a 21-yard completion between Brees and WR Terrance Copper between the hashmarks. The Saints drove to the Arizona 23 and facing a 4th-and-1, Stecker followed lead blocks from Karney and C Jeff Faine through the middle for three yards before being upended.

After a one-yard gain by Stecker, Brees play-action faked and fired a 19-yard pass to Colston, who had turned Francisco around, for the score that knotted the game. The completion sent Colston over the 1,000-yard mark for the 2007 season.

Colston, who stated after that game that Brees and the players around him were to credit for his unbelievable season, credited Brees’ pinpoint passes for his eight receptions for 114 yards and score.

“We’re alive in the playoff race and that’s the only thing that matters to us,” said Colston. “Drew was on fire today and gave us all opportunities to make plays.”

The Saints forced a three and out after forcing two incompletions and stuffed a run for two-yards. The Cardinals were guilty of an illegal formation on their initial punting attempt, but the Cardinals received a break when a wobbling Mitch Berger punt took a Cardinals bounce and was downed by Arizona at the Saints’ 26 with 4:58 remaining.

The Saints out-gained the Cardinals 171 yards to 11 in the first quarter, but despite the disparity in both time of possession and total yards, the first quarter ended in a 7-7 tie. Brees completed 11 of his first 12 passes for 110 yards and Stecker racked up 52 yards rushing in the first quarter on nine rushing attempts (5.8 avg.).

The Saints’ third offensive set resulted in a 13-play, 74-yard drive that covered 6:11 and was highlighted by a powerful rushing attack and key completions. The longest play on the drive came on a 15-yard completion between Brees and Colston. The drive ended with a Stecker one-yard dive over left guard on a third and goal early in the second quarter.

Arizona responded with a drive of their own, marching 76-yards in 7 plays. On the drive, Edgerrin James reeled off a 21-yard gain up the middle and the Cardinals converted a third-and-seven with an 18-yard TD pass from Warner to WR Larry Fitzgerald, which tied the game at 14-14 with 10:01 left in the second quarter.

The Saints were unable to get much going offensively on their ensuing set of downs and were forced to punt, with Arizona taking over their own 38. Three James runs moved the ball near midfield and the Cardinals nearly pulled off a trick play of their own when James swept left but turned and threw back to Warner, who then fired a pass downfield for WR Bryant Johnson, but Roman Harper and Kevin Kaesviharn defended the play and forced the pass to fall incomplete. The Cardinals were unable to pick up a first down and pinned the Saints deep in their own territory with a punt.

The Saints began at their own 13 but were unable to pick up a first down after Arizona’s Gerald Hayes trapped WR David Patten just shy of the first down sticks following a short completion. Punt returner Steve Breaston returned the football 29 yards before Steve Weatherford slammed him to the ground near midfield.

On the next play Warner tried to hook up deep down the middle of the field on a pass to Bienemann, but a timely hit by Kaesviharn and an alert play by Harper resulted in Harper intercepting the football and the second-year safety returned the ball to the Saints’ 45.

Brees then hit Colston for a 19-yard completion to the Cardinals’ 32 on a third down, and on the next play, Brees fired a perfect timing pass to Patten for the go-ahead score.

The Cardinals took over at their own 40 but were guilty of two holding infractions that set up a 2nd-and-29 at their own 21 with 1:17 to play. Warner hit WR Anquan Boldin over the middle for a 13-yard gain, and the Saints spent one of their two remaining timeouts and stopped the clock with 1:11 remaining and with Arizona facing a 3rd-and 16 from their 34. The Cardinals then called a timeout and converted the third-down after a 22-yard completion to Johnson at the Saints 44.

The Saints were then guilty of an off-sides infraction that moved the ball five yards closer to the Saints’ end zone, but a big pass rush by the Saints forced Warner to throw the ball away, which drew an intentional grounding call. The Cardinals faced a third-and-15 from the Saints’ 49 with :14 left and Warner rolled out and connected with Breaston for 13 yards.

Arizona K Neil Rackers attempted a 54-yard field goal and despite having plenty of distance, the ball sailed wide right at the last split second and the Saints took a 21-14 lead into the locker room.

The second half began with the Cardinals taking the opening kickoff and beginning the drive at their own 32 yard-line. James picked up a quick 5 yards with a carry up the middle but confusion ensued and the Cardinals were forced to spend their first timeout of the second half with 14:11 left in the third quarter.

Warner then hit Arrington out of the backfield for a 13-yard gain and the ball sat on the midfield stripe. Warner then mishandled the snap and fell on the loose ball on first down and misfired on a pass attempt to Fitzgerald on second down. On the third down, the Saints’ defense showed a look that they hadn’t shown all season, as Scott Fujita lined up as a defensive end and Will Smith lined up at middle linebacker. The play resulted in a 9-yard sack by Fujita and he stripped Warner of the football, which Scott Shanle picked up and returned to the Arizona 14. The Falcons were guilty of an illegal blocking call and the Saints had the ball at the Cardinals’ 7.

