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Saints QB Chase Daniel ups his play in Saints 38-20 win over Texans


The New Orleans Saints offense piled up more than 400 yards of total offense and 38 points in a 38-20 win over the Houston Texans. The Saints improved to 1-1 this preseason, and they will play host to the San Diego Chargers next Friday Night in another exhibition game in the Louisiana Superdome.

The Saints used solid balance on offense with 211 yards passing and 198 yards rushing in their win over Houston. Last year the Saints racked up 173 yards rushing and surpassed that total this year.

Unlike last week when the Saints offense took a couple of drives to get into a groove, the NFL's best offensive unit came out of the gates smoking against the Texans. New Orleans went on an eleven play drive for 72 yards and a game opening touchdown mission.

The drive was highlighted by eight runs with Reggie Bush carrying the ball four times and Pierre Thomas having four rushes as well. Bush scored on a one yard run and averaged a whopping 9.5 yards per rush.

The Saints defense also got off to a hot start, forcing a three and out on the Texans first offensive possession. Houston failed to convert on a third and four. The Saints offense then came out with more success picking up two first downs before being forced to punt.

The Saints special teams got the ball back as former LSU Tiger Trindon Holiday muffed a punt, and it was recovered by the Saints Pierson Proleau at the Houston 15 yard line giving New Orleans excellent field position.

The Saints were facing a third down and six at the Texans 11 yard line, and QB Drew Brees made a spectacular play. Under heavy pressure from the Texans, Brees moved to his right and avoided being sacked. He was falling to the ground and side armed a pass to WR Marques Coltson for a ten yard gain, giving the Saints a first and goal at the Texans one yard line.

Brees then capped off the four play drive with a one yard sneak, and with the Garrett Hartley PAT the Saints led 14-0 with 3:12 left in the first quarter. That one yard sneak would be the last play of the game for Brees as back-up QB Chase Daniel was inserted into the line-up on the Saints next offensive
possession.

Houston would respond with a seven play eighty yard scoring drive to cut the Saints lead to 14-7 early in the second quarter. Daniel came in and had a solid start. He completed 4-of-7 pass attempts in his first two drives for 69 yards and a TD.

On his second drive Daniel completed two big passes. One was a 25 yard strike to WR Marques Coltson on a 3rd and 14, and then Daniel threw a short screen pass to RB Pierre Thomas. Thomas did the rest, going thirty-one yards for the score. With the Hartley PAT the Saints led 21-7 with 6:34 left in the first half.

The Texans would add a 52 yard field goal by Neil Rackers to cut the lead to 21-10, but New Orleans came right back to answer the Texans score with another TD drive. Daniel led the Saints on an 11 play, 83 yard drive in the final 3:44 of the first half with the end result being a 1 yard pass to Zak Keasey for a TD and a comfortable 28-10 halftime lead.

Daniel had a solid first half as he completed 9-of-13 passes for 126 yards and two TD's for a QB rating of 139.7. Daniel threw another TD pass in the second half and finished the game 15-of-21 for 182 yards and a rating of 117.5.

The Saints defense had a solid first half as well, forcing two turnovers that led to scores and allowing just 138 yards of total offense for ten points to the Texans high powered offense. However, all was not well for the Saints as their woes in covering kickoffs continued.

After allowing New England to average 27.4 yards per kick return in preseason game number one, the Saints took a step in the wrong direction as Houston piled up 197 yards on kickoff returns for an average of 39.4.

Saints LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar led the defense with six total tackles, followed by CB's Tracy Porter and Randall Gay along with DE Will Smith who all finished with three stops each.
Deke Bellavia / bigchief@wwl.com Reporting