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LANDOVER, Md. — For years and years, the New Orleans Saints were known for the crazy plays that usually went against them.

On Sunday, almost all of the crazy plays in a 33-30 overtime win against the Washington Redskins went the Saints’ way, which helped them clinch the NFC South title and remain undefeated through 12 games.

“I definitely believe in destiny, and I believe in karma and what goes around comes around,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said after bringing his team back from a 10-point deficit with just under seven minutes to play. “We’ve been on the other side of this deal probably too many times.

“Maybe it’s time we start catching some of the breaks and start being the team that wins them like this in the end.”

They talked about catching four big ones Sunday.

None were bigger, most of the Saints said, than wide receiver Robert Meachem’s 44-yard return of a fumble after he stripped Redskins safety Kareem Moore following an interception of Brees late in the first half.

Even Meachem was amazed at how the play unfolded as the Saints tried to get into field goal range while trailing 17-10. Moore, a former Nicholls State star, went over the top of tight end Jeremy Shockey to make the pick, then bounced up and headed upfield.

“The guy picked the ball off and I saw him coming toward me,” Meachem said. “I saw that he had two blockers and I said, ‘If I can knife through these guys, I might have a chance.’ So I knifed through and stripped the ball, and ran it in.”

When asked if that had ever happened to him before, Meachem thought and said, “Maybe in middle school.”

“We’ve been working on drills like that since we started OTAs,” said Meachem, who later caught a 53-yard touchdown to tie the game with 1:19 remaining to send it to overtime. “The defense always works on those type of drills. You’re just watching them and sometimes you think, ‘I think I can do that, but I don’t know.’ It just happened to go my way today.”

The unconventional touchdown came with 22 seconds remaining in the first half, sending the Saints to the locker room with a 17-17 tie and lots of much-needed energy.

“That was obviously the biggest momentum swing of the game,” said Saints wide receiver Marques Colston, who had a 40-yard TD catch in the first half. “It gave us an opportunity to really go in (in the second half) and get a big win.”

Meachem, who had career-highs with eight receptions for 142 yards, later had a 53-yard touchdown grab that came just five plays after the Redskins’ Shaun Suisham misfired on a chip-shot, 23-yard field goal that would’ve given his team a 33-23 lead with 1:52 to play.

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2theadvocate.com | Saints | Saints benefit from crazy plays — Baton Rouge, LA

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ScottF

I am now officially sick of the "won on crazy plays" line

play one- the short punt that hits a blocker running downfield- really, NO ONE has ever seen that before?

play two- Meachem's gem- what's 'crazy' about a guy making an absolutely great play?

play three- the fumble and call reversal after a brilliant TO- again, fumbles are pretty common

crazy usually implies lucky. IMO, the only lucky play was the FG miss

Did we deserve to win? we put up 33 on the road in bad conditions with 4-5 defensive regulars out. So, we deserved not to lose.

RaginCajun83

With the way that the defense made Jason Campbell look like Joe Montana then yes this team did deserve to loose, championship teams win games they shouldn't

Rugby Saint II

This is just one more example of what Gregg Williams has meant to this team. Meachem learned that strip from drills done during practice.