wizard 87
Old Enough To Know Better
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Yes, this was the same defense that five weeks ago shut down Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts’ high-powered offense.
It was the same defense that eight days ago almost pitched a shutout against the Chicago Bears.
Only it didn’t play that way in Monday night’s NFC showdown at the Louisiana Superdome.
In game that pitted strength against strength, the New Orleans Saints and their top-ranked passing game blew the doors off the Green Bay Packers’ once-vaunted passing defense on the way to a 51-29 victory.
“It was the mirror opposite of what we did last week,” Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk said. “Bad time to do it. No one saw it coming.”
The Packers’ woeful pass rush couldn’t get enough pressure on Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the NFL’s leader in passing yards heading into the weekend. Then again, that shouldn’t have been much of a surprise considering the Packers haven’t mounted a significant rush in weeks. Even without significant pressure, the Packers came in with the league’s third-ranked passing defense thanks in large part to a secondary that not only has feasted on big plays but also has been sound up and down the field.
The one-dimensional Saints made no bones about the fact that they were going to throw the ball, yet there was little the Packers could do.
It started with a stunner – a one-play, 70-yard touchdown drive on their Saints’ second possession in which Brees threw a short pass to receiver Lance Moore, who smoked safety Atari Bigby for a catch-and-run score – and then turned into methodical dismantling of the Packers’ defense.
“We got off balance right from the get go,” defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said, “and we never seemed to regain our balance.”
That was the beginning of 13 straight completions in the first half by Brees, who staked his team to a 24-21 halftime lead despite only 17 yards rushing by the Saints.
Brees didn’t let up in the second half. A blown coverage left tight end Billy Miller wide open for a 10-yard touchdown on the opening possession of the third quarter that gave the Saints a 10-point lead.
The game was already out of reach in the fourth quarter when Brees threw his second 70-yard touchdown pass of the game. On this one, receiver Marques Colston ran an out-and-go route against Woodson and beat the late help from safety Aaron Rouse, who had replaced the benched Bigby.
Asked whether he deserved to be benched, Bigby said: “When you get down to the source, probably.” Bigby went back into the game late after Rouse injured his ankle.
A defense that came into the game allowing just 176.3 passing yards per game, allowed Brees to throw for 323 yards and four touchdowns while completing 20-of-26 passes.
“We got embarrassed,” Packers safety Nick Collins said. “We got whooped. However you want to put it, that’s what we got out there. It was a butt whooping. We know we’re better than that.”
The big-play secondary that came into the game with an NFL best 16 interceptions couldn’t force Brees into any mistakes. The only turnover the Packers got came when Saints coach Sean Payton allowed Moore to throw a pass that Rouse intercepted.
No one the Packers’ secondary could match up with Moore, who caught five passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Eventually, the Saints even ran the ball with some success, finishing with 98 yards on the ground and 416 overall. A Packers’ defense that came into the game ranked 12th in scoring defense gave up 50 points or more for the first time since losing to the New York Giants 55-24 on Dec. 20, 1986.
“Our offense put up 29 points,” cornerback Al Harris said. “We’ve got to help them out. We didn’t get it done. We’ve got to hold them to 28 points.”
It was the same defense that eight days ago almost pitched a shutout against the Chicago Bears.
Only it didn’t play that way in Monday night’s NFC showdown at the Louisiana Superdome.
In game that pitted strength against strength, the New Orleans Saints and their top-ranked passing game blew the doors off the Green Bay Packers’ once-vaunted passing defense on the way to a 51-29 victory.
“It was the mirror opposite of what we did last week,” Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk said. “Bad time to do it. No one saw it coming.”
The Packers’ woeful pass rush couldn’t get enough pressure on Saints quarterback Drew Brees, the NFL’s leader in passing yards heading into the weekend. Then again, that shouldn’t have been much of a surprise considering the Packers haven’t mounted a significant rush in weeks. Even without significant pressure, the Packers came in with the league’s third-ranked passing defense thanks in large part to a secondary that not only has feasted on big plays but also has been sound up and down the field.
The one-dimensional Saints made no bones about the fact that they were going to throw the ball, yet there was little the Packers could do.
It started with a stunner – a one-play, 70-yard touchdown drive on their Saints’ second possession in which Brees threw a short pass to receiver Lance Moore, who smoked safety Atari Bigby for a catch-and-run score – and then turned into methodical dismantling of the Packers’ defense.
“We got off balance right from the get go,” defensive coordinator Bob Sanders said, “and we never seemed to regain our balance.”
That was the beginning of 13 straight completions in the first half by Brees, who staked his team to a 24-21 halftime lead despite only 17 yards rushing by the Saints.
Brees didn’t let up in the second half. A blown coverage left tight end Billy Miller wide open for a 10-yard touchdown on the opening possession of the third quarter that gave the Saints a 10-point lead.
The game was already out of reach in the fourth quarter when Brees threw his second 70-yard touchdown pass of the game. On this one, receiver Marques Colston ran an out-and-go route against Woodson and beat the late help from safety Aaron Rouse, who had replaced the benched Bigby.
Asked whether he deserved to be benched, Bigby said: “When you get down to the source, probably.” Bigby went back into the game late after Rouse injured his ankle.
A defense that came into the game allowing just 176.3 passing yards per game, allowed Brees to throw for 323 yards and four touchdowns while completing 20-of-26 passes.
“We got embarrassed,” Packers safety Nick Collins said. “We got whooped. However you want to put it, that’s what we got out there. It was a butt whooping. We know we’re better than that.”
The big-play secondary that came into the game with an NFL best 16 interceptions couldn’t force Brees into any mistakes. The only turnover the Packers got came when Saints coach Sean Payton allowed Moore to throw a pass that Rouse intercepted.
No one the Packers’ secondary could match up with Moore, who caught five passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Eventually, the Saints even ran the ball with some success, finishing with 98 yards on the ground and 416 overall. A Packers’ defense that came into the game ranked 12th in scoring defense gave up 50 points or more for the first time since losing to the New York Giants 55-24 on Dec. 20, 1986.
“Our offense put up 29 points,” cornerback Al Harris said. “We’ve got to help them out. We didn’t get it done. We’ve got to hold them to 28 points.”
