Saints Report #7 - October 29, 2017

Often when the Saints play in the Superdome, a track meet breaks out.  When John Fox and/or the Chicago Bears come to town, a football game is likely to break out.  That’s what happened Sunday when the Saints held off the Chicagoans, 20 – 12 in one old-fashioned slobber-knocker.

You know it’s a real football game when Drew Brees has to make a game-saving tackle.  I often say the team that runs the ball in the 4^th quarter wins the game, and the Saints were in position to do just that, but 2 Mark Ingram fumbles put the defense with the task of having to preserve the lead following Brees' clutch tackle after one of the fumbles.  For the last 3 years, that would have been a poisoning proposition for the defense. But, not this year, and not versus a rookie quarterback. 

QB Mitchell Trubinsky gave the Saints more trouble with his legs than his arm, but with a chance to tie the game on his last drive threw an interception to all-world rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore.  A huge 4^th quarter bomb by Brees to Ted Ginn, who has exceeded all expectations, set up the final score, a 49 yard field goal by Will Lutz.  Brees went over 6000 career pass completions, behind only Brett Favre and Peyton Manning, and surpassing my back yard record by 5000.

It wasn’t the Saints best game, but it goes nicely in the win column as their upcoming schedule looks daunting.  They still have to play the Bucs and Falcons twice, so it’s very likely the division will be determined internally in the final two months.  No matter what happens, we’ll always have October.