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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Drew Brees' 41-yard TD pass against his former team is the Saints Play of the Day
The Chargers dropped eight defenders into coverage, but sending all eleven wouldn't have been enough Just 41 days stand between us and the New Orleans Saints' season opener, so we're highlighting one of the most exciting games in recent memory for the Saints Play of the Day. Our pick is this 41-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees in his high-profile duel with Los Angeles Chargers superstar Justin Herbert. You can see it for yourself right here. After being sacked by Joey Bosa on first down, Brees bounced back and threw a dart to tight end Jared Cook, who caught the pass with three Chargers trailing him around the L.A. 8-yard line. The Chargers rushed three with eight defenders dropping into coverage, but it wasn't enough. Cook torched rookie linebacker Kenneth Murray and free safety Nasir Adderley was too slow to cover up the mistake. Cook punctuated his run to the end zone with a leap over the goal line, and Wil Lutz kicked the equalizing extra point. It was a hard-fought battle. Herbert rallied with a 64-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams down the sideline. Brees led an eight-play, 73-yard scoring drive to run out the clock, capped by a 9-yard Taysom Hill touchdown run. Chargers kicker Michael Badgley boomed a 50-yard field goal that would've won the day off the upright, and the game went to overtime. Brees led another drive into Los Angeles territory to set up Lutz for a field goal, and he nailed it (from 36 yards). The Chargers asked Herbert to save the day but it wasn't meant to be. Three of his last four passes fell incomplete, and the game ended with a turnover on downs after Marshon Lattimore made a heady tackle to stop Williams short of the first down marker.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Darren Sproles' statement-making punt return TD is the Saints Play of Day 43
We are now only 43 days away from the New Orleans Saints' season opener in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, which makes Darren Sproles' (who wore No. 43, of course) punt return touchdown our Saints Play of the Day. Despite happening in a loss, this was a phenomenal showing for Sproles, who had 7 receptions for 75 yards, 2 kick returns for 76 yards, and 2 punt returns for 92 yards with the touchdown in his Saints debut. This Week 1 matchup was a battle of the offenses, as the score ended up being 42-34 in this shootout between Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. At the time of the play the Saints were down 21-10, with 8:55 left in the half. The punt ended up traveling 52 yards, down to the New Orleans 28-yard line, where Sproles received it and took off to blow by every Green Bay Packers defender on his way to the end zone. A 72-yard punt return touchdown in his Saints debut was certainly one way to endear himself to fans. Despite this game ending with a loss, the Saints had a chance because of this play before halftime by Sproles, and he was able to show off his prowess in returning both punts and kicks for New Orleans over the course of the next three years. While this was his only return touchdown for the Saints, he did have 70 kick returns for 1,827 yards, and a long return of 92 yards during those three seasons. He was a special player and big plays like this have done a lot to maintain a strong reputation among Saints fans ever since.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Vet sees positive vibes at Saints training camp that the team has been missing
'There's a certain rhythm about this team right now that really wants to go out there and play' It's no secret that the New Orleans Saints' team culture hasn't been what it once was. We didn't see many of the celebratory locker rooms and sideline exuberance over the last few years that the team was known for in the later days of Sean Payton and Drew Brees. Dennis Allen and Derek Carr were poor substitutes. And some players are taking notice. It's a brand new day for New Orleans with Kellen Moore at head coach and a couple of hungry young guys competing at quarterback. Guys are excited to go to work in the morning and endure the Louisiana heat at training camp. Veteran tight end Juwan Johnson says it's a positive vibe he hasn't felt in a long time. But how long has it been missing? "Maybe when we were 5-2 going into, honestly right before Jameis (Winston) got hurt, honestly. That's when the vibes were really high. The vibes were really high man. We felt good about the season and obviously we know how that season turned out," Johnson reflected after Friday's practice session, referring to the 2021 season. The Saints started that year, having been displaced by Hurricane Ida, with a stunning 38-3 rout of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Winston suffered a season-ending injury on a dirty hit against his old Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, and the Saints fell into a five-week losing streak. They rallied late by winning four of