The 9-3 Saints took on the 7-5 Titans in a game loaded with playoff implications, as the Titans fought for a Wild Card slot, while the Saints tried to lock up their division and hoped to catch the 49ers for the number two seed in the NFC. The Titans were able to keep the Saints offensive sufficiently in check to keep it close, and rookie QB Jake Locker came up just short as the Saints held on to win 22-17.
The Saints offense has looked unstoppable this season, with Drew Brees leading the league in passing yardage and on pace to crush Dan Marino’s 27 year-old single season passing yardage record. The Saints running game has been strong as well behind the three-headed monster of Mark Ingram, Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas, who have each rushed for over 400 yards entering the game and combined for 267 carries for 1,317 yards, for an average of 4.9 yards per carry.
A fourth head was added to the mix as second year running back Chris Ivory led the Saints in rushing with 53 yards on 13 carries. Drew Brees had another exceptional game, completing 36 of 47 passes (77 percent) for 337 yards with 2 TDs and no INTs.
The game was close from wire to wire, and when Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck left in the second quarter, rookie Jake Locker came in and provided excellent relief. Locker scored on a 6 yard run in the third quarter to put the Titans ahead 10-9 with 17 minutes to go.
Brees then threw two TD passes to Marques Colston in a 6 minute span in the fourth quarter, from 35-yards and 28-yards to put the Saints up 22-10 with 7 minutes to go. Once again, Locker led the Titans back, scoring on a 40-yard TD pass to Nate Washington to cut the lead to 22-17, but the Titans came up just short, missing a fourth and 1 in the last 3 minutes in what could have been the go-ahead TD drive.
Locker played exceptionally well, completing 13 of 29 for 282 yards and 1 TD, and he also ran the ball 6 times for 36 yards and 1 TD. He seemed to have excellent chemistry with wide receiver Nate Washington, who finished the day with 6 receptions for 130 yards and 1 TD.
Chris Johnson seemed to revert to early season form, as he only added 23 yards on 11 carries and was outrushed by Locker.
The Saints advance to 10-3 and keep the pressure on the 49ers for the number 2 seed in the NFC, while the Titans dropped to 7-6 and 3 games behind the Texans. It looks like the Titans will have to win out for a shot at a Wild Card slot in the playoffs.
