Head Coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees

Saints Outgunned In Tough Loss
Playoff chances, multiple players injured in final home game of 2007

posted December 23, 2007 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com
by neworleanssaints.com

The Philadelphia Eagles, behind three Donovan McNabb touchdown passes and a blitz-heavy defense, knocked down the New Orleans Saints, 38-23, at the Superdome.

The loss, which dropped the Saints’ record to 7-8, means the team still has a remote possibility to gain a postseason berth, but the following would need to happen: The Redskins must beat the Vikings this evening in Minnesota followed by losses next week by Washington at home to Dallas and Minnesota at Denver, coupled with a Saints win at Chicago.

The critical point in the game, with the Saints trailing 24-17 came early in the third quarter. The Saints had driven the length of the field and had a second-and-goal from the one, but were stopped on three straight plays and turned the ball over to the Eagles.

Adding insult to injury, the Eagles then turned around and put together a 15-play, 98-yard drive that was capped by a McNabb touchdown pass. Thus, in the course of five minutes, the Saints witnessed an opportunity to tie the game up, and instead, were faced with a 14-point deficit.

“Those would be the critical points in the game,” said Saints’ Head Coach Sean Payton. “But, I think I would be remiss if I didn’t give (Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach) Andy Reid and his staff credit. They did a great job and deserve credit. We didn’t play our best, but I give a lot of credit to them.”

The Eagles out-gained the Saints 435 yards to 346 yards and, perhaps more importantly, had the edge in third-down efficiency. The Eagles converted 61% of their third downs to the Saints 25%, which, according to Payton, was the most telling stat.

“That is usually what it comes down to,” said Payton of the third downs. “They are a heck of a defense to compete against on third-and-long and we made it tough on ourselves today from an offensive standpoint. On their end, they made plays. McNabb made some great throws and their also had some great runs from Westbrook. I have a lot of respect for the way the Eagles competed. We just didn’t quite match-up today and that’s disappointing.”

The game got off to strange start for the Saints, as the visitors converted a third-and-one from near the Philadelphia 30 when QB Donovan McNabb bootlegged out to the left and found a gap and raced 56 yards before being stripped of the ball from behind by S Josh Bullocks. The rolling football was nearly recovered near the Saints goal-line by CB Mike McKenzie, but instead WR Kevin Curtis recovered the ball in the end zone. K David Akers hit the extra points the Eagles led 7-0 just one minute and 45 second into the game.

The Saints came right back and Drew Brees drilled a 52-yard pass on the Saints’ first play from scrimmage to a streaking Devery Henderson down the sideline. Brees then connected on consecutive passes to WR Marques Colston and Aaron Stecker, before Stecker bulled his way into the end zone from three yards out.

The Saints then converted a Brian Westbrook fumble that Will Smith recovered at the Philly 33 and made quick work of the turnover, driving 33 yards in five plays, capped off by a one-yard Stecker TD run.

Trailing 14-7, Philadelphia came back and started a drive at their own 37 and picked up a key first down on a Saints’ defensive holding call in the secondary. McNabb then hit a 19-yard pass to Curtis that took the ball to the Saints’ 20 yard-line. On the next play, RB Correll Buckhalter bolted through the middle of the line and darted into the end zone on a run that tied the game at 14-14 with 5:47 remaining in the first quarter. The Eagles’ drive covered 63 yards in six plays in 3:05.

The Saints then took over and began their third drive of the game at their own 30 and quickly picked up 11-yards on a completion to Colston. However the Saints could not advance the ball any further than their own 46 and were forced to punt, and the Eagles took over at their own 15.

The Eagles received a huge break when the Saints were flagged for interference on a punt return late in the second quarter when return man Reno Mahe’s attempted fair catch bounced off his helmet, despite the appearance at CB Usama Young was engaged with two blockers and didn’t make any contact with the return man. But the Saints were flagged 15-yards and the Eagles took over at their own 35.

