GAME BLOG: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Written by Ken Trahan, President--NewOrleans.Com/Sports | Sunday, 22 November 2009 10:52 | NewOrleans.Com Bloggers Homepage Articles

The banged-up New Orleans Saints try to grab their 10th straight win to start the 2009 season against the division rival Buccaneers (1-8) in Tampa:

3:06 p.m.
3 more interceptions for the Saints today--20 on the year. They force 4 more turnovers and have forced 29 on the year. The Saints are 10-0 for the first time ever and they establish a franchise record with their 10th consecutive win, breaking a tie with the 1987 team, which won their final 9 regular season games. Drew Brees goes 19 for 29 for 187 yards and 3 scores with no interceptions for a quarterback rating of 119. The Saints had no turnovers for the game. Pierre Thomas rushed 11 times for 92 yards. Mike Bell had 13 carries for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns. Marques Colston had 5 catches for 74 yards. David Thomas had 4 catches for 66 yards and a score. Robert Meachem had touchdown receptions of 4 and 6 yards. Josh Freeman completed 17 of 33 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown with 3 interceptions. The Saints outgained Tampa Bay 370-219, passing for 187 yards and rushing for 183. Thomas Morstead averaged 48.8 yards on 4 punts and kicked off brilliantly. The Saints had the edge in time of possession with 32:24 to 27:36 for the Buccaneers. The win sets up a Monday night showdown against New England a week from tomorrow night. Keep it here at NewOrleans.com/Sports for Brian Allee-Walsh's game story and live coverage from Raymond James Stadium.    

3:05 p.m.
Mark Brunell kneels it out and the Saints win 38-7 over Tampa Bay.  

3:02 p.m.
Hamilton stopped on 4th down--Tampa Bay takes over at the Saints 43 but on the first play, Chris Reis intercepts Freeman to put this one to bed. Saints will run the clock out now.  

2:50 p.m.
The Saints gets a stop and they take over on offense at their own 27-yard line with 6:50 left in the game, leading 38-7. 

2:40 p.m.
It's over--not officially, but the Saints will be 10-0. Drew Brees drives the Saints 13 plays, 82 yards and 7:26 off the clock with Mike Bell scoring from one-yard out to make it 38-7 Saints with 10:12 left in the game. All 82 yards were rushing, except for a 12-yard pass to Shockey, who left the game limping. This team can run it when they have to. That's why they are so good on offense. They have true balance. They have worn down the Bucs. Terry Bradshaw picked the Bucs to win this one. He was close.

2:31 p.m.
Saints now have 135 yards rushing. Balance achieved again.

2:28 p.m.
End of the third quarter and the Saints lead 31-7. Pierre Thomas just rambled 24 yards to the Tampa Bay 41 yard line as the 4th quarter begins.

2:27 p.m.
Shockey limps off now, slight limp but again, what is next?

2:25 p.m.
Saints defense forces a punt....Saints ball at their own 18 with 2:38 to play in the third quarter, leading 31-7.

2:17 p.m.
The offense takes full advantage of this turnover, driving 55 yards in 6 plays, taking 2:10 off the clock with Mike Bell scoring from3-yards out to make it 31-7 Saints with 4:50 to play in the third quarter. On the drive, the running game came alive with Pierre Thomas running once for 18 yards and Bell carrying 3 times for 46 yards and a score. Bell is back. That's good news. The Saints now have 17 rushing touchdowns on the season.  

2:12 p.m.
The defense never rests. Jonathan Vilma intercepts Freeman at the New Orleans 45. Freeman had Winslow wide open on a crossing route but threw to the wrong guy. 2 INTS for Saints today, 19 on the year. Amazing stuff. Third turnover forced today.

2:00 p.m.
And the offense takes advantage, with Brees connecting with David Thomas on an 11-yard touchdown pass, the third of the game for Brees, to make it 24-7 Saints with 10:36 to play in the third quarter. The Saints have now scored 20 or more points in 19 consecutive games. The defense now had a league-high 27 takeaways with their second of this game. The offense has 10 points off of the 2 turnovers.  

1:58 p.m.
Injuries and all, the Saints defense does it again. Scott Fujita and Charles Grant sack Freeman, forcing a fumble and Anthony Hargrove recovers at the Tampa Bay 15 yard line.

1:55 p.m.
You ask what can happen next? Leigh Torrence hurts hus shoulder making a tackle. The Saints have no depth in the secondary for this game with Porter and Greer out. Usama Young will have to play corner. What next?

