Tonight the Saints ended a three-game losing streak by demolishing the visiting Cardinals. Arizona got off to a fast start on Tim Hightower’s 70 yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage, reminiscent of last week’s Baltimore/New England game. Unfortunately for Cardinals, the Saints were no Patriots.
The Saints established the run early on, highlighted by Reggie Bush’s 46-yard change of direction run to end the first quarter. The Cardinals responded to make the score 21-14 early in the second quarter, but the Saints took over from that point. New Orleans turned the tide with a 44 yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees to Devery Henderson midway through the fourth quarter. The Saints sealed the victory with Reggie Bush’s electric 83 yard punt return for a touchdown, the third longest punt return for a touchdown in NFL playoff history.
The Saints’ defense turned in a dominating performance. With Kurt Warner nursing a chest injury from a hard hit on an interception, the Cardinals’ offense struggled throughout the game. Excluding Hightower’s long touchdown run, Arizona managed just 31 yards rushing. Warner and backup Matt Lienart combined for 258 yards passing, but were unable to guide Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston and the rest of the Cardinals’ vaunted receiving core into the end zone. Consistent with forcing the most turnovers in the NFC during the regular season, the Saints’ defense forced Warner’s interception and Jerheme Urban’s fumble.
Drew Brees turned in a great performance, completing 23 of 32 pass attempts for 247 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Marques Colston (six receptions, 83 yards, one touchdown) and Jeremy Shockey (three catches, 36 yards, one touchdown) were solid contributors, but the offensive star was Reggie Bush, with the punt return for a touchdown and the 46-yard touchdown run.
With a complete win against the high-scoring Cardinals and the three-game losing streak snapped, the Saints moved one step closer to the franchise’s first Super Bowl trip and await the winner of tomorrow afternoon’s Vikings/Cowboys game.
