1st Quarter Update: New Orleans Saints vs. Oakland Raiders
Jeff Garcia & Drew Brees chatting after the game
The New Orleans Saints won the opening coin toss and elected to field their high-powered offense first.
Sebastian Janikowski powers the football right thru the end zone.
The Saints first play from scrimmage was an end around to Devery Henderson for 5-yards. Drew Brees on the next play connects with Jeremy Shockey for 21-yards, with Nnamdi Asomugha in coverage. Lance Moore hauls in a 9-yard pass on the ensuing play. On the next play, Asomugha and DE Greg Ellis stuffed RB Mike Bell on a 1-yard gain. Bell slipped, and lost his footing before being tackled. Brees then hits Moore again, this time for 7 yards with Ricky Brown in coverage. Brown got victimized again, throwing a ball behind Shockey and completing the toss for 22-yards and a 1st down at the OAK 14 yard line. Bell plows on consecutive plays for a total of 9 yards to set-up a 3rd and 1 at the OAK 5 yard line. On 3rd and short, Bell jumped across the line of scrimmage before being met by Brown, but he picked up a fresh set of downs for the Saints. Heath Evans caps the 10-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. On the play, both defensive tackles were shoved aside. The secondary was not in very good positions throughout the drive, with Brees easily finding his targets and no pressure from the Raiders front-seven. Brees went 4/4 for 60 yards on the drive.
With the Saints up 7-0, Justin Miller gets Oakland going with a return to the 25-yard line.
JaMarcus Russell opens the game with a quick slant to rookie Darrius Heyward-Bey for a gain of 12-yards. On the next play, Russell fakes a handoff to Michael Bush and then finds Zach Miller open in the middle of the field for a gain of 35-yards. Russell again fakes a hand-off on the net play, but on the blitz, Roman Harper attacked the quarterback’s backside and swatted the football out of his hands for the turnover. Russell did not feel the pressure as he floated outside of the pocket looking for his targets down the field. Jonathan Vilma recovered the football and the Saints were back on offense at their own 33-yard line.
Shockey again hauled in a 5-yard pass to start their next drive. Moore catches a quick slant in front of Chris Johnson for a first down on the second play. Brees then rolls out, hits Shockey, but for a minimal gain. Oakland is not applying any pressure on Brees. Out of the shotgun formation, Bell gets the hand-off, but Thomas Howard is there for the stop. On 3rd and 6, Brees sets-up a screen for Bell and he gains 11 yards, as the Raiders are un-balanced on defense right now. Gerard Warren has a nice tackle around the line of scrimmage on a no gain. Asomugha blankets Moore on the next play, and the all-pro defensive back jars the ball loose for an incompletion. On 3rd and 10, Brees has a lot of time and then finds a wide-open Henderson for a 40-yard score and a 14-0 lead. Hiram Eugene blew the coverage deep as he followed Brees, who then looked off the safety for the big play.
Brees so far is 9-of-10 for 123 yards and 1 TD pass.
Miller fields the kickoff at the goal line and returns out to the OAK 22-yard line.
Bush opens their second drive with a carry to the left side for a 1-yard gain. Russell then hits Bush on a screen to the right side for Bush that nets 2 yards. On 3rd and 7, Russell out of the shot-gun, floats one down the sideline which was almost intercepted; pass was intended for Heyward-Bey (Cornell Green flagged on the play, which was declined).
Ricky Schmitt booms a nice 55-yard punt, and Trevor Scott was in on the tackle, along with Tony Stewart.
Desmond Bryant sacks Brees on the next play, as Oakland finally gets some pressure on the quarterback. Bryant worked along the interior and fought his way to the passer. Hamilton gains 15 yards on the next play. Then, they follow it up with an 11-yard run. Chris Johnson played the slant perfectly against Henderson for an incompletion. On 2nd and 10, Moore beat Asomugha along the sideline, but Brees overthrew the pass. Michael Huff had a nice angle on the play. But on 3rd and 10, Henderson smokes Huff for another conversion for 16 yards. Chris Johnson beat Henderson on the next play for a gain of 13-yards.
As the clock winds down, the Saints run another play, a short pass to Hamilton at the OAK 8-yard line.
SCORE: Saints 14 – Raiders 0
Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