1:37 p.m.
Halftime and it is 17-7 Saints over the Bucs. After allowing the Bucs to drive 95 yards for a score on their opening possession, the Saints defense has really stepped up. allowing just 29 yards the rest of the half. The defense set up a field goal by John Carney on an interception by Malcolm Jenkins, making his first NFL start. The offense had two drives for touchdowns. The first was a 7 play, 68 yard drive with Drew Brees hitting Robert Meachem on a 4-yard touchdown pass. The second came near the end of the half as the Saints went 63 yards in 5 plays, scoring on a 6-yard pass from Brees to Meachem. The Saints have 190 yards to 124 for the Bucs. Brees is 15 of 23 for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions. The last number is key. The Saints have no turnovers in the first half. The running game has only produced 36 yards and Mike Bell got banged up and did not return in the 2nd quarter. Marques Colston has broken out of his slump, catching 4 passes for 66 yards. David Thomas continues to come up big. He has 3 catches for 55 yards. Josh Freeman is just 5 of 14 for 63 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. The Saints have shown him many looks and have confused him. The Saints have sacked him twice. Zach Strief has struggled in pass protection in his first start.  

1:33 p.m.
The Saints offense finally awakens. Brees takes the Saints 63 yards in just 5 plays, taking 1:10 off the clock. Brees and Robert Meachem connect on their second touchdown pass of the game, this time from 6-yards out to make it 17-7 with :28 seconds to play in the half. The score was set up on three big completions from Brees to Marques Colston of 16, 26 and 20 yards. Colston is back! The wide receivers have shown up. The Saints take control. 17-7 New Orleans.

1:29 p.m.
Yet another excellent job by the Saints defense, getting another three-and-out. Saints start from their own 37-yard line with one timeout left.  

1:27 p.m.
Vilma okay and back in game.

1:24 p.m.
Now, Jonathan Vilma is down after a tackle for no gain. This is starting to get ridiculous with injuries. 2 minute warning. Tampa 2nd and 10 from their own 25.

1:22 p.m.
And again, the Saints offense does absolutely nothing. Strief gets beat by a spin move on 3rd down, forcing a wounded duck from Brees and the Saints have to punt after another three-and-out. Where has this offense gone? Tampa Bay gets a shot to tie or take the lead with 2:09 to play, starting from their own 25-yard line. 10-7 Saints.   

1:20 p.m.
The Saints defense gets a three-and-out, forcing a punt. The offense gets it back with at their own 30-yard line with 3:09 remaining and one timeout  leading 10-7. 

1:18 p.m.
Now, Demario Pressley goes out dinged. What is next?

1:16 p.m.
The Saints offense cannot take advantage--another 3 and out. John Carney kicks a 38-yard field goal down the middle. Saints take a 10-7 lead with 4:11 to play in the first half. Mike Bell banged up. Lynell Hamilton got a carry on that possession. How many more injuries can they endure?

1:12 p.m.
Raheem Morris is a rookie coach. He badly challenges a second call. Both go against him. He is out of challenges. He is out of timeouts. Saints are 3rd and 8 from the Tampa 27.

1:09 p.m.
First-round pick Malcolm Jenkins comes up big, intercepting Freeman and returning to the Buccaneers 29-yard line. He made a great read and the receiver, Bryant, slipped. Big chance here.   

12:57 p.m.
And again, the offense cannot get it done. This does not look like the same offense of earlier this year. Make two first downs and punt again. David Thomas is the primary target of Brees' passes. Where are the wide receivers? Morstead punts beautifully. Courtney Roby saves the ball onto the field and Usama Young downs it at the Tampa Bay one-yard line. 9 minutes left in the half and still tied 7-7. Get a stop here and get a short field for the offense.

12:50 p.m.
The Saints defense responds, forcing a three-and-out. Devery Henderson back to field the punt this time. He returns it 5 yards to the New Orleans 33. Saints start there with 11:45 to play in the 2nd quarter, tied 7-7. 

12:45 p.m.
The Saints offense goes three-and-out, failing to do anything. Game on. Morstead punts well and Tampa Bay starts from their own 30-yard line with 13:18 to play in the half still tied 7-7.

12:42 p.m.
40th three-and-out for the Bucs on the year--2nd most in the NFL. That's one big reason why they have won just one game. The touchdown pass by Drew Brees was his 20th of the year. FYI--the NFL's other unbeaten team, the Colts, lead the Ravens 7-3. Darren Sharper fielding punts in the absence of Reggie Bush and Lance Moore. He fair catches over the shoulder at his own 18. That's where the Saints will start with 14:52 to play in the first half, tied 7-7 with Tampa Bay.

