Super Saints Survive Sixth Straight

New Orleans nipped the 49ers for the sixth straight time on Monday night at Candlestick Park. Drew Brees spoiled San Francisco’s bid for their first win when he connected with Marques Colston on a 30 yard play in the final minutes. Colston’s reception set up Garrett Hartley’s game winning 37 yard field goal as time expired to give the visiting Saints a 25-22 victory. New Orleans is 2-0 for the second consecutive season, while the Niners are 0-2 for the first time in six years.
Brees threw for 254 yards and a pair of scores. The 31 year old former Purdue signal caller completed 28 of 38 passes and orchestrated the game winning 51 yard drive. The Saints climbed out to a 9-0 lead in the first quarter after a Reggie Bush touchdown followed up a two point safety on the game’s third play. New Orleans capitalized on San Francisco turnovers throughout the game. San Francisco finished with four turnovers on a night the franchise honored Hall-of-Fame receiver, Jerry Rice. Niners’ quarterback, Alex Smith, was picked off by Roman Harper in the first quarter, and Malcom Jenkins recovered a Niners’ fumble before the half. The 49ers outgained the Saints by nearly double in yards, and Smith showed glimpses of promise. Still, the Saints’ high-octane offense and tight defense was too much for Mike Singletary’s Niners. San Francisco didn’t help their cause either. Delanie Walker fumbled at the eight yard line in the second quarter, and two of Smith’s passes were deflected for interceptions deep in Saints territory. New Orleans, meanwhile, appeared in midseason form to keep the Niners winless.
Smith went 23-for-32 with 275 yards through the air. His only touchdown pass came in the second quarter, when he hit Frank Gore from 12 yards out to cut the Saints’ lead to 9-7. Gore, one of the league’s top rushers, ran for 112 yards on 20 carries. For Gore, it was the 21st time he raced for over 100 yard, breaking a franchise record. It was Anthony Dixon, the Niners backup rusher however, who scored the team’s second touchdown of the game. Dixon crossed the endzone in the third quarter to lift San Francisco to a 14-9 advantage. The Saints answered with Brees’ three-yard pass to David Thomas with less than two minutes in the third quarter to retake the lead.
Hartley notched a pair of field goals in the final quarter as New Orleans seized a 22-14 lead with 2:22 remaining in the game. Bush was carted off the field in the fourth with a leg injury after carrying the ball just five times for four yards. Smith needed just 53 seconds to move the Niners 82 yards. The eight play drive concluded with Gore’s 7 yard touchdown run with 1:19 left. The Niners went for two and Smith’s dart to Vernon Davis was overturned after an initial incompletion. At 22-22, the teams looked poised for overtime until Brees led the Saints on a 7 play drive down the field to set up the winning field goal. Hartley, who booted the game-winner against Minnesota to send the Saints to the Superbowl, barely made it through the uprights on Monday. But he did, and the Saints went on to win their second game of the season.

Parting Points: Gut feelings- The Phillies and Yankees will take their divisions.

Song of the day- “Yesterday’s Letter” by 98 degrees