Saints take an unwanted trip back to the past

Football Betting Lines

11/01/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - On most occasions, NFL teams benefit in the first game off their designated bye week of the season. For the New Orleans Saints, however, the break apparently couldn't have come at a worse time.

The Saints played with both passion and precision during their startling 5-1 start, which vaulted them to the top of the NFC South standings. But after getting a week off following a dramatic victory over Philadelphia on October 15, the club put together a stinker on Sunday that was reminiscent of last season's three-win debacle.

New Orleans committed five turnovers, including two Drew Brees interceptions that were returned for touchdowns, and 10 penalties to suffer its first loss at the newly-renovated Superdome, a 35-22 setback to the Baltimore Ravens.

This was one of those days where it seemed the Saints were doomed from the start, as if under one of the Big Easy's mythical voodoo spells.

New Orleans was handed an early gift when Baltimore's Jamal Lewis fumbled near midfield on the game's second play from scrimmage, only to give it back when Brees and Reggie Bush messed up a handoff exchange two plays later. The Ravens would later convert the miscue into seven points.

The Saints would turn it over three times on their first four possessions, the last of which was a 12-yard interception touchdown by ex-LSU corner Ronnie Prude that put the hosts in a 21-0 hole they would not climb out of.

"When we get down 21 points in catch-up football games, that does not suit us well," said Saints' head coach Sean Payton.

New Orleans outgained the Ravens by a 403-293 margin in total yards, with Brees racking up 383 yards and three touchdowns through the air, but could never overcome all those mistakes.

"You can't expect to win turning the ball over five times with 10 penalties," Payton remarked. "All of the things that we preach about that keep you from winning games hurt us today. It wasn't just offense, defense, or special teams. I have to do a better job preparing this team. Coming off the bye week we have to evaluate what we did, because it wasn't that good."

Turnovers and penalties were two major factors in the team's horrendous 2005 season, and the Saints definitely don't want to fall into those same bad habits. New Orleans finished last year with a minus-24 turnover margin, which matched Green Bay for the worst in the league, and had the third-most penalty yardage.

BUSHWHACKED

The game was also an individual ordeal for Bush, who easily had the worst performance of his burgeoning career. The rookie sensation was held to 16 rushing yards on five carries and mustered a mere five yards on four receptions. Bush was also involved in two of the Saints' five turnovers, one coming on the bad exchange with Brees and the other an overthrown option pass that was intercepted by the Ravens' Ray Lewis in the end zone.

Adding injury to insult, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner was forced to the sidelines midway through the fourth quarter after aggravating a left ankle sprain that has nagged him for most of the season. While Bush will be limited in practice this week, the injury isn't expected to keep him out of Sunday's game with Tampa Bay.

ON THE MARQ

While Bush struggled, the Saints' other impact rookie on offense had a huge day. Wide receiver Marques Colston racked up career-bests of 163 yards on six catches and scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. It was the first multi-TD game and second 100-yard outing of the physical wideout's young career.

The seventh-round steal now has six receiving touchdowns on the season, which is just one shy of St. Louis' Torry Holt's league-leading total. Colston also currently ranks eighth in the NFL with 577 receiving yards, and his 33 receptions trails only Bush (42 catches) for the most by a rookie this year.

Joe Horn also put up big numbers opposite Colston. The reliable veteran amassed a season-best 126 yards on five grabs, including a 32-yard scoring catch in the second quarter. Horn was coming off a six-reception, 110-yard, two-touchdown effort in the Week 6 win over Philadelphia.

LEWIS READY TO DELIVER AGAIN

Michael Lewis was back in uniform for the first time in over a year, as the Saints activated the popular return specialist from the physically unable to perform list prior to Sunday's game. The New Orleans native, who had been sidelined since suffering a serious knee injury during Week 2 of the 2005 season, took back six kickoffs for 136 yards, including a 46-yard return in the second half. Lewis also totaled 14 yards on a pair of punt returns.

"It felt great", said the soon-to-be 35-year-old of his return to the field "It was great coming out with the crowd in the dome. The bad thing about it was that we didn't come out with a win. We worked hard all week to win this game."

Lewis has been one of the NFL's greatest success stories in recent years. He's affectionately known as "The Beer Man" because he worked as a delivery driver for a distributor prior to making the Saints' roster in 2001 at age 29. He was named to the Pro Bowl the following year after setting a league record for most combined return yardage in a season (2,432 yards). Lewis also holds club records for punt returns (129) and punt return yards (1,385) and has three career kick return touchdowns as a Saint.

To make room on the active roster, New Orleans waived wide receiver Lance Moore, who averaged 7.5 yards on six punt runbacks this year.

NEXT UP

The Saints and division-rival Tampa Bay get together for the final time this season this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. The two NFC South foes had an exciting encounter in the Superdome on October 8, with New Orleans coming through with a 24-21 win on a 65-yard punt return touchdown by Bush with under five minutes remaining.

New Orleans will be playing on the road for the first time since a 21-18 setback at Carolina in Week 4.