McNabb hit Westbrook for a 6-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage, but the Eagles suffered a setback in the next play when DE Renaldo Wynn sacked McNabb for a loss of 4 yards. McNabb hit WR Jason Avant for a gain of 15 yards on a 3rd-and-long and took the ball to midfield. A first down pass play was incomplete after Will Smith chased McNabb out of the pocket and the Eagles subsequently called their first timeout of the first half. McNabb then fired across the field and found WR Reggie Brown for 18-yards. After a 5-yard gain by Westbrook, McNabb hit WR Greg Lewis across the middle of the field for 16-yards to the Saints’ 11. The Saints held the Eagles, though and forced a field goal attempt when Charles Grant sacked McNabb on a third-down. Akers, however, kicked a 24-yard field goal that gave the visitors a 24-14 lead with 9:28 remaining in the first half.

The Saints could not muster a first down on their subsequent series and again were forced to punt, this time with Philly beginning at their own 23. The Eagles faced a 3rd-and-6from the 38 but the Saints halted the drive after a short completion across the middle of the field and the Eagles punted away, with the Saints watching as the ball bounced into the end zone and the Saints took over at their own 20.

The Saints were only able to pick up one first down and were victimized by a costly dropped pass on a third-and-long, and Steve Weatherford hammered a 61-yard punt. The Saints called their first timeout with 2:38 left in the second quarter in an attempt to regroup and settle down a bit after the Eagles converted a third-and-three with a run by Brian Westbrook. At the Philly 39, the Saints forced two incomplete passes and the Eagles used their final timeout of the half with 2:29 remaining and facing a 3rd-and-10. McNabb’s pass was off the mark and the veteran signal-caller appeared to be very near, or even over the line of scrimmage, when he threw the pass.

The Saints took possession of the ball with just over two minutes to go and the quickly got to work, picking up 10 yards on a completion to Terrance Copper. Brees nearly connected with a streaking Lance Moore on a long bomb, but the pass was just beyond his reach. A 2nd-and-10 was productive, albeit unconventional for the Saints, when a Brees pass was tipped and knocked back to Brees, who scrambled for 8 yard. Moore converted the third down with a 4-yard reception. Pierre Thomas recorded a 7-yard reception, and Miller had a 4-yard reception and got out of bounds to stop to clock after picking up a first down. Patten had a 16-yard reception but the Saints were driven back on a third-and-10, but as time was winding down, Martin Gramatica hit a 55-yard field goal that closed the Eagles’ lead to 24-14.

The second half started with the Saints starting at their own and on the first play, Brees dropped back and hit Pierre Thomas for a 6-yard gain and DE Trent Cole was flagged for a 15-yard personal foul call for roughing the passer. The Saints gave the yardage right back, however, as they were guilty of a holding call. Thomas picked up 5 yards on a first-and-20 with draw. Brees’s second down pass fell incomplete and the Saints faced a third-and-15 and Brees found Thomas underneath. The rookie runner ripped off 17-yards and dished out a hard-hit when he lowered his shoulder into CB Sheldon Brown.

Thomas then ripped off a hard run off behind right tackle Jon Stinchcomb, following a Mike Karney block and picked up 13 yards. Stecker then returned and picked up 26-yards to the Philly 7. Brees then hit Patten on a slant and the receiver was ruled down just shy of the goal-line. Head Coach Sean Payton challenged the spot, believing that Patten had gotten the football to the goal-line and after a video review, the Saints were charged with their first timeout. A second down carry by Mike Karney resulted in no gain, as did a third down carry by Stecker. The Saints faced a fourth-and-goal from the 1 but Stecker was stopped for no gain by LB Stewart Bradley.

The Eagles took over at near the goal line and picked up a quick five yards and were aided with a 15-yard personal foul penalty for a late hit on McNabb by DE Will Smith. The Eagles continued to utilize short passes and inside runs and methodically moved towards midfield midway through the third quarter. On a second-and-five for the 44, the Eagles picked up a first down with a hard run behind right tackle for seven yards. The Eagles picked up a first down on a pitch to Westbrook that gave them the ball on the Saints’ 38.

