Saints Back to .500 with Dominant 20-0 Win over the Dolphins

The New Orleans Saints (2-2) were trying to get back to .500 on this young 2017 NFL season when they played the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London. In a game that was sluggish from the start, the Saints defense set the tone with a first quarter interception by none other than Ken Crawley. From there, the Saints never let the Dolphins breathe offensively. Drew Brees and New Orleans offense did just enough, but in the end, this game belonged to the defense, in a 20-0 shutout of Miami.

Here’s a quarter by quarter recap of the game:

1st Quarter

• The Saints win the toss and defer
• Dolphins take the opening kickoff and return it to their 15 yard line
• Alex Anzalone hurt himself tackling Kenny Stills
• Dolphins move the ball with ease, with Cutler zinging it
• Miami keeps the ball for well over 7 minutes
• Cutler throws a pick to Ken Crawley in the end zone
• Saints dodge a bullet and record their fourth pick in two games
• NO: 0 - MIA: 0
• Saints get the ball and start with a Brees’ pass to Michael Thomas
• New Orleans moves into Miami territory easily
• Saints get into the red zone but a Zach Strief hold pushes them back
• At the end of the quarter, Saints face a 3rd and 17 at the Dolphins 27 yard line

2nd Quarter

• Saints stall and Wil Lutz misses a 41 yard field goal wide right
• NO: 0 - MIA: 0
• Dolphins take the ball and move into Saints territory in a few plays
• Bush sacks Jay Cutler on a safety blitz to stop the Dolphins drive
• Dolphins punt and Saints get the ball at their 5 yard line
• NO: 0 - MIA: 0
• Saints get out of the shadow of their end zone
• An early snap by Unger thwarts the drive and have to punt
• Both teams look out of sorts
• NO: 0 - MIA: 0
• Dolphins take the ball in excellent field position at midfield
• AJ Klein sacks Cutler and forces Miami into a 3 and out
• NO: 0 - MIA: 0
• Saints try to run it twice with Adrian Peterson to no avail
• Saints go 3 and out and have to punt from deep in their territory
• NO: 0 - MIA: 0
• A beautiful punt by Morstead and a penalty backs Miami to their 22
• Miami goes backwards with a facemask penalty
• Another penalty on the Dolphins, a PI this time
• Saints stop the Dolphins on 3rd and 20 from their own 11, Miami punts
• NO: 0 - MIA: 0
• Saints get the ball at midfield
• New Orleans moves into field goal range
• Wil Lutz makes 43 yard field goal as time expires
• NO: 3 - MIA: 0

3rd Quarter

• Saints start with the ball at their 23 yard line
• In two plays, Saints get to the the Dolphins’ 40 yard line
• Dolphins help the Saints with a holding penalty
• Saints go for it on 4th and 1 with a Brees’ sneak and get it by an inch
• Alvin Kamara gets the Saints near the goal line
• Brees throws a 3 yard touchdown to Michael Thomas
• The drive went 77 yards and took nearly 6 minutes
• NO: 10 - MIA: 0
• After the kickoff and touchback, Miami takes over at their 25 yard line
• Saints stop the Dolphins on a 3rd and 1 play from their 34
• Dolphins go 3 and out and punt
• NO: 10 - MIA: 0
• Saints have the ball near their own 40 yard line
• Saints go 3 and out and have to punt
• NO: 10 - MIA: 0
• Dolphins start from their 25 yard line
• Saints once again force the Dolphins into a 3 and out
• NO: 10 - MIA: 0
• Saints convert a big 3rd and 11 with a screen to Michael Thomas
• Saints get another 3rd and 7 conversion into Dolphins territory
• Saints face a 2nd and 9 from Dolphins’ 39 yard line as the quarter ends

4th Quarter

• Saints convert a third down on a pass to Coby Fleener
• Right tackle Zach Strief gets hurt on the pass
• Bad snap by Unger loses the Saints gobbles of yards, Brees recovers
• On 3rd and 25, Brees gets the Saints closer to field goal range
• Wil Lutz makes a 45 yard field goal
• NO: 13 - MIA: 0
• Dolphins start at their 25 yard line
• Cameron Jordan sacks Cutler and creates a fumble, but Dolphins recover
• On 3rd and 25, Saints stop the Dolphins who have to punt again
• Saints defense is dominating the Dolphins offense at this point of the game
• NO: 13 - MIA: 0
• Saints start deep in their territory
• Long pass to Michael Thomas gets the Saints near midfield
• Roughing the passer on Ndamukong Suh gets the Saints into Dolphins territory
• Saints repay the favor with a Mark Ingram facemask penalty
• Saints convert a big time 3rd and 9 to Ted Ginn Jr. and get inside the red zone
• Kamara get New Orleans inside the Dolphins 10 yard line
• Brees gets sacked by Cameron Wake on 2nd and goal and holds on to the ball
• Alvin Kamara gets into the end zone on a beautiful inside shovel pass
• NO: 20- MIA: 0
• Dolphins get the ball at their 19 yard line after a short kickoff return
• Dolphins have to go for it on 4th and 4 from their side of the field
• Miami fails and Saints take the ball in Dolphins territory
• On 4th and 1, Saints fail to seal the game, Dolphins take over
• After a few completions, Cutler is sacked by David Onyemata
• The game ends and the Saints win 20 - 0
• NO: 20- MIA: 0