Saints extend Panthers' misery
Sports divers dimanche, 2 déc. 2001. 19:14 samedi, 14 déc. 2024. 21:00
NEW ORLEANS (AP) When it mattered most, Joe Horn found the end zone with no official in the way. Horn, denied a touchdown in the first quarter when he collided with an official, caught a 17-yard scoring pass from Aaron Brooks with 1:31 remaining Sunday, giving the New Orleans Saints a 27-23 victory over Carolina.
The Saints (6-5) had to rally despite holding the Panthers (1-11) to 150 yards in offense.
The Panthers, losers of 11 straight after a season-opening victory, scored 10 straight points to take a 23-20 lead on John Kasay's 51-yard field goal with 2:40 remaining.
Horn, who caught 13 passes for 150 yards, and the Saints needed just over a minute to get the game-winning touchdown.
Horn lost what could have been another touchdown on the Saints' first possession.
With New Orleans on the Carolina 46, quarterback Brooks took a return handoff from Ricky Williams, and Brooks threw deep to Horn. It appeared Horn would catch it just steps from the end zone, but he collided with back judge Phil Luckett and dropped the ball.
Willie Jackson later caught a 60-yard scoring pass from Brooks, only to have it called back by a holding call against the Saints.
Williams rushed 27 times for 102 yards, boosting him over the 1,000-yard mark and making him the only Saints player ever to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Brooks completed 26 of 40 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once and sacked three times.
New Orleans, outscored 75-0 in the first quarter this season, saw that streak extended Sunday when Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke capped an 80-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run. Weinke completed three of four passes for 71 yards on the drive.
The Saints closed to 7-3 on a 42-yard field goal by John Carney in the second quarter, and they took a 10-7 lead before halftime when Brooks threw a tipped pass to fullback Terrelle Smith.
Carney made it 13-7 with a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Carolina closed within three on Kasay's 47-yarder.
Albert Connell caught a 14-yard touchdown pass to open the fourth quarter, putting the Saints ahead 20-10.
Steve Smith returned the kickoff 82 yards to the 12, but Carolina, which had 240 return yards in the game, had to settle for Kasay's second field goal, a 23-yarder that cut the Saints' lead to 20-13.
On their next possession, Connell fumbled a handoff that he recovered, but it put the Saints into a second-and-41 hole from their own 26. Two plays later, Brooks was intercepted by Jimmy Hitchcock, setting up a 31-yard drive to Weinke's 1-yard scoring leap that tied the score 20-20.
Weinke was 11-of-19 for 161 yards and was sacked eight times.
The Saints (6-5) had to rally despite holding the Panthers (1-11) to 150 yards in offense.
The Panthers, losers of 11 straight after a season-opening victory, scored 10 straight points to take a 23-20 lead on John Kasay's 51-yard field goal with 2:40 remaining.
Horn, who caught 13 passes for 150 yards, and the Saints needed just over a minute to get the game-winning touchdown.
Horn lost what could have been another touchdown on the Saints' first possession.
With New Orleans on the Carolina 46, quarterback Brooks took a return handoff from Ricky Williams, and Brooks threw deep to Horn. It appeared Horn would catch it just steps from the end zone, but he collided with back judge Phil Luckett and dropped the ball.
Willie Jackson later caught a 60-yard scoring pass from Brooks, only to have it called back by a holding call against the Saints.
Williams rushed 27 times for 102 yards, boosting him over the 1,000-yard mark and making him the only Saints player ever to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Brooks completed 26 of 40 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once and sacked three times.
New Orleans, outscored 75-0 in the first quarter this season, saw that streak extended Sunday when Panthers quarterback Chris Weinke capped an 80-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run. Weinke completed three of four passes for 71 yards on the drive.
The Saints closed to 7-3 on a 42-yard field goal by John Carney in the second quarter, and they took a 10-7 lead before halftime when Brooks threw a tipped pass to fullback Terrelle Smith.
Carney made it 13-7 with a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Carolina closed within three on Kasay's 47-yarder.
Albert Connell caught a 14-yard touchdown pass to open the fourth quarter, putting the Saints ahead 20-10.
Steve Smith returned the kickoff 82 yards to the 12, but Carolina, which had 240 return yards in the game, had to settle for Kasay's second field goal, a 23-yarder that cut the Saints' lead to 20-13.
On their next possession, Connell fumbled a handoff that he recovered, but it put the Saints into a second-and-41 hole from their own 26. Two plays later, Brooks was intercepted by Jimmy Hitchcock, setting up a 31-yard drive to Weinke's 1-yard scoring leap that tied the score 20-20.
Weinke was 11-of-19 for 161 yards and was sacked eight times.
