Saints Prevail Over Houston in Epic Monday Night Opener

Saints Prevail Over Houston in Epic Monday Night Opener

The Houston Texans clashed with the New Orleans Saints Monday night in what was one of the most exciting contests during Week 1 of the NFL season. The matchup featured elite battles at the quarterback and wide receiver positions, and the outcome was a back and forth battle that came down to the last second. 

With all eyes on the duel between the Drew Brees and Deshaun Watson-led offenses, it was the defenses who impressed early, shutting out both offenses in the first period. With 3:04 remaining in the first quarter, Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus intercepted Drew Brees in the red zone for the first takeaway of the game. On the ensuing possession, the Texans marched down the field thanks in part to a 54-yard reception by Wade Fuller. Deshaun Watson got the scoring started with a 21-yard option run on a fourth and one play. Following a 32-yard field goal by Saints kicker Wil Lutz to make it 7-3, the Houston offense once again drove through the New Orleans defense and into scoring territory. The 75 yard drive was capped off by Deandre Hopkins’ first score of the season on a two-yard touchdown pass from Watson. Brees and the Saints took over with 1:47 left to play in the half and mounted an impressive drive into Houston territory. A controversial referee decision, something Saints fans are all too familiar with, forced New Orleans to attempt a 56-yard field goal as time expired. Lutz’ kick missed left and the Texans escaped the first half with a 14-3 lead.

The second half got off to an exciting start with both offenses trading blows. New Orleans took the field first and quickly got to work. Brees hooked up with star running back, Alvin Kamara, on a 41-yard catch and run that advanced the Saints to Houston’s 30-yard line. That set the table for Latavius Murray to score his first touchdown as a Saint on a graceful 30-yard touchdown run. Houston took the field and responded immediately with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive featuring an 18 yard Deshaun Watson scramble, an overturned interception due to an offsides call, and Deandre Hopkins’ second touchdown grab of the night, extending Houston’s lead to 21-10. The game had broken out into the offensive exhibition fans had hoped for. With 8:20 remaining in the third quarter, Drew Brees and company began another crusade through the J.J. Watt-led Texans defense. Four passes split between Kamara and veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr. moved the Saints offense into Houston territory. A seven-yard reception by star wideout Michael Thomas placed the Saints just outside of the RedZone. Jack-of-all-trades backup quarterback, Taysom Hill, capped off the 75-yard drive with a six-yard run and a nine-yard grab off a Drew Brees pass to bring the Saints within four. During the following possession, the New Orleans defense would make the first stop of the second half on a Marcus Williams interception. An unnecessary roughness penalty called on Deandre Hopkins’ tackle on Williams started the New Orleans drive on Houston’s 49-yard line. The Saints took advantage of the short field, and a 14 yard touchdown pass to Tre’Quan Smith put New Orleans in the lead for the first time all night, 24-21.

A Wild Finish

Three consecutive punts later, Drew Brees and his offense gained possession at their own seven-yard line with 3:29 to play and a chance to close the game out. What followed was an eight play, 64-yard drive resulting in a Wil Lutz 47 yard field goal widening the Saints lead to 27-21 with 50 seconds remaining in regulation. Houston was in need of a quick and efficient drive to have a shot at winning. It took the Texans all of thirteen seconds to answer back. A38-yard reception by Hopkins set up Houston in Saints territory, and a 37-yard pass to Kenny Stills gave Watson his third passing touchdown of the night and the Texans a chance to take a one-point lead with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The New Orleans crowd was stunned silent until Ka’imi Fairbairn missed the go-ahead PAT. In yet another cruel twist of fate, Saints safety Chauncey Gardener-Johnson was flagged for roughing the kicker on the attempt. Fairbairn stepped up and knocked the second attempt through. With ten points already scored in the final minute of the game, Who ‘Dat nation was asking a lot of the football deities for another score, but with Drew Brees marching onto the field it seemed somehow possible. With 37 seconds and one timeout at their disposal, the Saints got to work. Brees completed three downfield passes in a row, two to Ted Ginn and one to Michael Thomas to set up a 56-yard field goal -- two yards deeper than the kick Wil Lutz missed as time expired in the first half and one yard deeper than his career-long. The 25-year-old stepped up and nailed it through, sealing the game and establishing himself as a Louisiana legend.

A Contest Filled With Entertaining Matchups

Deshaun Watson and Drew Brees provided the thrilling quarterback battle that many were hoping for. Watson put up an impressive 268 yards and three touchdowns on 20 for 30 passing attempts. He also rushed for 40 yards and added another touchdown on the ground. His one interception was the only major blunder of the night. It was a strong showing given the intense pressure he was put under by the Saints defense all night. Watson was sacked six times, a number that Houston left tackle, Laremy Tunsil, admits is too many.

“How many sacks did we give up today? Six? We’ve got to improve that number, we’ve got to drop that number down a little bit,” Tunsil told Sarah Barshop of ESPN. 

Despite the pressure, Deshaun Watson looked comfortable navigating the pocket and was able to exploit the defense at times such as on his final touchdown pass to Kenny Stills.

Drew Brees enjoyed much better protection from his line. The 40-year-old was sacked just once in 43 pass attempts on the night. J.J. Watt, who infamously declared in 2015 that the Saints find a new right tackle, was held to zero hits and zero tackles for the first time in his career by right tackle Ryan Ramczyk. Brees entered the night tied with Tom Brady for second on the all-time passing touchdown list. His pair of touchdowns on 370 passing yards inches him ahead of Tom Brady and leaves him just 17 touchdowns away from Peyton Manning’s record of 539. Both Brees and Brady are on pace to pass Manning’s mark this season.

The Texans rushing attack was split between Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson, who had ten and nine carries respectively. Hyde finished the game with 83 yards, while Johnson went for 57 yards on the ground. 

The Saints’ Alvin Kamara proved himself once again to be one of the most versatile and dominant backs in the game. With Mark Ingram gone to Baltimore, Kamara handled the majority of the load at the running back position. He finished the night with 13 carries for 97 yards. His capabilities as a receiving back were also on display as he caught seven Drew Brees passes for 72 yards.

Perhaps the most thrilling matchup of the night was between two of the league’s top wide receivers. Houston’s Deandre Hopkins, who didn’t drop a single pass last season, looked surprisingly shaky at times, dropping three passes in the first half alone. Hopkins managed to more than make up for these slip-ups with eight receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns in a performance that demanded New Orleans’ defense respect him at all times.

The Saints’ Michael Thomas entered Monday’s season opener coming off a league-leading 125 receptions a year ago. The two-time Pro Bowler picked up right where he left off grabbing ten receptions for 123 yards. 

The Saints will need another hot offensive performance this week as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the reigning NFC champions Rams team. The Texans will host the Jaguars this Sunday in their home opener.

-By: Jonny Hart