New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

By BRETT MARTEL, AP Sports Writer
November 4, 2007


NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Opposing coaches may as well incinerate game film of the Saints' dreadful 0-4 start. The team in those clips ceased to exist a month ago.

Drew Brees threw for 445 yards and three touchdowns, and Mike McKenzie returned an interception 75 yards for a score as New Orleans won its fourth straight, 41-24 over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Now all the preseason hype seems a little more justified as the Saints (4-4) have become legitimate contenders in the NFC South again, only a half-game behind division-leading Tampa Bay (5-4). This latest victory over Jacksonville (5-3) was the Saints' most impressive, given the quality of the opponent. The Saints also proved they can indeed play with the AFC, against which they were 0-5 since beating Cleveland on opening day of 2006.

Brees' 35 completions on 49 attempts without an interception were impressive enough. Reggie Bush wasn't bad, either, scoring touchdowns on a short run and a short reception. He gained 115 total yards, surpassing the 100-yard mark for the third time in four games.

Brees' other scoring passes went to Lance Moore and David Patten. Marques Colston had 10 catches for 159 yards.

Quinn Gray, starting his second game for injured David Garrard (ankle), opened well, but his performance dipped after he sprained his left ankle on a hit by Will Smith early in the second quarter. He finished 20-of-33 for 354 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times.

When New Orleans blew coverage on Gray's 80-yard TD pass to Reggie Willams, it was among only a few plays reminiscent of the early-season Saints, whose secondary gave up a slew of long touchdowns passes.

Another was Maurice Jones-Drew's 100-yard kickoff return that tied the game at 14 in the second quarter.

Overall, however, New Orleans' defense held up long enough, limiting Jacksonville's powerful running game to 88 yards.

McKenzie's TD turned the tide, giving New Orleans a 31-17 lead. Trailing by one touchdown early in the third quarter, Jacksonville went for it on fourth-and-4 from the New Orleans 34. Under pressure, Gray delivered a floater into the right flat. McKenzie grabbed it and was gone.

After Olindo Mare drove for a 46-yard field goal -- Mare also missed twice -- New Orleans caught Jacksonville napping, easily recovering an onside kick. Bush eventually scored from 1 yard for a 10-0 lead before seven minutes elapsed.

Gray's long pass play to Williams made it 10-7, then more defensive mistakes helped Jacksonville tie the game. McKenzie dropped an interception, then committed a 15-yard face mask penalty, setting up former Saints kicker John Carney's 30-yard field goal.

But reserve tight end Billy Miller turned a short completion into a zigzagging 57-yard gain to the Jacksonville 2, setting up Bush's second TD on a swing pass. The 17-10 lead lasted only as long as it took Jones-Drew to score on the kickoff return.

New Orleans took a 24-17 lead on Moore's 8-yard catch in the back of the end zone, capping a drive during which Brees completed all seven passes for 65 yards.

At one point, boos rained down as Mare took the field for another kick, annoying Brees, who motioned for the fans to be supportive. Mare pushed it right again.

NFL - Jacksonville Jaguars/New Orleans Saints Recap Sunday November 4, 2007 - Yahoo! Sports

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

And to think we score 41 on a team who was ranked 5th on a scoring defense.

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

Like I said, VERY IMPRESSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

I love the first sentence of that writeup!

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

I was surprised that the Saints scored that many points on that defense, but that just shows what they can do to other teams.

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

Opposing coaches may as well incinerate game film of the Saints' dreadful 0-4 start. The team in those clips ceased to exist a month ago.

Can I get a WHO DAT !!!!!

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

good to see everyone in good spirits today
Is there anyone who is gonna try and say "the o-line sucked" or "bush can't do it" or anything else... where are all the ney-sayers today?

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

Mare's 2 missed field goals are still a problem but I must point out that the only reason the Jags went for it on 4th down which turned out to be a pick for a TD for us is that it would have been a 51 yrd FG attempt which is outside of Carney's range. Again Mare missed 2 but they were not short just wide right which is in his mechanics and can be corrected.

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

First one maybe mechanics... it took a noticiable hook as it got near the goal. I don't think his foot hit it wear he needed to.

Second the ball went to the same spot and it was going to miss from the get go. You got to make those. Your team recovers after you missed it to march right back down into the dragons teeth to give you another shot and you missed that won as well. Kicking there is no denying its also a mental game but he FAILED. Luckly the grounds crew did a great job keeping the sidelines clean because if there was a rock Mare would have found it and crawled under it.

Both kicks where not just missed they were MISSED.

Re: New Orleans 41, Jacksonville 24
 

Was there anything about this game or the other 3 wins that suggest that the O-Line DID NOT suck the first 3 or 4 games? I said a couple weeks ago that when they play well I will say that they did. Again, they played well. Perhaps, even great. However, I still say the O-line was the sole cause for the first 2 losses and contributed heavily to the next 2. No one is happier than I that they have turned it around.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is the need for some people to call out others for pointing out was should have been obvious to everyone. Am I now a nay-sayer because the O-line played poorly early on and I said so?

This was probably not directed at me, but I've seen this 3 or 4 times in different threads since yesterday, but I don't get the logic.