12:40 p.m.
And the Saints defense gets the necessary stop, forcing a three-and-out. Kellen Winslow catches one that would have been a first-down but he was out-of-bounds. Tampa Bay will punt as the first quarter comes to an end. 7-7. Total yards:  87 for New Orleans, 80 for Tampa Bay.

12:35 p.m.
And the Saints offense answers the challenge, driving 7 plays, 68 yards, scoring on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brees to Robert Meachem to tie the game 7-7 with 1:04 to play in the opening quarter. Brees was a pefect 4 of 4 for 55 yards and a score on the drive. The big play was the 37-yard completion to David Thomas. He has been a real find. Time to play defense. The Saints certainly did not on the first Tampa Bay possession.

12:29 p.m.
The Saints are driving, at the Tampa Bay 24-yard line. Drew Brees connected on a 37-yard pass to tight end David Thomas and Pierre Thomas has run 7 yards to the 24. Timeout on the field. 3:34 to play in the first quarter. 7-0 Tampa Bay on top.

12:25 p.m.
Roby returns the kickoff in nice fashion to the Saints' 32 yard-line. Have to get something going.  

12:22 p.m.
Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman looks like an all-pro on the first possession for the Bucs and they take a 7-0 lead over New Orleans with 4:58 to play in the opening quarter. The Bucs riddle the Saints defense, driving 95 yards in 12 plays, taking 6:55 off the clock to do so. Freeman hits Michael Clayton of LSU on an 18-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone. He was wide open. Freeman bought time, sliding left. The Saints got gashed for 57 yards rushing on the drive. Looks like more of the same. Cannot stop the run. Better score a lot.  

12:06 p.m.
Not a good start--the Saints make one first down and cannot convert a third-and-one at their own 42. Have to punt. The Saints had scored 6 times on their opening possessions of games. Not this time. Great punt by Morstead--fair catch at 5-yard line on a 53-yard punt. Tampa Bay gets it with 11:53 to play in the first quarter with no score.   

12:04 p.m.
Roby returns 27 yards to the 23-yard line.

12:03 p.m.
Saints win toss and are receiving.

12:02 p.m.
Ready to go in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium. Nice day. Military flyover. Elbert Mack out in the secondary for the Bucs. Brees will go after him. Saints wearing white. Should feel at home.

11:45 a.m.
Is Bushrod not starting due to injury or performance? Maybe a bit of both. Strief is capable. Bushrod is active. Perhaps that answers the question.

11:25 a.m.
Expect to see Usama Young as a cover corner with all of the injuries and with Chris McAlister inactive. Leigh Torrence struggled last week. Malcolm Jenkins starts and he is a rookie. Randall Gay struggled last week. Josh Freeman has his pick of corners to attack.

11:24 a.m.
The wind could be a factor in this one. It is out of the south at 15 miles per hour. 79 degrees with fair skies.

10:54 a.m. - Brian Allee-Walsh files this report on today's inactives:

TAMPA, Fla. - Zach Strief will get his second start of the season for the New Orleans Saints, replacing Jermon Bushrod at left tackle for today’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.

Bushrod had been a fixture at LT since the second preseason game against the Houston Texans after replacing the injured Jammal Brown. Bushrod has gone up against some of the NFL’s premier pass rushers this season with mixed results.

Strief replaced an injured Bushrod in the lineup against the New York Jets.

Strief, 6-7, 320, will be making his fifth NFL start. He had started one game in each of the previous three seasons.

Also, as expected, rookie cornerback Malcolm Jenkins will be making his first NFL start, pared opposite veteran cornerback Randall Gay. Jenkins and Gay are replacing injured starters Tracy Porter (knee) and Jabari Greer (groin).

Pierre Thomas will start for injured running back Reggie Bush, who did not make the trip to Tampa Bay because of a bruised left knee.

Besides Greer, Porter and Bush, the Saints’ other inactives are WR Lance Moore, newly-signed CB Chris McAlister, LB Jonathan Casillas, DT Sedrick Ellis and K Garrett Hartley.

For Tampa Bay, the inactives are WR Yamon Figurs, CB Mike Mickens, CB Elbert Mack, G Shawn Murphy, T James Lee, WR Brian Clark and DT Dre Moore. Byron Leftwich is the Buccaneers’ third quarterback.

10:50 a.m. - The Saints (9-0) are unbeaten but beaten up, so today's matchup with Tampa Bay (1-8) may be closer than the records indicate.