Saints Report #9

The hit song “Land Down Under” has a famous reference to a Vegamite Sandwich.

The Saints moved down under .500 with another sandwich of their own.  They started weak, and finished weaker, even if the meat of the sandwich was pretty good.  The stale bread was a Drew Brees interception that helped put the Saints in a 14-0 first quarter hole, then a Brees fumble in overtime that led to an immediate field goal for a 27-24 win by the San Francisco 49’ers.

Besides the turnovers that continue to burn the Saints, there were two other plays that will be remembered in this disappointing loss that moved the Saints to 4-5.

The Saints had battled back from a 14-0 first quarter deficit to take a 24-21 lead late into the 4^th quarter.  It was the kind of grind it out comeback lead by the passing of Brees, big catches by Colston, Graham, and Cooks, and pounding running by Ingram that coulda, shoulda served as a signature win for this struggling team. 

But if you thought they were going to hold that lead, you don’t know these Saints.

The defense had played magnificently and had the 49’ers in a 4^th and 10.  Hold them and the game is yours.  But no, just when you think the defense has turned the corner and is ready to seal the deal, they give us another Golden Tate-like moment.  This time it was a 51 yard completion from Colin Kapernick to Michael Crabtree, who somehow got open enough to pitch a tent.  Their field goal sent it to overtime.

But not before Brees threw a perfect Hail Mary to the end zone at the end of regulation that Jimmy Graham caught rather easily.  Too easily as it turned out, when the referees nullified the catch with a rare offensive interference call on Graham for pushing off a defender, who was either a great actor or a pretty weak defensive back.  Traditionally the Hail Mary has featured everyone pushing and shoving in the end zone, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen pass interference called, but if they are going to start calling it, this was probably a good place to start.

A couple of stalled series in the OT led up to Brees getting the ball knocked out of his hand and the Saints 2014 tradition of mistakes at the worst possible moment continued.  They could be 8 – 1 with a little luck at the end of games, but Luck plays for the Colts, and the Saints keep making lousy sandwiches.

The home winning streak is over and the Saints either start a new streak next week against the Bengals or continue to try to give away the division that no one wants.