Saints-Cardinals Final Score: Saints Fall Short Late in Game, Lose 31-19

1st Quarter

• Saints kick off the ball to start the first half.
• The Cardinals come out passing on the first three plays and complete all three. Defense looks as crappy as we'd expect.
• The Cardinals switch to the run and the defense looks equally poor defending the run.
• Stephone Anthony darts up the middle and makes a great tackle for loss. A little flash of brilliance there.
• Carson Palmer has all day to scramble and throw the ball. He finally finds John Brown open in the front corner of the end zone.
• Palmer was 5 of 6 for 62 yards and a TD on the drive.
• Cardinals take the early lead 7-0.

• Cam Jordan starts the defensive drive with a 1-yard tackle for loss.
• Kenny Vaccaro makes a great pass breakup over the middle on the next play.
• 3rd and 11 - John Brown makes the 14-yard catch to convert. Very frustrating. Gotta get off the field on 3rd and long.
• Brandon Browner drops a possible interception.
• Damian Swann makes a great pass  breakup. Defense seems to be getting a little better.
• 3rd and 5 - Palmer goes deep to John Brown who almost makes an incredible catch but eventually bobbles and drops it.
• Cardinals punt.

• 3rd and 8 - Brees completes to Ben Watson for the first down.

2nd Quarter

• 3rd and 8 - Mark Ingram dump off pass doesn't get near enough yards.
• Saints forced to punt away.

• Andre Ellington picks up 14 yards on first down to start the drive.
• 3rd and 2 - Fells make a short catch over the middle on a slant route and chugs down field to pick up a whopping 48 yards.
• Rafael Bush leaves the game with an injury.
• Palmer looks to the end zone. Delvin Breaux is in coverage. Three Saints defenders get called for different penalties on the same play. Breaux is called for pass interference penalty. Cardinals get the ball at the goal line.
• 1st and 1 at the goal line - Andre Ellington gets the easy touchdown.
• Cardinals extend lead 14-3.

--------------------------------------

• Mark Ingram starts the drive with a nice 9-yard run.
• Khiry Robinson gets a dump off pass and picks up a healthy 22 yards.
• Austin Johnson drops a pass over the middle he should have caught.
• Saints punt but the Cardinals have 12 players on the field so the Saints get the ball back and 1st down. Got lucky but we'll take it!
• 3rd and 2 - a pass to Austin Johnson picks up the first down.
• Brees hits Coleman, who spins and dives for the pylon and the TOUCHDOWN!!!
• Cardinals winning 14-10.

• Saints defense force 3 and out.

• Jahri Evans gets called for false start. 1st and 15 for the Saints.
• 3rd and 7 - Brees looks to Coleman but he can't make the catch and bring it in to his body as he falls to the ground.
• Saints punt away.

3rd Quarter

• Saints get the ball to start the half.
• The first play of scrimmage is a huge catch and run by Willie Snead for a whopping 63 yards. Great start!
• Saints end up settling for the Hocker field goal.
• Cardinals now only lead by a point 14-13.

• 3rd and 6 - Brees throws a low pass to Colston that bounces off his hands and into the hands of a waiting Cardinal DB.

4th Quarter

• 3rd and 2 - Brees goes deep along the sideline to Brandin Cooks for the first down.
• Saints have just not been able to get the running game going.
• Brees throws a pass that gets tipped at the line and high into the air. Almost gets picked off by the Cardinals.
• Saints settle for a field goal. Zach Hocker makes the 45-yard field goal.
• Cardinals lead 17-16.