Just when the Carolina Panthers (9-4) thought they would be the first team to beat the New Orleans Saints (10-3) at home this year, the 5th ranked offense of the Saints woke up in the second quarter with three Drew Brees touchdown passes, which helped lead to an eventual 31-13 victory at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. This win puts the Saints firmly atop the NFC South with a 4-0 division record.
Brees (30 of 42 for 313 yards, 4 touchdown passes and no interceptions) surpassed the 50,000 yard mark in career passing yards with a 22 yard completion to tight end Jimmy Graham (6 catches for 58 yards and 2 scores), which took place near the 10:43 mark of the 4th quarter. Brees is 5th in NFL history in passing yards with 50,026.
After two Graham Gano successful field goals put the Panthers up 6-0 entering the second quarter, the Saints fans were getting restless. They weren’t used to seeing their team being shut out for an entire quarter. But Brees came to the rescue early in the second quarter, with a 6 yard touchdown pass to receiver Marques Colston versus linebacker Luke Kuechly and safety Mike Mitchell near the middle of the end zone for an eventual 7-6 lead with 13:35 left. Brees was able to secure that scoring pass because of solid last minute pass protection provided by tackles Charles Brown (left) and Zach Strief (right).
Then late in the second quarter, Brees heaved a 15 yard scoring pass right into the hands of a leaping Colston who caught the pass between bracket coverage provided by safeties Mitchell and Quintin Mikell. The touchdown connection provided New Orleans with their second lead of the night at 14-6 with 2:44 left. Colston to his credit caught 9 passes for 125 yards (his second 100 yard game of the season) tonight and the aforementioned scores.
Then later on the Panthers’ ensuing drive, emerging Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (3 tackles which included 2 sacks) dropped quarterback Cam Newton (22 of 34 for 160 yards and 1 touchdown pass) for a 12 yard sack which forced a 4th and 20 Brad Nortman punt. Jordan’s sack led to a Brees perfectly placed (the pass was far from elegant or beautiful) touchdown pass to Graham from 5 yards out to give the Saints a 21-6 lead with 18 seconds left in the first half.
In the second half, the Panthers saw three straight drives end in a missed Gano field goal from 49 yards out and two Nortman punts before they scored their next points. And by the time they scored again, it was much too late as the Saints were armed with a 31-13 with 5:15 left in the game. On said scoring play which took place on 4th and 17 from the NO 17, Newton with a helpful block from right guard Nate Chandler (Mira Mesa High School in San Diego) threw off his back right foot into the hands of Steve Smith (6 catches for 49 yards and 1 score) who caught the pass in double coverage near the right middle corner of the end zone.
From there, the Panthers would get the ball back once but the drive would end on another Nortman punt, his fifth of the night. On the Saints’ ensuing drive, Brees would end the game with consecutive kneel downs.
