Final
Brees, Saints outscore Chargers in London
Oct 26, 2008 - 10:49 PM LONDON (Ticker) -- A long way from home, Drew Brees haunted his former team.Brees passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, lifting the New Orleans Saints to a 37-32 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the NFL's second regular-season game played in London.
In a battle of teams desperate for a win, the Saints (4-4) overcame the absence of running back Reggie Bush to reach their bye week at .500.
Bush, the Saints' leading rusher, missed the game after undergoing knee surgery on Monday.
"I'm glad we won," said Brees, who spent the first five years of his career in San Diego. "This game was not about me proving a point or proving anybody wrong or saying you never should have let me go. We beat a very good team today that needed a win just as bad as we did."
The NFL's leader in passing yards, Brees felt right at home on the foreign turf, completing 30-of-41 passes. He has throw for more than 200 yards in 12 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
"He got a game ball," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. "It was an important game for him, aside from the obvious reasons. We couldn't be more happy for me."
Brees' 1-yard TD pass to Mark Campbell gave New Orleans 30-17 lead with 10 minutes left in the third quarter, and the Saints held off San Diego's comeback attempt in the fourth period.
"We knew we had our work cut out for us," Brees added. "Really kind of keeping pace with them and understanding every time we touched the ball we really needed to try to possess it and move it and score points."
In the first regular-season contest played in London last season , the New York Giants plodded their way to a 13-10 win over the Miami Dolphins in a game played in a steady rain.
The Saints and Chargers surpassed that total in the first half, combining for 40 points. New Orleans led, 23-17, at the intermission.
"It felt like a home game, but probably more of a playoff feel to it just because of the amount of people and all the cameras were flashing," New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister said.
San Diego's Philip Rivers also threw three touchdowns, but the disappointing Chargers were forced to play catch-up after falling behind, 16-3, in the second period.
"It's tough," Rivers said. "We put up 30 points. We made some critical errors, both sides of the ball."
San Diego reached the midpoint of the season at 3-5 and is danger of missing the playoffs after winning the AFC West title last year with an 11-5 record.
LaDainian Tomlinson ran for 105 yards on 19 carries for the Chargers, his 47th career 100-yard rushing game, but the Chargers could not overcome 14 penalties.
"That's the key - those self-inflicted wounds, they kill you" Rivers said. "We beat ourselves."
San Diego closed to 37-30 on Rivers' 14-yard TD pass Vincent Jackson with 7 1/2 minutes remaining and reached the Saints 32 on its next possession.
But the Chargers' hoped ended when linebacker Jonathan Vilma intercepted Rivers at the Saints' 10-yard line with 1:09 remaining.
"I think we put on a good show here," Tomlinson said. "And that's the reason we came here - to show why American football is so important."
Instead of punting, New Orleans conceded a safety when Brees ran out of the end zone with eight seconds remaining.
San Diego got one play with one second left following the free kick, but Rivers' pass into the end zone fell incomplete.
"We did think the game was over," Vilma said. "We saw it go 0:00 on the clock and unfortunately the referees put one second back on the clock. Defensively, you don't want to go out for that last play."
- AT LONDON
NFL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN DIEGO 3 14 3 12 32
NEW ORLEANS 3 20 7 7 37 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: NOR - FG, TAYLOR MEHLHAFF 23 YD, 8:26. Drive:
14 plays, 69 yards in 8:26. Key
plays: Brees 10-yard pass to Miller
to New Orleans 40; McAllister
12-yard run to San Diego 45; Brees
Oct 26 4:28 PM - AT LONDON
NFL SAFETY SDG
BALL THROUGH END ZONE
SAN DIEGO 32
NEW ORLEANS 37 0:08 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Chargers 32, Saints 37 4th - 0:08Oct 26 4:26 PM
TD SDG VINCENT JACKSON 14 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 30, Saints 37 4th - 7:21Oct 26 3:56 PM
TD SDG VINCENT JACKSON 14 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 30, Saints 37 4th - 7:21Oct 26 3:56 PM
TD SDG VINCENT JACKSON 14 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 30, Saints 37 4th - 7:21Oct 26 3:56 PM- AT LONDON
NFL TD SDG
VINCENT JACKSON 14 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 30
NEW ORLEANS 37 7:21 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Chargers 30, Saints 37 4th - 7:21Oct 26 3:56 PM - AT LONDON
NFL FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 30 YD
SAN DIEGO 23
NEW ORLEANS 37 9:38 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Chargers 23, Saints 37 4th - 9:38Oct 26 3:46 PM - AT LONDON
NFL TD NOR
MIKE KARNEY 1 YD RUN
(TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
SAN DIEGO 20
NEW ORLEANS 37 14:49 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Chargers 20, Saints 37 4th - 14:49Oct 26 3:32 PM - AT LONDON
