Lions Nip Saints, 13-12
Battle of bottom-feeders a low-scoring Christmas Eve in San Antonio

posted December 24, 2005 - print me!
neworleansprofootball.com
By Chris Pika - courtesy of neworleanssaints.com

SAN ANTONIO, Texas--K Jason Hanson's 39-yard field goal as time expired capped a furious two-minute drive for Detroit and lifted the Lions to a 13-12 victory over New Orleans in the Alamodome.

The heartbreaking loss was the second for the Saints by a game-ending field goal in as many games in the Alamodome as New Orleans (3-12) dropped their second straight game in front of a crowd of 63,747. Detroit (5-10) snapped a five-game losing streak.

The Saints led, 12-10 with 1:52 remaining after a 20-yard field goal by K John Carney, his fourth of the game. Detroit started their final drive at their 19 after the ensuing kickoff with no timeouts remaining.

On third-and-12 at the Detroit 29 with 55 seconds left, Lions QB Joey Harrington fumbled the snap and was dropped for no gain. A false start penalty prior to the snap on Detroit's RT Kelly Butler moved Detroit back five yards and a 10-second runoff to 45 seconds was also assessed.

The next play, Harrington threw incomplete, but the Lions were penalized for offensive holding. The penalty was declined and Detroit faced fourth-and-17 at their 24. From the shotgun, Harrington went deep downfield for WR Roy Williams, who out-jumped Saints CB Mike McKenzie and brought down the catch at the Saints' 36, where he was knocked out of bounds with 30 seconds left after a 40-yard gain.

After a pair of incomplete passes, Harrington, with 23 seconds left, threw toward the middle of the field for Williams, who made the catch with the clock rolling. The Lions special teams scrambled onto the field and Hanson hurriedly kicked the field goal, which went through the uprights as time expired.

"We had opportunities and we didn't make them," said Saints Coach Jim Haslett after the game. "We just didn't make plays when we had to make them. The defense played well enough to win all day except at the end - the last two plays. Offensively, we moved the ball, but you can't kick field goals in this game and win."

"That was a frantic finish," said Lions Interim Coach Dick Jauron. "It is obviously not the way you would have liked to have done it, but before the play we were on the sideline talking to the field goal unit that was off the field. What we said to them was we know have enough time to execute the fast field goal so if we need to we can. They thought we were executing under all circumstances so as soon as we made the play they started onto the field and we realized we didnt have enough time to call them back and kill the ball. We knew we had enough time to kick it, because that is what we had just talked about, so we said lets just kick it, so they went out and kicked it."

A 21-yard field goal by Hanson with 7:14 to play had given the Lions a 10-9 lead in the fourth quarter. The Saints took over at their 28 and faced a third-and-1 at midfield with 5:41 to go. QB Todd Bouman snuck up the middle for one yard and a first down at the Lions' 49. Later in the drive, Bouman hit WR Joe Horn with a 18-yard pass to the Detroit 15 which converted a third-and-10 situation.

An eight-yard catch by Horn with 2:25 remaining gave the Saints first-and-goal at the Lions' 4. RB Antowain Smith had a pair of one-yard runs, sandwiched around the Lions' final timeout, to the Detroit 2 at the two-minute warning. On third down, Bouman, under heavy pressure, threw the ball away in the direction of WR Az-Zahir Hakim in the back of the end zone. Carney came on for his 20-yard field goal which set up Detroit's final drive.

"We were trying to get a touchdown and then we were going to go for two points to get a one-score lead," said Haslett. "They (Detroit) doubled Joe (Horn). Todd had an opportunity to hit Az Hakim right away, but he didn't, and then he got rid of it."

Neither team scored in the first quarter as the Saints stopped the only scoring chance in the first 15 minutes. Harrington was picked off on first-and-goal at the Saints' 4 by CB Fred Thomas, who jumped in front of Williams six yards deep in the end zone for a touchback with 5:56 left.

A New Orleans turnover gave Detroit a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. RB Aaron Stecker, on first-and-10 at the New Orleans 26, was stripped of the ball by DE James Hall at the Saints' 23. Lions DT Shaun Rogers picked up the fumble at the 21 and rumbled into the end zone for his first career TD with 5:45 left in the first half.

The Saints cut into the Detroit lead on their ensuing possession as Bouman led the Saints on a 12-play, 67-yard drive, capped by a 35-yard field goal by Carney with 1:04 to go before halftime as New Orleans trailed, 7-3.

In the third quarter, the Saints pulled to 7-6 on their first possession of the second half. Bouman completed his first six passes as New Orleans drove to the Lions' 29. Three incomplete passes led to a 47-yard field goal by Carney with 9:16 to play in the quarter.

The Saints defense forced a punt on the Lions' next possession and New Orleans got a huge punt return by Hakim, who went 42 yards to the Detroit 21. The drive stalled and Carney gave the Saints a 9-7 lead on a 33-yard field goal with 5:49 remaining.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Lions got the ball at their own 9 after a 31-yard punt by Saints P Mitch Berger. Harrington hooked up with Williams on a 49-yard pass play to the Saints' 14 and a seven-yard catch by Williams to the New Orleans 3 converted a third-and-six for Detroit. RB Artose Pinner gained one yard and was stopped for a one-yard loss on consecutive plays. Harrington then went for Pollard in the end zone, but threw incomplete. Hanson came on and made a 21-yard field goal with 7:14 left for 10-9 Detroit lead.

Bouman was 21-of-38 passing for 233 yards for New Orleans. TE Zachary Hilton set career highs with seven catches for 83 yards while Horn added six receptions for 70 yards. Smith led the Saints rushers with 13 carries for 33 yards.

Harrington was 17-of-30 passing for 210 yards and one interception for Detroit. Williams finished with four catches for 111 yards, 55 of which came in the Lions' game-winning drive. Pollard added six catches for 44 yards. Pinner had 20 carries for 57 yards for the Lions.

Detroit out-gained New Orleans, 279-273 as both teams were held to under 100 yards rushing (Detroit 71, New Orleans 47). The Saints had 19 first downs and held the Lions to 14.

The Saints complete the 2005 season as they travel to NFC South rival Tampa Bay next Sunday (Jan. 1, 2006) in Raymond James Stadium (Noon CT; WWL 870-AM, KGLA 1540-AM [Spanish], Saints Radio Network).

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