The Eagles picked up another key third down with a 10-yard pass from McNabb to Avant at the New Orleans 21. The Eagles faced a 3rd-and-5 from the Saints’ 15 at the 3:30 mark of the third, but the Eagles’ bench called a timeout before the ball was snapped. After the timeout, McNabb fired a sideline pass for 6 yards to WR Reggie Brown that picked up the first down. On the next play, McNabb, operating out the shotgun, found WR Greg Lewis for a 9-yard TD, which concluded a 98-yard drive in 15 plays. The score put the Eagles ahead 31-17.

The Saints, facing a 14-point deficit, went right to work, picking up a quick 26-yards on a completion from Brees to TE Billy Miller. Two plays later, Brees hit Moore for 12-yards and a first down and the third quarter ended on a 4-yard completion to WR David Patten at the Philly 27. Stecker picked up three yards on a second down carry, and Brees’ third down pass fell incomplete after he was drilled in the back as he threw the ball. On fourt-and-3, Brees rolled out and hit Stecker for a 6-yard gain and the first down. Stecker then picked up one yard off the right side of the Saints’ line, but a second down pass was dropped near the Saints’ 5. The Saints elected to try a 35-yard field goal with 13:07 remaining in the game instead of going for it on fourth down. Gramatica’s field goal closed the margin to 31-20.

The Saints’ defense then got a stop at the Philly 31, in large part due to a second down stop by Kendrick Clancy on Westbrook that netted a loss of three yards. McNabb’s third down pass fell incomplete due to tight coverage from the Saints’ secondary.

The Saints took over at their own 36 after an 8-yard punt return by Lance Moore. The first play was positive, as Brees hit Patten for 15 yards, but on the next snap, Brown was guilty of a holding infraction. Brees then hit Copper for 10 yards to the Philly and again his Copper for 8 yards on second and 10. The Saints sent in extra receivers, only to tip up the Eagles with an 8-yard run up the middle by Stecker. A false start penalty on Billy Miller pushed the black-and-gold back five yards and a screen pass netted a loss of one-yard. In the face of a heavy blitz, Brees nearly connected for a score with Moore, but the pass fell incomplete. Moore picked up 11-yards on third-and-down, but the Saints were still shy of the first down markers by 6 yards and Gramatica hit a 46-yard field goal with 7:19 left, closing the score to 31-23 in favor of the Eagles.

Buckhalter returned the football to their own 44 and on a first down, McNabb scrambled and hit Curtis for a 9-yard gain and moved into Saints’ territory. On a 2nd-and-1, Westbrook picked up the first down with a short run over the right side. The Saints called timeout, their third and final timeout of regulation, on the next play, McNabb once again connected with Curtis for a 26-yard completion to the Saints’ 19. The Eagles threw two short passes and were faced with a 3rd-and-1 and converted it with a 2-yard pass to Westbrook. Three plays later, McNabb hit Curtis for a touchdown, which gave the Eagles a 38-23 lead.

In desperation mode, Brees tried a deep pass to Devery Henderson that was nearly caught by the receiver, but instead ended up in the hands of LB Stewart Bradley.

Notes: CB Mike McKenzie suffered a sprained knee on the Saints’ first defensive series and did not return … RB Jammal Branch suffered a broken leg on the opening kickoff of the game … WR Marques Colston suffered a chest contusion in the first half and did not return … Drew Brees established a team-record with 18 consecutive completions, dating back to the last week. The previous mark was 15 completions in a row, set by Archie Manning in 1979. The Eagles also picked up a big chuck of yards when Westbrook took an end-around 21 yards to the Saints’ 31. On the next play, McNabb fired a seam pass 31-yards to WR Reggie Brown for the go-ahead score. The TD pass and subsequent extra point put the Eagles ahead 21-14 with just under 2 minutes to go in the first quarter.

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