Saints Rout Bills 47-10, Win Seventh Straight Game

After winning only seven games in each of the past three seasons, the New Orleans Saints (7-2) were trying to reach that mark well ahead of the pace they had set from 2014 to 2016. The task was not to be an easy one, with a contest against the Buffalo Bills (5-4) in the inauspicious and cold confines of New Era Field in Orchard Park, NY.

In the first half, the Saints picked up where they left off against Tampa Bay last week, with the offense driving up and down the field and scoring 17 points, while the defense limited the Bills to only three points. The one blemish offensively was a fumble in the red zone by tight end Josh Hill, which prevented New Orleans from having a bigger lead at halftime. Distinguishing himself in the first half was running back Mark Ingram, with two rushing touchdowns.

The second half, started with the Saints driving down the field and scoring a touchdown on their first possession, forcing the Bills into more of a passing game. Down 24-3, Tyrod Taylor threw a pick to Sheldon Rankins, and the Saints would quickly convert it into another touchdown for a 30-3 lead.

What came after that was a thing of beauty: Saints went on a 10-play, 94 yards touchdown drive with every play being a run, including Drew Brees’ drive-capping touchdown for a 37-3 lead. Both Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram got over the 100-yard rushing mark, it was the first time two Saints rushers had 100 yards in the same game since the 2006 season, when Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush accomplished that feat.

The Saints would add 10 more points and allow the Bills a garbage time touchdown, for a final score of 47-10. The Saints win their seventh game in a row in emphatic fashion and on the road nonetheless. The running game was a force, and the defense once again played it’s usual tough game, coming away with an interception and suffocating the Bills offense.

Saints face the Washington Redskins at home next Sunday, where they’ll try to win their eighth game in a row. Simply amazing!

Here’s a quarter by quarter recap of the game

1st HALF

1st Quarter

• Bills start with the ball at their 25-yard line
• LeSean McCoy picks up a long, run deep into Saints territory
• If the Saints defense has an Achilles heel, it’s long run plays!
• On 3rd and 9 in the red zone, Bills stall
• Stephen Hauschka makes a short field goal
• NO: 0 - BUF: 3
• Saints get the ball at their 25-yard line
• Saints drive into Bills territory and face a 4th and 1 near Buffalo’s 30-yard line
• Mark Ingram gains 25 yards on the play
• Mark Ingram rushes into the end zone for a touchdown
• NO: 7 - BUF: 3
• After the kickoff, Buffalo starts at their 25-yard line
• Saints stop the Bills on 3rd and 14 in their territory and punt
• After Ted Ginn Jr. return Saints start at their 45-yard line
• Saints get into the red zone after a Bills personal foul penalty
• Josh Hill fumbles the ball on a Brees pass, the Bills recover
• The Bills take the ball and face a 2nd and 15 as the quarter ends

2nd Quarter

• Bills stall on 3rd and 15 and punt
• Saints get the ball at the Bills 48-yard line after Ginn’s return
• Brees finds Brandon Coleman for a 30-yard pass on 3rd and 13
• On 2nd and goal, Mark Ingram rushes in for his 2nd touchdown of the day
• NO: 14 - BUF: 3
• Bills take over at their 18-yard line after the kickoff return
• Bills pick up one first down, but stall and have to punt
• Saints start from their 20-yard line
• Saints get into Bills territory on passes to Michael Thomas
• It’s the Michael Thomas drive, Saints get to the Bills’ 10-yard line
• On 3rd and goal, Saints stall at the Bills 4-yard line
• Wil Lutz makes a 23-yard field goal
• NO: 17 - BUF: 3
• Buffalo gets the ball to their 19-yard line on the kickoff return
• Saints stop the Bills on 3rd and 1 from Buffalo’s 28-yard line
• Bills punt and Saints kneel on the ball
• Saints lead by 14 points at halftime

2nd HALF

3rd Quarter

• After a touchback, Saints start at their 25-yard line
• On 3rd and 6, Alvin Kamara gains 12 yards on a beautiful screen play
• Michael Thomas makes a ridiculous catch to get the Saints into Bills territory
• Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara get the Saints into the red zone
• Alvin Kamara runs into the end zone for a touchdown
• NO: 24 - BUF: 3
• Bills take over at their 25-yard line
• Sheldon Rankins intercepts a Tyrod Taylor pass, returns it to the Bills 3-yard line
• Mark Ingram rushes for his third touchdown of the game
• This is a single game career-high for Mark Ingram
• Wil Lutz misses the extra point wide right. No soup for him tonight!
• NO: 30 - BUF: 3
• After the kickoff, Bills take over at their 25-yard line
• On 3rd and 13, the Bills stall and have to punt
• Saints start from their 6-yard line because of a penalty on DeVante Harris
• Saints get out of the shadow of their end zone on running plays
• Saints get into Bills territory all on rushing plays!!!
• Saints get into the red zone on runs. RUNS RUNS RUNS! :-D
• Drew Brees rushes into the end zone for a touchdown
• This drive was 10 runs, 94 yards!!!
• NO: 37 - BUF: 3
• Bills take over at their 25-yard line
• Buffalo faces a third and long as the quarter ends

4th Quarter

• Saints sack Tyrod Taylor on 3rd and 11, Bills punt
• Saints take over near their 30-yard line and keep pounding the ball
• Alvin Kamara rushes for a first down that got him over 100 yards
• On 4th and 3, Brees finds Michael Thomas for a first down
• Saints had called 24 consecutive running plays until that pass
• Trey Edmunds enters the game to spell Ingram and Kamara
• The Saints stall and Wil Lutz makes a 53-yard field goal
• NO: 40 - BUF: 3
• Bills replace Tyrod Taylor with rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman
• On 4th and 1 at their 44-yard line, Bills fail to convert, Saints take over
• The Who Dat chants are being heard loud at New Era Field
• Chase Daniel enters the game for New Orleans
• Trey Edmunds takes a hand off to the left for a 41-yard touchdown
• Saints set a franchise record with six rushing touchdowns in a single game
• NO: 47 - BUF: 3
• After the kickoff, Saints play prevent defense and allow the Bills into the red zone
• Peterman finds tight end Nick O’Leary for a 7-yard touchdown
• NO: 47 - BUF: 10
• Saints kneel on the ball, win number seven is in the books. Seventh straight victory!
• Saints win! Saints win!
• Final Score: Saints: 47- Bills: 10