frankeefrank

You need to make "plays" to win games.
Here are a few that helped set the tone against Carolina.

1. Colston's catch on third and 9.
1:09 1st qtr.
Say what you will, but this team was in danger of their second three and out to start the game. Colston ran a flag to the left sideline and Brees dropped the ball in the "bucket." Colston was wide open, the throw called for an over the shoulder catch. Colston made it the chains moved, and the Saints were rolling.
IMPACT: This play was huge. If one play signaled. we were home and we roll at home this play did that for me. The change in confidence was palpable. Carolina had taken away a couple of our base plays early and this was the type of conversion that screamed, "you can play us tight often, but not on every play." Sproles' big run came on the very next play, coverage loosened a bit and we end up scoring on the drive.
Just feel like the play gave us our swagger back.

2. Blitz results in a sack
2:18 2nd
On third and 8, the Saints send the house at Cam (albeit with 2 deep). Jenkins gets enough of a bump on Ted Ginn and and before Cam has a chance to make his second read, Cam Jordan plants him into the turf.
IMPACT: What a difference a week makes. Against Seattle, down 17-7 an trying to "get back in the game," we tried something similar. The result was a 52-yard completion to Doug Baldwin. Seattle goes on to score and we're down 20-7. This week, we got to the QB and the result was a sack. We get the ball back and score to make it 21-6 at the break.
What a difference a week makes.

3. Gano missed FG
10:25 3rd - 4th and 6
It wasn't so much the miss, it was what it stood for. The drive earlier, Payton had inexplicably turned down a penalty that would have reset first down. Carolina's defense had regained a little swagger and Cam (and Jonathan Stewart) had driven the Panthers to NO's 34 yard line. Haralson makes a great play on the run, pressure made Cam waste a throw and on 3rd and 9 more pressure makes Cam check down.
Carolina had a chance to put up points, and the miss was deflating.
IMPACT: The lead stayed at 15 and the Saints go down and get a FG to push it to 18. Now a three score game, with a little over 19 minutes to go, Carolina was forced to abandon their game plan and throw.

Sorry for the long post, just excited to see our guys rebound from an embarrassing performance in Seattle.
St. Louis now becomes the most important game of the year.
It's a similar match-up to Carolina, so I like our chances to win a squeaker.

The weather is always 72 degrees and perfect, in the Dome

Jack Vegas

You are dead on about that Colston catch on our second possession. That was HUGE. I've seen that kind of thing so many times, even in high school football. An offense can't do anything, they get one first down and all of a sudden they just start tearing it up.

WHODATINCA

Yeah, it was definitely a defining moment -- momentum changing. You kinda felt like not making that catch could have sealed deal for the Panthers.