The 2009 New Orleans Saints are starting to make believers out of the most pessimistic of NFL observers as they continue their Black and Gold crusade through the NFL. Sunday in Miami, the Saints overcame a 24-3 deficit to win 46-34.
Miami did everything it could to keep the Saints from improving to 6-0. Former Saint running back Ricky Williams scored three times, including a 68-yard scamper in the first quarter, the longest run of his career. The Dolphins also picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees three times.
At one point in the game the Dolphins defense had limited the Saints rushing game to just 25 yards on the ground, had sacked Brees five times and forced four turnovers.
Then the light switch was flipped courtesy of Brees. In what to me is the play of the season, and could be a play looked on later on down the line as the signature play of the season, Brees was seen convincing head coach Sean Payton to go for it on fourth and goal prior to the end of the half. There were five seconds on the clock, and the Saints trailed 24-3 with the field goal unit on the field. Miami called a timeout and Brees used the extra time to calmly convince Payton to give him one more play.
Brees called his own number, leaping over the pile just enough to cross the ball across the goal line, giving the Saints their first touchdown of the game and more importantly hope. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma was one of many players suddenly showing the type of fire Miami started the game out with as the Saints offense came off the field.
It was 24-10 Fins at intermission instead of 24-6 and more importantly Brees’s boldness seemed to spark the team for the second half was all Saints. New Orleans outscored Miami 36-10 in the second half accumulating 302 yards of offense.
The tide began to turn thanks once again to safety Darren Sharper who undoubtedly will be back in Miami early next year for at least the Pro Bowl game. Sharper collected a tipped pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. It was Sharper’s third pick-six of the season, 11th of his career and the score was now 24-17 with barley over two-minutes having been played in the 3rd quarter.
Then Brees and the offense finally began to click, moving the ball down the field as Payton turned to the running game and tight end Jeremy Shockey to get the ball rolling. Saints running back Mike Bell carried the ball 12 times for 80 all in the second half. Shockey caught four passes for 105 yards including a vintage 66-yard run laden with stiff arms.
Brees would hit receiver Marques Colston for a 10-yard TD strike to make it 27-24 Miami. After a Williams TD run made it 34-24, Saints running back Reggie Bush provided a highlight score jumping from about the 5-yard line for a 10-yard touchdown, making it 34-31. A few minutes later, Brees scored on a sneak up the middle, dunking the ball over the goal post after the score. The score now Saints 37, Miami 34.
There would still be plenty of drama however as backup quarterback Mark Brunell bobbled the snap on the PAT and kicker John Carney hooked it left. Miami drove the ball just before mid-midfield, that’s when the Saints defense would put the final nail in the coffin. Cornerback Tracy Porter picked off an errant Chad Henne pass and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown.
It’s without question the most impressive of the Saints six wins this season. It answered really the last question remaining for this team to answer. How would the team respond to its first bit of adversity? For the first time all season, the Saints didn’t score on the opening possession, trailed for the first time and had to overcome the turnover bug.
Win number six answered that question emphaticaly. The 2009 Saints have grit, never giving up and showed they are talented enough to overcome mistakes and win all while in a hostile environment.
UP NEXT
The Saints won’t return to practice until Thursday as Payton has given them a few extra days off as the team’s next game is next Monday against the Falcons in the Superdome. Atlanta got spanked in Dallas Sunday 37-21.
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