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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Pinpoint passing, big completions, long
touchdown drives, frequent scoring.
That's what New Orleans fans are accustomed to seeing when the
Saints play San Francisco. The difference Sunday was that the home
team, not the 49ers, produced the offense.
|  | | Ricky Williams' 1-yard touchdown run gave the Saints a 28-0 lead in the second quarter. |
"I think we're starting to feel comfortable with what's going
on with our offense," Saints quarterback Jeff Blake said. "Guys
are trusting each other and believing that, hey, that guy is going
to be there and he's going to make a play."
Blake threw three touchdown passes as New Orleans (6-3) opened
up a 28-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 31-15 victory over the
49ers (2-7). The Saints didn't even need to punt until the fourth
quarter.
"It was shocking," San Francisco coach Steve Mariucci said.
"I couldn't believe my eyes. We couldn't get them off the field.
We couldn't get them to punt. I think we had 19 snaps in the first
half with our offense and had a turnover and a missed field goal."
San Francisco, the No. 2 offense in the NFC, was stymied most of
the game by the NFC's No. 1 defense. The 49ers scored 20 or more
points in 12 of the previous 13 games.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question on the Saints: Are we starting to see just how explosive the
Saints' offense can be with Jeff
Blake at quarterback?
Donahoe: Today's game was by far Blake's best performance as the
Saints' quarterback. They have had a good running game and a solid defense
all season; the one missing ingredient has been consistent play from Blake.
They got it today. Statistically, Blake was on the money and threw for three
touchdowns. He has also developed a good relationship with wide receiver Joe Horn. Blake and Horn have
become an effective passing combination to go along with the running of Ricky Williams.
Question on the 49ers: Have defenses figured out how to stop Jeff Garcia?
Donahoe: Garcia struggled some today against a Saints' defense that's
one of the best in the league. But he's still having an outstanding year.
You have to give Garcia credit for his competitiveness and the statistics he
has put up this season. Today, it was one of those games for the 49ers
offense -- they just couldn't get untracked. And that's mainly because of
the Saints' outstanding defense.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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"We just kept plugging away," Saints defensive lineman La'Roi
Glover said. "We weren't concerned with the score. We weren't
concerned with anything but trying to win."
Although San Francisco held New Orleans to just a field goal in
the second half, the damage had already been done.
The Saints' 28 points in the first half were the fourth-most
points they have scored against San Francisco in 62 complete games.
The 49ers are 43-17-2 in those games.
New Orleans had four first-half drives and scored on each --
going 63, 76, 80 and 74 yards for touchdowns. The Saints had a
fourth-down conversion in three of the four drives.
"That shows they have no respect for our defense," safety
Lance Shulters said. "And why should they?"
In the first half, New Orleans converted six of nine third
downs, outgained the 49ers 278-107 and held the ball for 20
minutes, 43 seconds.
Blake opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Andrew
Glover in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Blake passed to
Willie Jackson for a 4-yard TD and Joe Horn for a 43-yard score
before Ricky Williams ran for a 1-yard touchdown.
Blake completed 20 of 26 passes for 275 yards and no
interceptions. Horn finished with 167 yards on nine catches, and
Williams gained 81 yards on 27 carries.
Other than a 47-yard completion to Terrell Owens, San
Francisco's longest gain in the first half was a 15-yard penalty
for roughing the passer against the Saints.
The 49ers' only scoring chance in the first half was Wade
Richey's 34-yard field-goal attempt that went wide.
San Francisco used a fourth-down conversion of its own to keep a
third-quarter drive going. Then Saints cornerback Fred Weary drew
an interference call on third-and-goal from the 1, and two plays
later, Charlie Garner scored to make it 31-7.
Weary got some payback in the fourth quarter when he leaped in
front of Jerry Rice in the end zone and intercepted a pass from
Jeff Garcia.
"We were able to avoid sacks, but that doesn't show the havoc
they were able to create," Garcia said.
The 49ers scored again with 47 seconds remaining on an 11-yard
touchdown reception by Terry Jackson. It was Garcia's 25th
touchdown pass of the year.
Garcia, who had thrown only five interceptions the entire
season, threw two on Sunday. He completed 22 of 36 passes for 262
yards, while Owns finished with 97 yards on six catches.
Game notes
The Saints had no sacks. Glover went into the game tied for
the NFL lead in sacks with 12 and had six in the previous two
weeks. ... Jerry Rice extended his NFL-record streak of games in
which he has caught a pass to 219 with a 3-yard catch in the first
quarter. ... Sunday's victory marked the 250th home game in Saints
franchise history. ... The 49ers are 2-1 when Garner rushes at
least 20 times, and they are 0-7 when he has less than 20 carries.
Garner carried 13 times against the Saints. ... The 49ers have
scored in 364 straight games. The last time they were shut out was
Oct. 16, 1971. ... With his second-quarter TD run, Ricky Williams
has now scored in five straight games. ... Injuries: 49ers: T
Derrick Deese, left knee sprain; CB Monty Montgomery, hip pointer;
FB Fred Beasley, left ankle sprain. Saints: none.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
San Francisco Clubhouse
New Orleans Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 QB Jeff Blake and the Saints took to the air when the 49ers stopped the run.
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Joe Horn and the Saints expect to be underdogs, but like to prove people wrong.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Jim Haslett comments on the Saints' aggressive style of play.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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