their last five, but it was too little, too late. Still, Johnson wants to emphasize the positives, not dwell on the negatives. He sees some of the same positive energy now that he experienced back in 2021: "We're not going to bring up skeletons, alright? The vibe, you know, it was everybody in the locker room was vibing and everybody felt good. That's kind of like a vibe by feel, just in terms of the excitement people have going onto a field knowing that they just want to go and compete. You know, it's worse when you go out there and it's just like, 'Man, my body, it's sore. It's hurting.' But there's a certain rhythm about this team right now that really wants to go out there and play." Johnson has seen it all through six years with the Saints. He's caught passes from Brees, Carr, Winston, Andy Dalton, Taysom Hill, Trevor Siemian, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener, while hearing plays called in from Payton, Pete Carmichael, and Klint Kubiak. He's seen plays work. He's seen what happens when plays don't work. He's seen practices that lack energy and disconnects between teammates and coaches and players. And he doesn't see those things with this team. It's really encouraging to hear. It's early. No games have been won or lost. But if Johnson's words are anything to go by, Moore and his crew are setting the right tone and developing the right practice habits. Hopefully this hard work in the summer leads to success in the fall.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Robert Meachem's game-changing fumble recovery is the Saints Play of the Day
.@drewbrees throws.@R_Meachem17 was nowhere near that simple… (Dec. 6, 2009) How's this for a throwback? With just 44 days left until the start of the New Orleans Saints' 2025 season, we're highlighting Robert Meachem's 44-yard touchdown as the Saints Play of the Day. But it's a little more complicated than Drew Brees throwing the football and Meachem carrying it into the end zone. You really need to see it for yourself, but here's how the official NFL gamebook summarized the play: (Shotgun) pass short middle intended for INTERCEPTED by at WAS 30. to WAS 44 for 44 yards ( FUMBLES ( RECOVERED by at WAS 44. for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Assistant challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was Upheld. That's right -- Meachem made up for his quarterback's mistake, and then some. Falling back under pressure while facing 3rd-and-26 in the final minute before halftime, trailing 17-10, Brees forced the ball to his tight end Jeremy Shockey to try and make a play. He took the snap out of shotgun at the Washington 48-yard line and backpedaled with multiple defenders in his face, ultimately throwing from New Orleans' 41 while being shoved to the ground. Several defenders crashed down on Shockey and safety Kareem Moore took the ball away. Then Meachem stepped in. Moore got to his feet and tried to work his way through traffic up to midfield, but Meachem stopped him, stripped the ball away, and sprinted down the sideline for what was arguably the play of the year. Meachem came through again in the second half, catching a 54-yard touchdown pass from Brees that forced the game to overtime. A Garrett Hartley field goal in extra minutes put them ahead 33-30. The Saints returned to New Orleans with a tough win, having improved to 12-0, and they went on to win it all in Super Bowl XLIV. You have to wonder how things may have gone differently if Meachem hadn't made such a heady play. What if the Saints had lost in Washington and ceded homefield advantage throughout the playoffs to the Minnesota Vikings instead? Thankfully, we're not in that timeline, so we don't have to do more than wonder about it.
USA Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
FIRST LOOK: New Orleans Saints release 2025 golden alt jerseys, how to buy
New coach, new quarterback, new outlook in New Orleans. Fresh off signing recently-drafted QB Tyler Shough, Kellen Moore and the Saints will open Training Camp on Wednesday, July 23. To add to the hype, the team released its new alt jersey on Tuesday, and fans are sure to think it's good as gold. Shop Saints 2025 throwback jerseys Lightweight, breathable fabric with built-in Dri-FIT technology keeps you cool and comfortable as you support your Saints on their quest for an NFC South title. The new Saints jerseys are available for a variety of players and start at $129.99. See below for some of your favorite Saints: New Orleans Saints 2025 alternate jerseys Alvin Kamara New Orleans Saints Nike Gameday Golds Alternate Jersey Repping one of the most exciting players on the field can make you feel like the most exciting person off the field. Shop new Alvin Kamara gold Saints jersey Chris Olave New Orleans Saints Nike Gameday Golds Alternate Jersey Shop WR1's jersey and get ready for a big season. Shop new Chris Olave gold Saints jersey Cameron Jordan New Orleans Saints Nike Gameday Golds Alternate Jersey Be one with the heart and soul of the Saints defense. Shop new Cam Jordan gold Saints jersey More Saints: The New Orleans Saints' schedule is here. How to buy 2025 NFL tickets
