Chargers @ Saints: Breaking It Down - Second Quarter

Saints Offense First Drive (10 plays, 89 yards, 4:06, Touchdown

• Saints put together another long, well executed drive.
• Lance Moore makes a nice 31 yard reception as he came across the field and into wide open space.
• Pierre Thomas looks like his usual self, barreling and bouncing off defenders for 8 yards and a first down.
  
• Brees is flushed left out of the pocket and looks like he has some room to scramble but pulls up instead and finds a wide open and nonchalant Devery Henderson in the back corner of the end zone for the touchdown. It's nice to have confidence in Devery's hands back.
  
• Mehlhaff misses the extra point.

Saints Offense Second Drive (6 plays, 25 yards, 2:00, Touchdown)

• Saints get the ball back immediately after Chris Reis makes a nice play on Darren Sproles, the returner, and pops the ball loose. Usama Young is in the right place at the right time, comes up with it, and runs it back to the Charger 25.
• After hitting Mark Campbell for a 13 yard first down, the Saints go to the air three straight times but can't punch it in the endzone.
• Payton decides to go for it on fourth and one. He wisely gives it to Deuce, who scores the 51st touchdown of his career and moves him second on the Saints all-time list. I am pretty satisfied with Payton's decision making and his play calling mixture.

Saints Defense First Drive (7 plays, 66 yards, 3:17, Touchdown)

• Rivers throws complete to Vincent Jackson on the sideline. Harper and Gay are no where near him to make a play on the ball, more worried about a big play apparently. Will Smith almost gets to Rivers in time. 
• LT breaks loose for another huge run of 40 yards. Harper makes a weak attempt at a tackle at the line that Tomlinson spins away from and then finds plenty of daylight.
  
• Harper makes up for it by making a great tackle on LT behind the line for a loss of three.
  
• On third down, Rivers finds a wide open Tomlinson underneath who then makes a move as Vilma goes sliding past him. This grass is certainly affecting this game. There is no doubt.

Saints Offense Third Drive (4 plays, 76 yards, 2:06, Touchdown)

• After just one give to Deuce the Saints take to the air a bit more. First Billy Miller then Devery Henderson.
  
• Another late hit penalty on San Diego after Henderson's 20 yard catch gives the Saints great field position.
  
• Brees throws a great spiral and somehow Lance Moore comes up with the ball in between two defenders. He was looking over his right shoulder but made the nice adjustment to the outside after Brees threw it where he knew only Moore could get it.
  
• The Saints have just been scoring at will this second quarter. 

Saints Defense Second Drive (5 plays, 64 yards, 2:21, Touchdown)

• The Saints hold San Diego to third down but Rivers completes a pass over the middle to Vincent Jakson for 16 yards. Jackson carries Gay, who looks like a rag doll, with him to the sideline. Jackson dwarfs gay so much so that I literally couldn't see Gay behind him until Jackson turned upfield. Frustrating none the less. Gay is lying on his back in pain after the play.
  
• Then its a pass to Gates who just runs right past Usama Young straight up. 30 yards.  
• In case the secondary didn't look bad enough Rivers goes to Gates one more time for 12 yards and the score. Usama Young is the culprit again. He just gets outrun plain and simple. This drive was just bad. We made the Chargers offense look like...ours.

Saints Offense Fourth Drive (6 plays, 31 yards, 1:03, Punt)

• Deuce has pretty much disappeared since the opening drive.
• On second down Billy Miller bobbles a catch that is ruled an interception but the call is reversed and ruled incomplete.
• Devery Henderson gets some separation and is open deep down field. Brees throws but the ball may have slipped a bit. The pass is underthrown and Devery's attempt to come back to it is failed.
• Antoine Cason breaks up a pass to Billy Miller and the Saints punt.