NEW ORLEANS (AP) -Drew Brees threw for four scores and Deuce McAlister set a Saints record for career touchdowns to help New Orleans take a 45-21 lead on the Green Bay Packers after three quarters on Monday night.
Leading 24-21 at the half, the Saints took control with a long touchdown drive, two consecutive interceptions by cornerback Jason David and a 70-yard scoring catch by Marques Colston.
receiver Greg Jennings slipped on a cut, returning it to the Packers’ 3-yard line. That play set up McAlister’s 54th career touchdown as he powered over the goal line, passing Dalton Hilliard in the Saints’ record book.
Later in the quarter, Brees found Colston on a streak route down the sideline, beating cornerback Charles Woodson and safety Aaron Rouse with 2:37 left.
David, inactive for two games earlier this year, was in the lineup only because of season-ending injuries to Tracy Porter and Mike McKenzie. He was booed all preseason by Saints fans after getting beaten regularly as a starter in 2007.
Rodgers, who completed nine of his last 10 passes in the first half, had a tough third quarter. In addition to David’s two interceptions, he threw another pass that cornerback Randall Gay dropped with a clear path to the end zone.
Brees threw two touchdown passes to Lance Moore in the first half, going 13 of 16 for 194 yards and surpassing the average that Green Bay gives up in a game. The Packers entered with the NFL’s No. 3 pass defense, but Brees completed 13 in a row after misfiring on his first attempt as he continued his assault on the NFL single-season passing record.
nts looked like they might score a fourth touchdown when they had first-and-goal at the 7, but a false-start penalty and two consecutive Brees incomplete passes forced them to settle for the field goal.
Moore’s second scoring reception, a 14-yarder in which he caught the ball at the 8, leaped at the 2 and put the ball over the goal line before his knee hit, gave the Saints a 21-14 lead with 8:19 left in the half.
Green Bay responded with a 14-play, 83-yard drive to tie the score at 21, with Rodgers capping it on a 10-yard scramble to the end zone on third-and-6.
Trailing 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, the Packers tied it on a 7-yard scoring toss from Rodgers to Jennings.
One play after Green Bay went ahead 7-0, Moore caught a short pass in the right flat, juked safety Atari Bigby and found a seam down the middle of the field. Cornerback Al Harris didn’t catch him until just before he crossed the goal line for a career-long 70-yard touchdown catch.
Thomas’4-yard touchdown run put the Saints ahead 14-7.
The Packers scored first on a 1-yard touchdown leap by fullback John Kuhn. It was the first rushing touchdown for Kuhn in his three-year career and only his eighth carry.
The Packers (5-5) needed to win to keep pace with Chicago and Minnesota atop the NFC North, while New Orleans (5-5), in last place in the NFC South, needed to win just to maintain hope of making a run to sneak into the postseason.
Add A Comment