New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - Colston comes up big when needed

His 33-yard catch on third down keeps winning drive alive

Monday, October 22, 2007
By Bob Fortus

It was third-and-5 at the Saints' 36, with Atlanta leading 16-14 and less than 10 minutes left.

Marques Colston made a fingertip grab on the run of a short pass over the middle from Drew Brees, then broke a tackle attempt by defensive back Chris Houston. Colston raced to the Falcons' 31, where he was pushed out of bounds.

The 33-yard gain was a key play in the Saints' drive to their winning touchdown -- the kind of play that became expected of Colston during his exceptional rookie season in 2006.

"That was the one play that really changed the dynamics on that one drive," Saints Coach Sean Payton said.

Colston said: "It was a great throw, putting it in a spot where only I could catch it and where I could run after the catch."

Last season, Colston averaged 14.8 yards per catch. This season, he has caught 26 passes for 263 yards, an average of slightly more than 10 yards per catch. Against the Falcons, he caught three passes for 45 yards.

He said defenses aren't covering him any differently this season. "It's the same stuff," he said. "At this point in the season, we're just attacking it a little better."

Colston was among nine Saints who caught passes Sunday. "If you go back to last year, that's the one thing we did, a lot of people to throw the ball to," he said. "We're getting back to that form."

FAINE INJURED: Saints center Jeff Faine missed much of the game with a pectoral injury.

"We don't have any results yet," Payton said of the extent of the injury.

Medical personnel were looking at Faine in the first half, and he left the sideline. He returned with a wrap high on his left arm and went back into the game. Jonathan Goodwin had briefly replaced Faine. On the Saints' first possession in the second half, Goodwin replaced Faine again, and he went to the locker room. Faine was out for the rest of the game.

MOORE'S LONGEST RETURN: Lance Moore's 48-yard punt return in the first quarter was the longest of his career. His previous longest was 30 yards this season against the Colts.

"I need to get one (a return touchdown)," Moore said. "I'm dying to get one back."

"It was important," Payton said of Moore's return. "Even though it didn't lead to points, it led to a change in field position, which later led to points."

The return gave the Saints the ball at the Atlanta 41. After the Saints punted, they pinned the Falcons deep in their territory, and Moore's 7-yard return of their next punt gave New Orleans the ball at the Atlanta 49. The Saints scored three plays later on Devery Henderson's 37-yard reception.

HENDERSON EXCITED: After scoring, Henderson spiked the ball and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. The touchdown catch was Henderson's first this season.

"It felt good to get in the end zone," Henderson said. "I got a little penalty. I wasn't even worried about it. I was so excited."

Payton said of the penalty: "I saw the same thing that you guys saw, a player who was excited and got the monkey off his back and caught a TD pass."

Henderson, who came into the game leading the NFL in dropped passes, said he remains confident. "I never lost my confidence," he said. "You've got to keep working. The main thing is not giving up, stay in the game, keep going."

FOURTH-DOWN TRIES: After failing on a fourth-down play on their last possession of the first half, the Saints converted on fourth down on their first possession of the second half on the way to scoring a touchdown.

On fourth-and-2 from the Atlanta 34 with 36 seconds left in the first half, Brees was intercepted by linebacker Demorrio Williams.

On fourth-and-1 from the Atlanta 48 early in the second half, Brees ran 9 yards on a naked bootleg for the first down. He nearly fell before running freely around left end. The drive ended with Pierre Thomas' 24-yard touchdown run.

ODDS AND ENDS: After getting one sack in their first four games, the Saints have eight sacks in their past two games. They sacked Atlanta quarterbacks three times Sunday. . . . Since 1990, 19 Saints-Falcons games have been decided by a touchdown or less. . . . The Saints held the Falcons to 75 yards rushing. New Orleans has held its past five opponents to less than 100 yards rushing -- the first time since 1992 that the team has accomplished that feat. . . . A challenge by Payton concerning the spot of the ball after a run by Reggie Bush was successful late in the first quarter, giving the Saints a first down. . . . First-round draft pick Robert Meachem was inactive.

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