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Week 3 Game Recap: New Orleans Saints 32, Denver Broncos 34
What you need to know
| New Orleans Saints |
The Saints came out throwing and would keep it up in another shoot-out at Invesco Field at Mile High. QB Drew Brees had a huge 400+ day in the yardage department, but only one TD.
RB Reggie Bush was pretty much the catalyst for New Orleans' offense all afternoon, equally solid on the ground, in the air, and in the end zone twice. Pierre Thomas got most of the short yardage and goal line work, including two touchdowns. Deuce McAllister was active, but spent the entire game watching from the sidelines.
With WR Marques Colston still out Brees spread it around, though his main targets were TE Jeremy Shockey, WR Lance Moore and, of course, Bush. Robert Meachem had a big 74 yard catch.
| Denver Broncos |
QB Jay Cutler wasn't quite as accurate as last week, still putting up good yardage and a couple TD tosses, to go along with a costly interception.
RB Selvin Young was the primary back, but once again Andre Hall got his share of carries and Michael Pittman was the man at the goal line, scoring once. It looks like the Broncos will continue to get their hundred yard rush games, but now the total is divided among these three.
WR Brandon Marshall tallied most of Cutler's yards and nearly duplicated his big numbers from last week, on fewer receptions. TE Tony Scheffler was a distant second in yardage, but didn't visit the end zone. Eddie Royal had a rather quiet day.
What you ought to know
| QB Drew Brees, Pass: 39 - 48 - 421 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 |
Brees put the ball in the air nearly 50 times as the Saints had to come from behind early and often, playing catch up all afternoon. He was pressured occasionally, but only sacked once. Though Brees wasn't intercepted he did have a couple hiccups in his day, a muffed exchange from center on third and goal that resulted in no points and a two point conversion pass that sailed above and just out of reach of Reggie Bush. No Marques Colston, so Brees hit nine different teammates with the most passes going to Bush, including his lone TD toss, but the most yardage to Robert Meachem, thanks to a 74 yard connection.
| RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 18 - 73 - 1, Rec: 11 - 75 - 1 (15 targets) |
He was all over the place, and all over the stat sheet, though it wasn't all roses. Bush coughed up the ball in the second quarter and Denver ran it in for a TD. Aside from that, he took a hand off 23 yards for one touchdown and a swing pass six yards for the other, and nearly had a two point conversion, but Brees was high with the throw. Bush also had a score called back due to a holding penalty, though he got one of his TDs later on that drive.
| RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 6 - 15 - 2, Rec: 3 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) |
Thomas scored two rushing TDs and would have had a third, but Denver's D stuffed him on fourth and goal. Late in the game the Saints were driving for a go ahead score, but on third and one at the Denver 24 Thomas was pushed back a yard by D.J. Williams and New Orleans tried a 43 yard field goal that missed the mark.
| WR Lance Moore, Rec: 7 - 78 - 0 (7 targets) |
He seemed to be on the same page with Brees as he caught all seven balls thrown his way, tops for WRs.
| WR Robert Meachem, Rec: 2 - 86 - 0 (2 targets) |
Though he was only thrown to twice Meachem made his two looks count as he hauled in one for a big 74 yard gain, He was close to scores on both getting stopped at the Denver six and five yard lines.
| WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 2 - 42 - 0 (4 targets) |
Henderson managed to hold on to half the passes Brees threw his way, for 19 and 23 yards.
| WR David Patten, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) |
Somewhat surprisingly Patten wasn't involved to any great extent in this game, catching his only two targets for a total of 12 yards.
| TE Jeremy Shockey, Rec: 8 - 75 - 0 (10 targets) |
Shockey was busy catching eight passes, despite looking a little less than 100%. He was easily Brees' second favorite target after Bush.
| TE Billy Miller, Rec: 2 - 41 - 0 (2 targets) |
He obviously isn't the key TE here, but he made a nice contribution with his two catches.
| PK Martin Gramatica 1 - 3 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points |
After being perfect so far this season he missed a chance to possibly win it for New Orleans. Gramatica missed a 43 yard attempt wide right, with 2 minutes left in the game. Earlier in the day he was wide left on a 51 yarder at the end of the first half.
