Saints triumphant in Brees’ return, top Cardinals 31-9
Drew Brees passed for 373 yards and three touchdowns in his first game in more than five weeks since thumb surgery, and the New Orleans Saints won their sixth straight with a 31-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
With few exceptions, Brees was accurate and looked composed even as his pass blocking collapsed, completing 34 of 43 passes.
He was intercepted once, by Patrick Peterson, but was not pressured before throwing that aggressive, risky pass down the left sideline, where fullback Zach Line was double-covered.
The Cardinals were unable to capitalize on that turnover early in the second half, however, and Brees made them pay by leading three touchdown drives after that, ending with passes to running back Latavius Murray, dynamic reserve QB and utility player Taysom Hill, and leading receiver Michael Thomas.
Cardinals rookie Kyler Murray completed 19 of 33 passes for 220 yards, but Arizona never found the end zone. Eight of his completions went to Christian Kirk for 79 yards in the receiver’s return from an ankle sprain. Arizona was held to 40 yards rushing and the Saints’ defense held a fifth-straight opponent below 260 total net yards.
With backup Teddy Bridgewater filling in, the Saints had won all five games since Brees’
NEW ORLEANS —
Saints quarterback Drew Brees passes in the first half against the Cardinals in New Orleans on Sunday. ulnar collateral ligament surKilff Kingsbury’s curious decision gery on Sept. 18. But coach Sean to keep the offense on Payton said during the week the field on fourth-and-1 near that Brees had been medically the Arizona 30 — and then call cleared and that there were no a running play up the middle misgivings about returning the against one of the NFL’S better 40-year-old Brees to his starting defensive fronts. role as soon as the NFL’S alltime Chase Edmonds was stopped leading passer felt ready. at the line of scrimmage, and
Brees practiced this week five plays later, Brees found and by teammates’ accounts Murray for a 15-yard catch and looked about like the recordsetting run that widened New Orleans’ QB they remembered. lead to 17-6.
He led four drives in the first Brees’ 29-yard pass to tight half in which the Saints threatened end Josh Hill set up the Taysom to score, but one ended Hill’s 5-yard TD catch. with a missed field goal and the A 36-yarder from Brees to other with a nullified touchdown Hill set up Thomas’ 9-yard pass because offensive holding TD catch. was called as time ran out in With Saints top running back the second quarter. The other Alvin Kamara sidelined by ankle two drives ended with a short and knee soreness, Murray field goal and Murray’s 8-yard had his second straight producTD run, giving New Orleans a tive performance. He rushed 10-6 halftime lead. 21 times for 102 yards and a
Brees’ first touchdown passing touchdown and caught nine was set up by Cardinals coach passes for 55 yards and a score.