NFL END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN DIEGO 3 14 3 20
NEW ORLEANS 3 20 7 30 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: NOR - FG, TAYLOR MEHLHAFF 23 YD, 8:26. Drive:
14 plays, 69 yards in 8:26. Key
plays: Brees 10-yard pass to Miller
to New Orleans 40; McAllister
12-yard run to San Diego 45;
Oct 26 3:27 PM - AT LONDON
NFL FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 24 YD
SAN DIEGO 20
NEW ORLEANS 30 3:25 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Chargers 20, Saints 30 3rd - 3:25Oct 26 3:15 PM
TD NOR MARK CAMPBELL 1 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 17, Saints 30 3rd - 10:20Oct 26 3:01 PM
TD NOR MARK CAMPBELL 1 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 17, Saints 30 3rd - 10:20Oct 26 3:01 PM
TD NOR MARK CAMPBELL 1 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 17, Saints 30 3rd - 10:20Oct 26 3:01 PM- AT LONDON
NFL TD NOR
MARK CAMPBELL 1 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES
(TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
SAN DIEGO 17
NEW ORLEANS 30 10:20 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Chargers 17, Saints 30 3rd - 10:20Oct 26 3:01 PM - AT LONDON
NFL HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN DIEGO 3 14 17
NEW ORLEANS 3 20 23 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: NOR - FG, TAYLOR MEHLHAFF 23 YD, 8:26. Drive:
14 plays, 69 yards in 8:26. Key
plays: Brees 10-yard pass to Miller
to New Orleans 40; McAllister
12-yard run to San Diego 45; Bree
Oct 26 2:34 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 12 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 17, Saints 23 2nd - 1:14Oct 26 2:23 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 12 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 17, Saints 23 2nd - 1:14Oct 26 2:23 PM
TD SDG ANTONIO GATES 12 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 17, Saints 23 2nd - 1:14Oct 26 2:23 PM- AT LONDON
NFL TD SDG
ANTONIO GATES 12 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 17
NEW ORLEANS 23 1:14 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Chargers 17, Saints 23 2nd - 1:14Oct 26 2:23 PM
TD NOR LANCE MOORE 30 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 10, Saints 23 2nd - 3:36Oct 26 2:15 PM
TD NOR LANCE MOORE 30 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 10, Saints 23 2nd - 3:36Oct 26 2:15 PM
TD NOR LANCE MOORE 30 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 10, Saints 23 2nd - 3:36Oct 26 2:15 PM- AT LONDON
NFL TD NOR
LANCE MOORE 30 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES
(TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
SAN DIEGO 10
NEW ORLEANS 23 3:36 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Chargers 10, Saints 23 2nd - 3:36Oct 26 2:15 PM
TD SDG LADAINIAN TOMLINSON 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 10, Saints 16 2nd - 5:35Oct 26 2:10 PM
TD SDG LADAINIAN TOMLINSON 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 10, Saints 16 2nd - 5:35Oct 26 2:10 PM
TD SDG LADAINIAN TOMLINSON 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS (NATE KAEDING KICK)
Chargers 10, Saints 16 2nd - 5:35Oct 26 2:10 PM- AT LONDON
NFL TD SDG
LADAINIAN TOMLINSON 13 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 10
NEW ORLEANS 16 5:35 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Chargers 10, Saints 16 2nd - 5:35Oct 26 2:10 PM
TD NOR DEUCE MCALLISTER 1 YD RUN (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 3, Saints 16 2nd - 8:52Oct 26 1:58 PM
TD NOR DEUCE MCALLISTER 1 YD RUN (TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
Chargers 3, Saints 16 2nd - 8:52Oct 26 1:58 PM- AT LONDON
NFL TD NOR
DEUCE MCALLISTER 1 YD RUN
(TAYLOR MEHLHAFF KICK)
SAN DIEGO 3
NEW ORLEANS 16 8:52 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Chargers 3, Saints 16 2nd - 8:52Oct 26 1:58 PM
TD NOR DEVERY HENDERSON 12 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (PAT FAILED)
Chargers 3, Saints 9 2nd - 11:02Oct 26 1:50 PM
TD NOR DEVERY HENDERSON 12 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (PAT FAILED)
Chargers 3, Saints 9 2nd - 11:02Oct 26 1:50 PM
TD NOR DEVERY HENDERSON 12 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES (PAT FAILED)
Chargers 3, Saints 9 2nd - 11:02Oct 26 1:50 PM- AT LONDON
NFL TD NOR
DEVERY HENDERSON 12 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES
(PAT FAILED)
SAN DIEGO 3
NEW ORLEANS 9 11:02 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Chargers 3, Saints 9 2nd - 11:02Oct 26 1:50 PM - AT LONDON
NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
SAN DIEGO 3 3
NEW ORLEANS 3 3 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: NOR - FG, TAYLOR MEHLHAFF 23 YD, 8:26. Drive:
14 plays, 69 yards in 8:26. Key
plays: Brees 10-yard pass to Miller
to New Orleans 40; McAllister
12-yard run to San Diego 45;
Oct 26 1:42 PM - AT LONDON
NFL FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 33 YD
SAN DIEGO 3
NEW ORLEANS 3 3:30 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Chargers 3, Saints 3 1st - 3:30Oct 26 1:27 PM - AT LONDON
NFL FG NOR
TAYLOR MEHLHAFF 24 YD
SAN DIEGO 0
NEW ORLEANS 3 6:34 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Chargers 0, Saints 3 1st - 6:34Oct 26 1:19 PM
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