The Saints wrapped up a 34-10 victory over the 49ers at the Superdome on Sunday. John Carney accounted for six points on two field goals, and the rest was all Reggie Bush who scored three rushing touchdowns and caught one touchdown pass from Drew Brees.
1st Quarter, 49ers 3 – Saints 0
On 1st and 10, Alex Smith was flushed out of the pocket and forced to hurry an incomplete throw. On 2nd and 10, Frank Gore was tagged for a 1-yard loss. On 3rd and 11, Smith threw to Antonio Bryant who worked his way past a defender for a ten-yard pickup, just short of the first down marker.
Quarterback Drew Brees delivered a 7-yard pass to tight end Marc Campbell on 1st and 10, but was then off the mark on two other pass attempts for a Saints three and out opening series. CB Donald Strickland, starting in place of CB Shawntae Spencer, suffered a concussion on the series.
Gore took the handoff but tossed it back to Smith. Hurried to make a throw, Smith overshot Bryant downfield. Gore carried for one yard on the ground to bring up 3rd and 9. Smith connected with Bryant who was drilled by Omar Stoutmire two yards shy of the first down.
Andy Lee's punt rolled out of bounds at the 15-yardline.
Deuce McAllister ran the sweep and got a nice gain that was negated due to a holding penalty that backed the Saints to the 10-yardline. McAllister picked up six for a 2nd and 9. Reggie Bush was ran out of bounds at the 21-yardline on a 5-yard pass play. On 3rd and 4, Brees was chased out of the pocket by Chad Williams and at the last second flicked the ball out to avoid a sack for an incomplete pass.
Brandon Williams took the punt back 8 yards for a 1st and 10 at the 41-yardline.
Gore slipped at the line of scrimmage for a loss of a yard. On 2nd and 11, Smith's pass was batted down bringing up a 3rd and 11. Smith took a shot deep to Bryant which he couldn't haul in. Officials originally threw an interference flag but after much discussion, they waved off the penalty and the 49ers had to punt.
Lee's 60-yard punt sailed into the end zone for a touchback.
On 1st and 10, Brees hit Joe Horn for an 18-yard completion at their 38-yardline. Reggie Bush was brought down in a hurry by Manny Lawson for a 2-yard carry. With Bryant Young coming free off the edge, Brees hurried off a short pass to Aaron Stecker who couldn't make the catch. Under pressure, Brees went along the sidelines to Devery Henderson that was incomplete.
Gore plowed his way up the middle on first down for an 8-yard gain. After almost being stopped at the first down marker, Gore managed to break free for a 12-yard gain and a 49ers first down at their 44. Falling forward through the line, Gore got two yards on the ground. Adam Snyder suffered a knee/ankle injury on the play. Chased out of the pocket by Charles Grant, Smith just managed to get the ball out for an incompletion instead of a large sack. On 3rd and 8, Gore handed off to Bryan Gilmore on the reverse for a 12-yard gain into Saints territory at the 42. On 1st and 10, Smith rolled to his right and connected with Arnaz Battle for a 12-yard gain. Maurice Hicks carried up the middle for 4-yard. On 2nd and 6, Smith rolled to his right and tried to go to Vernon Davis in the end zone, but the pass was overthrown. On 3rd and 6 at the 25, Smith again found Battle for a 9-yard completion and a first down at the 15. Working his way up the middle, Gore got only a yard. The Saints were all over a quick pass to Gore in the flat, drilling him with a fairly late hit after the incompletion. On 3rd and 9, the 49ers had to take a timeout and then tried a direct snap to Gore that picked up only two yards. Kicker Joe Nedney came on for a 29-yard field goal and a 3-0 49ers lead.
Michael Lewis returned the kick 47 yards to the Saints 48-yardline with 13 seconds to go. A 6-yard carry by McAllister ended the first quarter.
2nd Quarter, 49ers 3 – Saints 14
McAllister opened the quarter with a 17-yard run. Bush then went for 11-yards on a pass from Brees. Facing a 3rd and 7 at the 15, Bush caught a 14-yard pass to set the Saints up at the 1-yardline. From there, Bush burrowed his way into the end zone for a Saints touchdown. The 49ers challenged the touchdown as Bush fumbled the ball but the officials upheld that he had already crossed the goal line.
On 1st and 10, Smith was dropped by Hollis Thomas for an 8-yard loss. On 2nd and 18, Gore was hit immediately for a 1-yard gain. On 3rd and 17, Smith found himself under pressure and tried to run but was dropped by Josh Cooper for another sack.
Lee's 50-yard punt landed out of bounds to give the ball to the Saints at their 27-yardline.
On 1st and 10, Brees threw to Henderson for an 11-yard completion and a first down at their 38. Under pressure, Brees' pass to Henderson was incomplete along the Saints sidelines. On 2nd and 10, Brees dumped the ball to Bush who was immediately dropped for a loss of 2. On a draw play, McAllister got eleven yards, but came up two short of the first down marker.
Williams called for a fair catch back at the 12-yardline with 8:11 to go in the quarter. Gore stayed on his feet and gout out to the edge for a two-yard gain. Smith was then sacked by Mark Simoneau for a 4-yard loss, bringing up 3rd and 12. Smith launched it deep to Bryant who was tripped up by Frank Gore.
Punting from the goal line, Lee kicked a 47-yard line drive punt that took a 49ers bounce and was downed at the 43.
