• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Brees, Saints return home to face 49ers

Sep 23, 2008 - 8:15 PM San Francisco (2-1) at New Orleans (1-2), 1:00 pm EDT

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- After a pair of heartbreaking road losses, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints hope a return to the Louisiana Superdome can alleviate their woes.

Brees and the Saints attempt to avoid a third straight loss Sunday when they host the San Francisco 49ers.

New Orleans squandered a nine-point, fourth-quarter lead during a 29-24 loss to the Washington Redskins two weeks ago and followed that with last Sunday's 34-32 setback to the Denver Broncos after Martin Gramatica missed a 43-yard field goal with two minutes left.

"We had a chance and the opportunity, and it's disappointing," Saints coach Sean Payton said of the loss to Denver. "There is nothing else to say. He missed it."

Brees leads an explosive but injury-plagued, offense. The eight-year veteran has passed for 980 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions.

The Saints lost another receiving weapon this week. Tight end Jeremy Shockey will miss about a month after undergoing sports hernia surgery. Marques Colston, the team's top receiver, already is out with a thumb injury.

New Orleans will have to depend on Reggie Bush even more. Bush, who leads the Saints in both rushing and receiving yards, has scored four total touchdowns (one rushing, two receiving and one on a punt return).

The 49ers do not share New Orleans' problems, having put together back-to-back wins.

J.T. O'Sullivan and offensive coordinator Mike Martz exacted some revenge on their old team last Sunday. O'Sullivan threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns as San Francisco cruised to a 31-13 victory over the Detroit Lions.

O'Sullivan, who won the starting job partly because of his familiarity with Martz's system in Detroit, finished 16-of-23 with zero interceptions in just his third career start.

"It was about winning this week," O'Sullivan said. "That's the reality for us. I'm excited about the way we played, but I still think we can get better."

Frank Gore rushed for 130 yards and a score on 27 attempts for San Francisco, which ranks seventh in pass defense this season.