|
Hall of Fame Game Story
Doug Miller, NewOrleansSaints.com
Sunday, August 05, 2007 - 10:06 PM
Canton, Ohio – The 2007 NFL preseason got off to its annual start in Canton, Ohio as the Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend concluded with the Saints dropping the inaugural football game, 20-7, at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"There is no other way to spin this, we were sloppy and sluggish," said Saints Head Coach Sean Payton. "I have to do a better job of getting us ready to play and we all have to do a better job. We have to get better in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams."
Pittsburgh won the coin toss and elected to receive. Newcomer Olindo Mare booted his first kick of a member of the Saints and promptly hammered the kickoff into the end zone for a touchback.
The Steelers took advantage of a 55-yard pass play from QB Ben Roethlisberger to WR Cedrick Wilson on a second down that took the ball to the Saints’ 23 yardline. The Steelers, who managed only one yard in their next two plays, converted a third-and-nine pass when Wilson again victimized the defense, catching a ball in traffic and taking the pigskin down to the Saints’ 4. One play later, veteran RB Najeh Davenport burst through the middle for a four-yard TD run that capped a six-play, 80-yard drive in 2:58 and gave them a 7-0 lead.
The Saints’ offense took possession and faced a heavy dose of Steeler blitzes early, and churned out 14 yards in five plays before Steve Weatherford hammered a 53-yard punt that set the Steelers up at own their 19.
“It’s great to be a part of the Hall of Fame game and play in this setting,” said QB Drew Brees. “In the first preseason game, you are finally getting a chance to go against someone else and see where you have progressed. Obviously we still have some work to do.”
 Will Smith had 4 tackles and a sack The Saints’ starting defense, which yielded the early score, reared its head after a 17-yard completion to Wilson from backup QB Charlie Batch. Saints DE Will Smith shot off the line and dropped Davenport for a three-yard loss. The ensuing run play helped the Steelers get the three yards back, which brought up a third-and-ten. The Steelers again attempted a bomb to Wilson, but S Josh Bullocks closely had Wilson covered and the pass fell incomplete deep down the middle of the field.
WR Lance Moore continued an impressive training camp when he fielded a punt and bolted for 12-yard down the Saints’ sideline, giving the Saints their second possession of the game at their own 27. The Saints didn’t manage a yard though, as three pass attempts didn’t connect.
RB Jamaal Branch made a nice open field special teams tackle off of Weatherford’s second punt, halting Pittsburgh’s return man Willie Reid to only eight yards. Reid appeared to muff the punt but the officials ruled he had possession. Saints Head Coach Sean Payton challenged the ruling on the field, claiming Reid fumbled the ball and Saints LB Brian Simmons recovered it. The officials reviewed the play and determined that ruling on the field stood and the Saints were charged with their first timeout.
The Steelers began at their own 33 and used short passes and a power running game to move into Saints territory. The biggest play on the drive was a 14-yard screen play from Batch to Davenport. The Saints’ defense recorded back to back sacks after the Steelers had driven to the Saints’ 18. On the first, MLB Mark Simoneau perfectly timed a blitz and dropped Batch for a four-yard loss. On the ensuing play, DE Will Smith dropped batch for a two-yard loss and then CB Jason Craft defended a pass on a third down. The two plays pushed the Steelers back and prompted Steelers kicker Jeff Reed to push a 42-yard kick off the left.
Drew Brees finished the night one-of-six passing for six yards before giving way to Jamie Martin late in the first quarter.
RB Reggie Bush, who had two carries for eight yards, which included a strong six-yard run, said “This game gave us an opportunity to see some different looks rather than go against our own defense, and also play at game temp. The work we put in now is part of the process of preparing for the regular season. Tonight was a first step, and one that showed where we need to keep working.”
The Saints’ defense, which surrendered a 33-yard screen pass, rebounded and halted the Steelers and forced a punt with 13:33 remaining in the second quarter.