Bush took the handoff for a 7-yard out to midfield. McAllister was dropped by Lawson for a loss of a yard. On 3rd and 4, Brees fired to Henderson in the middle, picking up an excellent spot from the officiating crew. The Saints went for it, picking up the short half yard with a 3-yard carry by McAllister. McAllister found only two yards on the next play with Lawson bringing him down. On 2nd and 8, Brees dumped it to Bush for a 1-yard gain. On 3rd and 6, Brees fired to Bush for a first down at the 49ers 32 to bring up the two-minute warning. Brees dropped back and fumbled the ball which bounced right back into his hands which he then threw away. Brees then threw to Jamal Jones for a 4-yard completion to set up a 3rd and 6 at the 28. Almost dropped for a sack, Brees managed to get rid of the ball, finding Bush who galloped his way down to the 15. Sammy Davis was flagged for illegal contact to give the Saints another five yards to move them to the ten-yardline looking at a 1st and goal from the 10 with 1:27 to go. Bush was dropped by Marques Douglas for a 2-yard gain. Bush then took the handoff and bounced it out to his left for an explosive 10-yard touchdown with 43 seconds left in the quarter.
After the kickoff, Gore had a short carry to end the first half.
3rd Quarter, 49ers 10 – Saints 24
Brees opened up the quarter with a 6-yard pass to Mike Karney. Bush picked up two on the ground to bring up 3rd and 2. Bush was met in the backfield by a group of 49ers defenders for a 4-yard loss, forcing the Saints to punt.
A penalty on the 49ers on the punt return backed them to their own 23-yardline. On 1st and 10, Smith fired over the middle to Bryant for 14 yards. Smith then dumped it short over the middle to Gore for a 7-yard pickup. Gore took it up the middle for an 8-yard run into Saints territory to the 48. Smith then launched it up for Bryant who was behind the Saints coverage for a 48-yard touchdown.
The 49ers used the surprise on-side kick which was recovered by Michael Robinson. On 1st and 10, Smith was picked by Mike McKenzie who returned it down to within the five-yardline and then fell down at the 1. Untouched McKenzie tossed the ball which rookie Vernon Davis was quick to hop on for a fumble recovery at the 2-yardline. The Saints challenged and the officials overruled the call saying that Smith had touched McKenzie on his fall down. The Saints were then set up at the 6-yardline.
Brees hit Campbell for a 3-yard catch and on 2nd and goal, Brees took a shot to the end zone that was incomplete. On 3rd and 3, McAllister was brought down by Bryant Young for a 2-yard gain, short of the goal line. John Carney knocked in a 19-yard field goal to capitalize on the turnover.
Mo Hicks took the kick out of the end zone for a 22-yard return out to the 19.
Gore was met by Scott Shanle for a stop after a 2-yard pickup. Smith was dropped by Charles Grant for a big 13-yard loss, bringing up 3rd and 21. Smith got the ball out to Arnaz Battle, but only for a 14-yard completion and the 49ers had to punt.
With 6:41 to go, the Saints were set up at their 33. McAllister got 2 yards on the ground before Campbell dropped a pass to set the Saints up with a 3rd and 8. Brees scrambled up the middle for a 16-yard into 49ers territory. The Saints clearly held Bryant Young on the play but the Saints got away with it. Two McAllister carries went for a 12 yard net and a Saints first down. McAllister then rolled off an 18-yard carry, followed by a 9-yard run by Bush. Two penalties against the 49ers, including a flagrant facemask set New Orleans up at the 2. The 49ers backed them up the five but on the shovel pass to Bush, the rookie weaved his way in for his third TD of the afternoon with 12 ticks to go in the quarter.
Backed to their own 10-yardline after an illegal block to the back on the kick return, Smith dumped the ball to Gore for a 4-yard pickup to end the quarter.
4th Quarter, 49ers 10 – Saints 34
Under pressure, Smith went for Delanie Walker along the sidelines who made the catch, but out of bounds. Davis appeared to be lined up incorrectly and Smith was forced to take a timeout, leaving the team with only one time out left in the final quarter. Smith delivered to Davis on the 3rd and 4 for a 20-yard gain out at the 40. Smith then fired it deep which was intercepted by McKenzie down at the 10.
After an incompletion and a run for a loss of 1 by McAllister to bring up a 3rd and 1, Brees hit Bush who blazed his way for a 74-yard gain down to the 18-yardline. Had Bush not lost control of the ball he would have gone for a score. A pass and a carry by McAllister brought up a 3rd and 2. Bush dashed to his left and using his moves got down to the goal line. Officials ruled it a touchdown which the 49ers were quick to challenge, believing that Bush was shy of the end zone. Officials upheld the call, giving the Saints a 31-10 score with 11:18 to go.
Gore dropped a pass on first down, but picked up four on a short pass from Smith on the enxt. On 3rd and 6, Bryant dropped Smith's pass and the 49ers came on to punt.
Following the punt, the Saints were back on offense at their 30 with just over ten minutes remaining. They handed off seven straight times to McAllister who found his way to the 49ers 26-yardline. On 3rd and 1 at the 26, the 49ers held Bush to no gain, but a penalty gave the Saints the first down anyway. The Saints worked their way to the 17 before settling for a Carney 33-yard field goal and a 34-10 edge with 2:31 to go.
Smith hit Battle for a 7-yard pass at the 29-yardline, and then went to Gore for a first down catch at the two minute warning. Smith again hit Gore for a 6-yard completion, but a false start backed them to the 36-yardline for a 2nd and 9 with 1:28 to go. Smith fired over the middle for Davis and got an interference call for a first down at the 38. Smith again fired deep and was picked off by Josh Bullocks at the 7-yardline with 1:15 remaining.
The Saints took a knee to finish the game.
