2nd Quarter Update: New Orleans Saints vs. Oakland Raiders
Brandon Myers trying to make a play versus the Saints
On 2nd and 3, the opening play of the 2nd quarter was a run by Lynell Hamilton for 3 yards. Drew Brees then continued to dissect the Raiders’ secondary with a quick slant to Marques Colston for 15-yards. Brees then hits Lance Moore after a great ball fake for a 5-yard touchdown. The 11-play for 78 yards drive gave the Saints a dominating 21-0 lead. The Raider secondary is non-existent. There has been no pressure applied to Brees, as the Saints have changed the pace of the game going no-huddle and kept the Oakland defense off-balance with their mix of run and pass.
Nick Miller handles the ensuing kickoff to the 23-yard line. Up to this point, the Oakland offense has only ran six plays. Darren McFadden’s first carry of the game on the next play goes for 29-yards, but a holding penalty on Zach Miller negates the huge gainer. McFadden hauls in a dump off on the next play for 4-yards. Javon Walker enters the game for the first time, but Russell hits Miller on a 6-yard route towards the sideline. Russell on 3rd and 7 hits Louis Murphy on a short crossing pattern, but the rookie could not handle the football as he juggled it attempting to secure it and making a move up the field.
Prior to the punt, Sam Williams was flagged on a false start. Ricky Schmitt punted and Gary Russell darted down the field for the nice tackle.
Mark Brunell enters the game and hands-off to Hamilton, as he gains three-yards running towards the right side. Brunell rolls out on the next play and throws incomplete to Robert Meachem. They tried to set-up a screen on the next, which fell incomplete, but Jay Richardson was there to stuff the play if it was completed.
Johnnie Lee Higgins fielded a 32-yard punt at the OAK 27-yard line.
McFadden on the draw runs hard for 3-yards right into linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Russell on the next play rolls away from the pressure on his backside and throws a wobbly pass to Louis Murphy, but the rookie had troubles securing the pass, as it was called an incomplete pass by the referees. On 3rd and 7, Russell throws a bullet to Higgins on a quick out pattern that would have been a first down. Russell’s strong arm needed to be restrained on that short toss.
Linebacker David Nixon made a nice stop on punt coverage.
Brunell goes deep on the ensuing play to Meachem, but the pass errant and Stanford Routt was in coverage. The quarterback then steps into the pocket on the following play and hits Hamilton for 9-yards. Hamilton then darts across the gaping hole in the line of scrimmage and makes safety Hiram Eugene miss on the 19-yard run. Brunell then goes deep again, this time to Lance Moore, who almost makes the catch, but Stanford Routt was called for the pass interference (31-yards on the infraction). A few plays later, Routt gets flagged again giving the Saints an automatic 1st down at the OAK 7-yard line. The run defense finally shows life near the goal line, as Ricky Brown and Desmond Bryant built a wall versus Hamilton. Jamar Nesbit was flagged for a hold on Gerard Warren on the next play, and the Saints faced a 3rd and goal at the 16-yard line. Brunell connects on a touchdown pass, but for the second straight play a score was negated due to a flag. Now New Orleans faced a 3rd and goal at the 22-yard line. Brunell hits Billy Miller, near the goal line, but the Saints shoot themselves in the foot again with another penalty. Now facing a 3rd and goal from the 27-yard line, a hand-off to Hamilton goes for minimal yards, as Tommy Kelly and Ricky Brown were there for the stop.
John Carney nails a 35-yard field goal to extend the Saints’ lead to 24-0.
Russell from the shotgun dumps a short pass on the flat to McFadden, and the running back weaved for 11-yards. McFadden on the following play fumbles on the sweep and the Saints recovered the loose football and returned it near the Oakland goal line. Oren O’Neal was slow to get to the defenders and McFadden was mobbed behind the line of scrimmage as he ran towards the left side. Tom Cable challenges the fumble call on the field, but the play was not overruled.
The Saints took over at the 6-yard line with 4:22 remaining in the half. Trevor Scott applies pressure on the Saints’ first play after the turnover and forces Brunell to throw out of the end-zone. Scott again puts the heat on the Saints’ quarterback on the next play, and the forced throw lands right into the hands of Hiram Eugene. The safety gets the pick in the end zone and returns it 31-yards to the 30-yard line.
Russell was almost picked off on the ensuing play, on a slant intended for Heyward-Bey. On 3rd and 5, Troy Evans blitzes and Russell has no shot to get away from the heat and gets sacked for a 12-yard loss.
David Nixon again plays the punt return very well; as he records his second tackle. (Play was negated due to a flag on the Saints)
Gary Russell and Jon Condo stuff the punt return on the next play.
PJ Hill is now carrying the football for the Saints. Warren on the tackle after a 4-yard gain. On the next play, Meachem gains 71-yards on the pass after Routt miss a tackle on the play. Chris Johnson runs down the WR before he hits paydirt. With the ball on the 2-yard line, Warren and Sam Williams keep Hill out of the end zone. Hill scores on the next play to give the Saints a 30-0 lead before the point after.
Up to this point, the Saints have 19 first downs; Oakland 3. Saints have racked up a total of 344 yards; Raiders 77. The Saints are 6-of-8 on 3rd downs, the Raiders are 0-for-4.
After a Nick Miller 25-yard return, Russell rolls out, gets pressured and is not able to release the football cleanly on the toss, hit by a defender as he threw it. Robert Gallery was flagged on the play for holding. On 3rd and 10 a few plays later, Russell gets sacked to end the Raiders horrid first half effort on offense.
Chris Johnson hauled in an interception as the half ended.
Score: Saints 31 – Raiders 0
NOTES
- TOTAL YARDS: New Orleans 351 Oakland 60
- PASSING YARDS: New Orleans 259 Oakland 59
- RUSHING YARDS: New Orleans 92 Oakland 1
- Time of Possession: New Orleans 20:27 Oakland 9:33
- 1st downs: New Orleans 19 Oakland 3
Contact Author: Victor Cotto – SB Report Columnist
