Saints 31, Cardinals 9

Saints vs Cardinals: Good, bad and ugly

Drew Brees
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Drew Brees made his return from the thumb injury and helped lead the Saints to a home win over the Cardinals. Here are my observations:

The Good

-Unlike the school in his hometown that passed on him, Drew Brees is back folks! He was 34/43 for 373 yards with three touchdowns and an interception (more on that later). The offense looked like it was running on all cylinders with Brees under center mainly because...

-...Latavius Murray and Michael Thomas ate big! Murray filled in nicely for Alvin Kamara as he totaled 30 touches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Thomas made sure to welcome back Cardinals' top corner Patrick Peterson back in style by catching every target with Peterson guarding him, including carrying into the endzone for a touchdown. There's a reason he came into the game leading the league in targets, receptions, and receiving yards.

-The defense logged their fifth consecutive game in a row allowing less than 300 total yards of offense. They sacked Kyler Murray three times and completely stiffleed the run game by allowing a paltry 13 yards. This defense is legit. They stepped up in Brees' absence and have continued to play at a high level. Ih this unit keeps it up, I feel sorry for the rest of the NFL. (*That last statement is a complete lie and a fake attempt at sounding like I care.)

The Bad

-Brees took a shot down field to fullback Zach Line while he was double covered and threw a pick. This was one of the plays Brees will take a shot on regardless of what he sees because of his faith in his arm and receivers. If it were Thomas, yes. But the fullback?

-As good as this defense has played, they whiffed a few times on sacking Murray. I know. I know. The kid is as slippery as an eel bathed in Vaseline swimming in lotion, but when you have a free rusher multiple times totally miss on a sack, it's frustrating to watch.

-While Thomas and Murray did their thing, I have the same complaint when Kamara is playing: over-reliance on this duo. What happens when a team keys in on Thomas and Kamara/Murray? I'm fully confident they'll spread the ball around and generate offense, but this will continue to be a worry.

The Ugly

-After he missed a 47-yard field goal on the opening drive, I'm almost convinced Will Lutz has something in his head. A fart on your brain as my grandfather would call it. He's now missed three in the last two games. With the offense back on track and the defense playing lights out, now isn't the time for the kicker to get the yips.

-Twice the defense blew coverages and gave up big plays: once on a flea flicker, the other on one of the previously mentioned plays in which Murray was able to elude a free rusher.

-Yeah...I've got nothing here. No injuries to report this week thank God. Although Erik McCoy went down early, he came back. This team can't afford any injuries. Health is a major concern, but the next man up mentality has proven fruitful.

Beating inferior teams is what good teams do. The Cardinals aren't necessarily a bad team per se, but they aren't on the Saints' level. Towards th eend of the game, both teasms offered up the huma white flags in forms of backup quarterbacks. Teddt Bridgewater got a rousing ovation along with "Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!" chants from the home crowd. There were a few onions being cut here considering the love he was showed after what he's been through and how he led this team to a 5-0 record in Brees' absence. The Saints now get rest week before playing the woeful Falcons. Hopefully, they'll get a few guys back form injury (and P.J. Williams is eligible to return from suspension) and can continue their winning ways.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
The Yankees beat the Astros, 5-4. Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images.

Trent Grisham hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees beat the Houston Astros 5-4 on Saturday after blowing a two-run lead.

Grisham snapped a 4-all tie when he drove a full-count fastball off Bryan King (3-3) into the second deck in right field.

Grisham homered after Camilo Doval and David Bednar (5-3) combined to blow a 4-2 lead in the eighth, when the Yankees were charged with two errors. Doval was charged with a throwing error on a grounder by Jesús Sánchez and left fielder Jasson Domínguez committed another on an RBI single by Jose Altuve.

Bednar was one strike away from getting the second out but walked Christian Walker. He kept the game tied by striking out Yanier Diaz and Taylor Trammell.

Giancarlo Stanton drove in two runs, including an RBI single in the fifth that gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead. Stanton started in right in his first appearance in the field since playing left field at Fenway Park on Sept. 14, 2023. He caught a lineout by Carlos Correa to end the first for his first chance in right field since Sept. 9, 2023, and was lifted after seven innings.

Luis Gil allowed two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings, becoming the first Yankee starter to get an out in the sixth since July 30. Gil struck out seven and walked one after struggling with his command in his season debut on Sunday.

Stanton drew a bases-loaded walk in his first appearance against Framber Valdez before singling to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

Ben Rice lifted a sacrifice fly after Stanton walked and Cody Bellinger scored on the catcher’s double-play grounder in the fifth.

Jeremy Pena hit a leadoff homer and Correa hit a tying RBI single in the fourth as the Astros lost for the 17th time in 27 games.

Key moment

Bednar pitched a 1-2-3 ninth after the Yankees regained the lead.

Key stat

Grisham had three hits for the first time since July 6. He entered the game with five hits in his previous 36 at-bats.

Up next

New York LHP Max Fried (12-4, 2.78 ERA) pitches Sunday’s series finale. The Astros did not announce a starter

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome