Saints vs. 49ers Final Score: New Orleans falls to San Francisco 27-24 in a wild finish in Overtime

Well, that was tough.

The Saints battled back from a 14-0 deficit to take the lead 24-21 with a couple of minutes left in the 4th quarter. Colin Kaepernick then completed a miraculous 4th down to put the 49ers in field goal territory to tie the game. Late in OT, Drew Brees fumbled the ball away to the Niners that gave them the game-winning 35-yard field goal.

Mark Ingram was solid once again. He carried the ball 27 times for 120 yards. Brees was 23-47 for 292 yards, three touchdowns, and three turnovers. Jimmy Graham had 10 catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns, while Brandin Cooks added five catches for 90 yards and one touchdown.

Here's how it happened:

First Quarter:

• The Saints receive the opening kickoff.
• Brees throws three consecutive passes on the first drive. The third one is intercepted by Antoine Bethea and returned to the Saints' 19-yard line.
• A facemask penalty on New Orleans puts the 49ers inside the 10-yard line.
• Frank Gore runs for a 5-yard touchdown. 49ers lead early 7-0.
• The Saints run it twice on the second drive and then fail to convert a 3rd down throw. The 49ers get it on their own 21-yard line to start the drive.
• Corey White shows some lockdown coverage on Anquan Boldin!
• Colin Kaepernick runs for 19 yards on a 3rd and 5. The Saints sent a blitz and were unable to contain him up the middle.
• 49ers convert another 3rd down with a pass to Michael Crabtree. Saints are getting pressure on the outside, but Kaepernick has plenty of room to step up and make plays.
• Carlos Hyde avoids numerous Saints defenders for a 9-yard touchdown run. 49ers lead 14-0.
• On 3rd and long, Drew Brees under throws a deep ball to Brandin Cooks, but he adjusts and makes a great catch for a 35-yard gain.
• Saints convert a 3rd and 7 with a great catch by Marques Colston.
• The Saints stall outside of the 20, and Shayne Graham makes a 40-yard field goal to get on the board. 49ers lead 14-3.

Second Quarter:

• Boldin catches a deep pass, but he is flagged for offensive pass interference. That's a nice break for the Saints.
• Keenan Lewis makes a great play by ripping the ball away from Boldin and forcing an incompletion.
• 49ers are forced to punt after gaining only a few yards. The Saints get good field position after a pretty bad punt by Andy Lee.
• The Saints are still committing to the run game. Ingram finds some space for some good runs.
• Brees throws a beautiful deep ball to Cooks for a 33-yard touchdown! 49ers lead 14-10.
• Kapernick once again escapes pressure, and Stevie Johnson slips behind Corey White for a 20-yard gain.
• After the 49ers running game was dominant early, the Saints have done a much better job at stopping the run.
• Boldin with another big catch for a first down.
• Kaepernick throws a 15-yard touchdown to Boldin. It was good coverage by Lewis, but it was a perfect throw and catch.
• Travaris Cadet has a really bad return and puts the Saints in bad field position at the 13-yard line.
• Brees throws a perfect deep ball to Colston, but he somehow drops it, and the Saints have to punt.
• Boldin with ANOTHER catch for a big gain.
• Keenan Lewis is shaken up with a left knee injury. This could be devastating.
• Defense make a big stop before the half. Saints get the ball inside their own 5-yard line.
• Saints go three-and-out and give the ball right back to the Niners.
• Tyrunn Walker forces a Kapernick fumble, and Cam Jordan recovers it. Saints get a huge chance to end the half well.
• Jonathan Goodwin snaps it low, Brees picks it up, avoids the sack, and throws it to Jimmy Graham for a first down.
• Brees forces a terrible throw into triple coverage, and Chris Culliver intercepts it. Halftime.

Third Quarter:

• New Orleans SaintsCorey White has been picked on quite a bit in man coverage today. Johnson makes a nice 3rd down catch to avoid a three-and-out.
• 49ers stall at midfield and the Saints start the drive at their 16-yard line.
• Saints are sticking to the running game and moving the ball with it to start the second half.
• Jimmy Graham is tackled two yards short of the 1st down on a 3rd down catch and the Saints are forced to punt.
• Cameron Jordan sacks Kapernick for a 9-yard loss.
• Keenan Lewis is back on the field, but he is visibly limping.
• On 3rd and 15, Kaepernick delivers a perfect throw to Boldin, but he uncharacteristically drops it and the Niners punt it away. It's another huge break for the Saints.
• And here comes Mark Ingram. Physical running from him as he gets the Saints in the redone.
• Wow! Drew Brees miraculously avoids pressure and throws it up to Jimmy Graham for the touchdown! 49ers lead 21-17.
• A hobbled Keenan Lewis makes a great play to knock the ball out of Boldin's hands and force a Niners three-and-out. It's incredible that he's even playing.
• The Saints start the drive on their own 24-yard line.
• Brees is looking extra shifty today.
• Ingram is stopped short on 3rd and short, and the Saints will open the 4th quarter with 4th and inches

Fourth Quarter:

• Brees gets the 1st down on a QB sneak to start the quarter. Big call by Sean Payton.

• On 4th and 2, Payton elects to punt it to the Niners this time.
• Boldin makes a 1st down catch. Patrick Robinson was playing way off on a 3rd and 4.
• Parys Haralson with a HUGE sack on 3rd and 4 to force a punt from San Francisco.
• Mark Ingram goes over 100 yards rushing on the first play of the drive.
• Erik Lorig with a first down catch!
• Brees steps up and fires a rocket to Graham for a big 3rd down conversion.
• On 4th and 3 Marques Colston steps up in a big way with a nice catch to get the Saints to the 10-yard line. 1st and goal Saints.
• Touchdown Saints! Drew Brees throws the 2-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham, and the Saints take their first lead of the game 24-21.
• Boldin drops two consecutive passes to start the 49ers drive.
• The Dome is LOUD for 3rd and 10. Crabtree drops the 1st down. 4th down.
• Kaepernick rolls out and buys time for a 51-yard throw to Crabtree. Corey White lost him in coverage, and he was wide open. Unreal.
• Brian Dixon with good coverage on Boldin on 3rd down to force a field goal attempt.
• Phil Dawson nails the 45-yarder to tie the game at 24.
• The Saints will get the ball with one timeout and 44 seconds left.
• The Saints are able to get it up to the 49ers 47-yard line with 5 seconds left.
• WOW. Perrish Cox flops from a slight Jimmy Graham shove, and they call offensive pass interference that negates a Hail Mary touchdown that would've won the game for the Saints. Overtime.

Overtime:

• The Saints win the toss and will get the ball first.
• A neutral zone infraction on 3rd and 3 gives the Saints a first down.
• Kenny Stills gets his 3rd catch in overtime.
• The Saints decide to punt on 4th and 2 in San Francisco territory after some strange decisions from Payton.
• 49ers get it on the 20.
• Carlos Hyde carries the 49ers straight to midfield on three consecutive runs.
• Ramon Humber sacks Kaepernick on an all-out blitz on 3rd down! 49ers have to punt it away.
• Saints get it inside the 10-yard line.
• Huge first down catch by Graham on 3rd down to get the Saints up to the 20-yard line.
• Brees is hit from behind by Ahmad Brooks and fumbles the ball. Chris Borland recovers it for the 49ers and puts them in position to win the game.
• Phil Dawson makes the 35-yard field goal. 49ers win 27-24.