| NO Rush Defense |
All in all the Saints' rush defense was just average, holding the Broncos to just over a hundred total yards on the ground, along with a single TD. Their highlight came after Denver's defense put up a goal line stand and took over on the one. New Orleans' run stoppers crashed into the Broncos backfield and tackled RB Andre Hall for a safety.
| NO Pass Defense |
Maybe being banged up and still holding Jay Cutler to two passing TDs is a minor victory, but the Saints are hurting. They did manage one interception and forced a fumble to stop two Broncos drives.
| QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 21 - 34 - 264 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0 |
Cutler was a little less accurate with his passes than last week, but still managed to connect with his favorite target, Brandon Marshall, for big yardage and a TD. His other scoring toss went to TE Nate Jackson. He had one sail high on WR Brandon Stokley in the end zone, and Marshall dropped a catch at the one yard line. It's apparent that Cutler knows this offense well and isn't afraid to use all its (and his) tools. It's also apparent that until the Denver defense can plug some holes, he'll have to keep throwing the ball.
| RB Selvin Young, Rush: 11 - 65 - 0, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Young was utilized first and most often in this game and posted a fine 5.9 per carry average, but it's clear Coach Shanahan is going to spread the rushes among his three running backs. And with so many receiver options here the RB position didn't get many balls thrown their way.
| RB Michael Pittman, Rush: 5 - 2 - 1, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) |
He continues to be the guy when Denver is at or near the goal line. And he scored again. Not many yards, but he's gotten a TD or two every week.
| RB Andre Hall, Rush: 6 - 25 - 0 |
Hall had about half the carries of Selvin Young and didn't see a lot of action this week. The one action he did see that he'd surely like to have skipped was in the second quarter. The Broncos were at their own one yard line with Hall in the backfield. He got the handoff from Cutler and was promptly smothered in the end zone for a safety.
| WR Brandon Marshall, Rec: 6 - 155 - 1 (13 targets) |
Marshall does it again. He didn't get a record number of catches, but the six he did get went for plenty of yards and another TD. He also dropped a catch at the one yard line. On Marshall's 35 yard TD reception he was initially ruled out of bounds at the back of the end zone, but after a challenge and review showed he got both feet down with control of the ball, the decision was reversed for the score. And he probably should have caught more of Cutler's throws than he did.
| WR Eddie Royal, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 4 - 11 - 0 (7 targets) |
On paper Royal had little impact in this game, but he almost scored when he caught a ball at the end zone but couldn't stay in bounds. Jay Cutler tried to force another pass into Royal's hands at midfield, but that one was picked off by the Saints' Mike McKenzie. He also had a six yard carry.
| WR Brandon Stokley, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (4 targets) |
With so many talented mouths to feed, Stokley was his usual quiet, yet efficient self going for a total of 29 yards. He also just missed a TD when Cutler's pass to the end zone was too high.
| TE Tony Scheffler, Rec: 4 - 32 - 0 (5 targets) |
Not quite the game Scheffler had last week though he still got several looks. Unfortunately, he also had a fumble that was recovered by the Saints and stopped a Bronco drive at the New Orleans eight yard line. A review of the play showed that Scheffler seemed to be still trying to get possession of the catch when it popped out, but the call stood.
| TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (2 targets) |
Graham, who has turned into more of a blocking TE, had one catch in the game.
| TE Nate Jackson, Rec: 1 - 1 - 1 (1 targets) |
The man named the starting tight end at the beginning of the season made his only pass target count with a one yard TD catch at the back of the end zone.
| PK Matt Prater 2 - 2 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 10 points |
So far, so good for Jason Elam's replacement. Prater was good on all four extra points and nailed both field goals.
| DEN Rush Defense |
They seem like a faucet that runs hot and cold, with some annoying leaks. They did force a Reggie Bush fumble and return it for a touchdown. And they did put up a nice goal line stand in the second quarter, and halt the Saints' late game drive pushing Pierre Thomas back on third and one. But they also gave up three rushing TDs.
| DEN Pass Defense |
421 passing yards given up? One sack? This is a unit that needs work and until they show otherwise, look to be a nice match up for opposing teams.
