Once again in the Drew Brees era, the New Orleans Saints were in an offensive shootout with another team. And once again they came out victorious, as fourth-year placekicker Kai Forbath came through with a game-winning 50 yard field goal as the Saints beat the New York Giants 52-49 at the Mercedes-Benz Dome in New Orleans.
The Saints just signed Forbath 12 days ago, and now he has a game-winning field goal to add to his NFL career file. As beneficial to the Saints (4-4 overall) as that field goal was, no one will forget the marvelous and prolific game that Brees had. He went 40 for 50 for 511 yards, 7 touchdowns and 1 interception.
Those 7 touchdown passes were the most touchdown passes Brees ever threw in a single game in his 15-year career. And he needed every single last one of those scoring passes in this game, because Eli Manning (30 of 41 for 350 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 picks) and the Giants offense didn’t understand the concept of giving up in this game. Manning in a losing effort, went toe to toe with the Saints defense and Brees. He made some marvelous throws and reads to keep the Giants offense breathing throughout the contest.
The Giants (4-4) scored first when at the end of a 60 yard drive, Manning on 4th and 2 from NO 2, took the snap and then looked to his right where receiver Odell Beckham Jr. tried to sell a short-go route to Saints cornerback Delvin Breaux. Then Beckham jogged to his left to catch a 2 yard crossing-pattern touchdown reception. With 9:39 left in the first quarter the Giants had a 7-0 lead. Beckham Jr. like Manning, had an excellent game as he caught 8 of Manning’s passes for 130 yards and 3 scores.
The Saints answered that Giants score with a highlight-reel-worthy touchdown of their own. On 2nd and 9 from the NYG 34, running back Mark Ingram (16 carries for 80 yards) took the snap, and then tossed the ball back to Brees as he (Ingram) was falling down, with Brees then firing down field to a streaking Willie Snead (7 catches for 76 yards and 2 scores). Snead leapt into the air and caught the pass in the end zone amid double coverage from Giant defensive backs Jayron Hosley and Landon Collins. With 7:36 left in the first quarter, the score was tied at 7-7.
Then later in the first quarter, the Saints got on the board again. Brees on 1st and 10 from the NYG 26, took the snap and then found receiver Brandin Cooks (6 catches for 88 yards and 2 scores), who beat cornerback Trevin Wade to the inside and then the last 15 yards into the end zone. That 26 yard score gave the Saints a 14-7 lead with 2:24 left in the first quarter.
That touchdown was big for Cooks, because the New Orleans media and their fans have been waiting for his touchdown-scoring exploits for some time. That was Cooks’ first touchdown catch since October 11, when the Saints were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles 39-17.
Then the Giants struck with an all-around exciting play of their own. On 2nd a goal from the NO 1 yard line, Manning took the snap and threw to a crossing Beckham for a 1 yard touchdown connection. Then after the touchdown catch, Beckham busted out some top-shelf Michael Jackson-like dance moves that were reminiscent of Jackson’s 1987-1988 Bad tour. With 13:31 left in the second quarter, the Giants tied the game at 14-14.
But the Saints snatched the lead right back. On 2nd and 7 from the NO forty-six and a half yard line, Brees took the snap and fired down the seam to a streaking and wide open Marques Colston for a 53 yard scoring connection. With 11:06 left in the second quarter the Saints took a 21-14 lead. Colston finished the game with 8 catches and 114 yards and 1 score.
Then later in the second quarter, the Saints added to their lead when Brees found Snead for a 2 yard touchdown connection near the left corner of the end zone. That was Snead’s second touchdown of the game and it gave the Saints a commanding 28-14 lead with 1:46 remaining.
The Giants’ next drive which took place after that Snead touchdown catch, went on a penalty-laden (versus the Saints) scoring drive. The drive culminated with a Manning 2 yard touchdown pass to running back Shane Vereen who went into the end zone untouched. With two seconds left in the first half, the Giants cut the Saints lead to 28-21.
The Giants tied the score early in the third quarter, when Manning took the snap and found Beckham Jr., who had to fight off good coverage from Breaux and then the outstretched hands and coverage from free safety Jairus Byrd, to secure Manning’s pass in the end zone. With 12:58 left in the third quarter it was 28-28.
Then not too long after that Beckham Jr. scoring reception, Cooks helped out his quarterback in a major way. On 2nd and 10 from the NYG 21, Brees looked along the left sideline where he found a barely open Cooks, who had to run a few yards forward and then fight through double coverage just to catch the pass and then scurry into the end zone. That 21 yard play gave Cooks his second touchdown reception of the game and his team a 35-28 lead with 10:09 left in the third quarter.
Near the end of the third quarter, Brees again led his team to a scoring play near the 20 yard line. This time it was a 21 yard scoring pass to tight end Benjamin Watson, who on the play caught the pass near the back of the end zone and over the head of Giants linebacker Devon Kennard. With 29 seconds left in the third quarter the Saints’ lead ballooned to 42-28. Watson had one of the best games of his career today as he latched on to 9 passes for 147 yards and 1 score.
But again, the Giants showed some more fight. Because on 4th and 5 from the NO 9, Manning took the snap and then with all kinds of pressure around him and nearing the sideline, he uncorked a pass into the end zone that fell into the hands of receiver Dwayne Harris (3 catches for 37 yards and 2 touchdowns). That huge and super-lucky play cut into the Saints’ lead at 42-35 with 12:15 left in the contest.
The Giants tied the score less than three minutes later, when Manning found Harris again for a touchdown connection, this time from 20 yards out. With 9:30 left in the game, the score was tied at 42-42.
But just over two minutes later, the Giants put on a show on defense, to let the Saints know that they were tired of Snead’s big-play theatrics in this game.
On 2nd 6 from the NYG 43, Brees threw to his right where he found Snead for 6 yards to the NYG 37. But at the spot Snead caught the pass, he received a blindside hit from cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, with Snead then letting go off the ball and having it fall into the hands of cornerback Trumaine McBride. McBride took the fumble recovery and sped untouched down the left sideline for a 63 yard scoring play. With just under 7:10 left in the game the Giants had a 49-42 lead.
But near the end of the fourth quarter, the Saints had an answer for that offensive miscue mentioned above. Because on 2nd and 8 from the NYG 9, Brees fired over the middle and into the hands of running back C.J. Spiller, who took the pass into the end zone. With just 36 seconds left in the game, the score was knotted at 49-49.
Then a little later in the quarter, and after a Brad Wing punt and face mask penalty against the Giants, the Saints took over at the NYG 32. Forbath came in on the next play after that Wing punt, and pushed through a game-winning 50 yard field goal as time expired.