Fujita, who admittedly had a whirlwind week after his wife gave birth to twin daughters, said the entire game, and week, for that matter, was a whirlwind for him. “It was great for us defensively to make a big play. I can barely remember it, but I know it was key for us.”

Stecker wasted little time, as on a second down the hard-pounding Western Illinois product scored a rushing touchdown from six yards out and the Saints lead 28-14. Though leading by two touchdowns, plenty of time remained for the Cardinals and their dangerous arsenal of skills players.

“They have some tremendous skill players that need to be accounted for at all times,” said Payton. “The receivers, Edgerrin James and a veteran quarterback who gets rid of the ball and into the hands of his playmakers is a tremendous challenge for any defense. I was pleased we were able to make plays and that’s a credit to the players and Gary Gibbs and the defensive coaching staff.”

The Cardinals took over at their 20 after Martin Gramatica’s touchback and the Cardinals immediately went to the air, picking up 31 yards on three straight passes. Warner hung in the pocket and absorbed a pick hit from DT Kendrick Clancy and Smith, but still managed to complete a 14-yard pass to TE Ben Patrick.

James caught the Saints’ defense off guard with a 14 yard draw, taking the ball to the Saints’ 14. James then barreled his way to the Saints’ 7, and picked up 4 more yards, which brought up a second-and-goal from the 3 yard-line. Warner’s second down pass for Patrick was knocked away by Kaesviharn in the end zone and the Cardinals spent their second timeout of the second half with 6:21 left in the third quarter.

Despite heavy pressure from the Saints’ front, Warner stepped up in the pocket and found Patrick for a TD.

The Saints began their next drive at the 20 and picked up 16 yards on a quick pass from Brees to Stecker and then 11 more on a quick completion to Patten. Brees continued to pour on the pressure and then hooked up with Colston for a 21-yard gain down the sideline to the Arizona 32. Stecker then ripped off an 8-yard gain to 24 and picked up a yard on the next play. Facing a third-and-one the Cardinals’ Antonio Smith was guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct infraction and the Saints picked up a free 11-yards. The Saints tried an off-tackle run that didn’t go anywhere, and a quick pass to Stecker behind the line of scrimmage was dropped but recovered by the running back at the Cardinals’ 15.

The Saints called their first timeout of the second half with 1:37 left in the third quarter. A quick screen pass to Pierre Thomas picked up two yards, giving Gramatica a 31-yard try in his first field goal attempt as a Saint.

The third quarter ended with two big defensive plays turned in by the Black-and-Gold. The first came when Fujita blitzed and dropped Warner for a 10-yard loss. It was Fujita’s second sack of the afternoon, the first time as a Saint the former Cal star recorded two sacks in a game. On the next play, Hollis Thomas dropped James after a two-yard gain. The Saints dropped into coverage and allowed a short completion to James, despite looking like they were going to punt, the Cardinals used a quick snap to WR Sean Morey, who picked up 13 yards and gave the Cardinals the first down at their own 38.

Warner then hit Boldin over the middle for a 22-yard completion, setting them up at the Saints’ 38. Warner then found a gap in the Black-and-Gold coverage and hit Boldin for a 25-yard gain. James weaved his way through traffic and down to the Saints’ 7 for a gain of 6 yards. James was halted on the next play at the line of scrimmage by Mark Simoneau and Thomas. The Cardinals tried a reverse but Mike McKenzie came up and tackled Breaston for a loss of two yards. The Cards were forced to settle for a 26-yard FG by Rackers, which closed the Saints’ lead to 31-24 with 9:11 remaining in the game.

Leading 31-24, the Saints started at their own 17 yard-line and mixed the run and the pass effectively. The Saints picked up 18 yards on three plays and appeared to have a whole lot more after a 26-yard completion to Patten. But S Ralph Brown stripped Patten and Calvin pace recovered the ball at the Arizona 43.

On first down, Jason Craft forced an incompletion and DT Antwan Lake dropped James for a three-yard loss. On third-and-13, Kaesviharn knocked down his fifth pass of the game and the Saints forced the Cards to punt with 5:54 left in the game. The Cards downed the ball at the Saints’ 4 yard-line.

Brees hit Miller for an 11-yard gain and a first down. Brees then caught the Cardinals jumping and made them pay, hooking up with Colston for an 18-yard gain to the Arizona 33. Stecker then ran two times up the middle and the clock burned to 3:20 before the Saints called their second timeout of the second half.

On 3rd-and-4 from the Saints’ 39, Brees dropped back hit Miller over the middle for a 22-yard completion to the Arizona 39. Stecker then barreled his way over right guard for three yards and the Cardinals called their last and final timeout with 2:16 remaining in the game. Rookie Pierre Thomas then hammered his way up the middle for an 11-yard gain to the 25 as the clock wound down to the two-minute warning.

The Saints lined up in their victory formation and Brees took a knee and the Cardinals were helpless to stop the clock and the Saints collected their seventh win of the season and picked up their sixth win against NFC foes.

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