Martin, in his second series as the quarterback, began the drive with a short burst from Aaron Stecker. On the play, starting C Jeff Faine was slow to get up and walked off the field under his own power, giving way to Jonathan Goodwin. Stecker again picked up three yards on a run, which brought up a third-and-four, and true to form, the Steelers sent in a heavy blitz package and one of the blitzers tipped Martin’s pass attempt, causing it to fall incomplete and bringing up a fourth down and another Weatherford punt.
Weatherford, who is in competition for the punting job with former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Chris Hanson, was impressive with a 49.2 punting average on his first four punt attempts and posted a 45.2 net average.
The Steelers made another bring play when Brian St. Pierre hooked up with former Steelers top draft pick WR Santonio Holmes for a 41-yard completion. On the play, CB Anwar Phillips was flagged for 15-yard facemask infraction, which took the ball down to the Saints’ three-yard line. Two plays later, St. Pierre hooked up with Holmes for a three-yard touchdown pass that gave the Steelers a 14-0 lead following Reed’s extra point. The scoring drive was a six-play, 66-yard drive in 3:05.
Martin attempted a long bomb to Moore but the speedster was unable to haul in the pass, which narrowly tipped off his right outstretched fingertip.
Pittsburgh ripped off another big play when first-year running back Carey Davis burst through a missed tackle and rumbled 56-yards and deep into Saints territory. The Saints’ defense stiffened and limited the Steelers to a 28-yard field goal by Reed, which extended their lead to 17-0 with 5:06 remaining in the first half.
The Saints took control and mustered to get close to mid-field as the clock hit the two-minute warning, but came up short on a third-and-five run.
 Jason Fife led a Saints TD drive The Saints, under the direction of QB Jason Fife, started the second half at their own 28 yard line and picked up some power running from rookie Antonio Pittman, as well as a 14-yard play from first-year FB Kevin Dudley, who was chopped down with a hard-hit in front of the Saints’ bench.
A few plays later, Fife hit Terrance Copper for an 18-yard completion. Pittman, out of Ohio State, was powerful in his running and Fife was on-target, as the Saints quickly got in and out of the huddle and kept the Steelers’ defense a bit on their heels.
Fife, on a third down in Steelers territory, zipped an eight-yard completion to Copper on a third down for the first down to the Steelers’ five. On a third-down, Pittman tried the right side and took the ball down to the Steelers’ one-yard line. Fife then hit Dudley on a nifty one-yard pass that capped a 16-play, 72 yard drive in 7:54 that closed the score to 17-7 following Brett Bergstrom’s extra point.
The Steelers responded to the Saints’ scoring drive and marched deliberately down the field, and widened the margin to 20-7 as time expired in the third quarter with a 39-yard field goal by Reed. The field goal ended a 14-play, 44-yard drive in 7:06.
The Saints began their second possession in the second half by starting at their own 15-yard line but were unable to pick up a first down as a third-and-seven pass attempt to Moore fell incomplete in the face of a Steelers heavy rush.
Tyler Palko took over the Saints’ offense with just over 11 minutes to play in the game and took advantage of two impressive runs by rookie FA Pierre Thomas and a caught pass to Branch. Palko then hit rookie Robert Meachem for a six-yard gain. On the next play Meachem was decked by Steelers’ CB William Gay on a hard-hit that separated Meachem from the ball. Meachem, who stayed down on the field for a brief period of time, bounced up and jogged off the field under his own power after getting the wind knocked out him.
On a third-and-four, Palko hit Thomas for a quick hitting pass that went for 17 yards. Meachem displayed his toughness by only missing a play and again went over the middle. The Saints, though, were unable to get any further than the Pittsburgh 41 and Hanson came in to punt, dropping a punt inside the 20 that was fair-caught at the Pittsburgh 12 yard-line after traveling 33 yards.
The Saints took their final possession of the game with 3:21 left in the contest and began at their own 27. Palko hit Thomas on an outlet pass for 18 yards out to the Saints’ 45. Thomas then burst over the right side for a six-yard run and moved the Saints into Pittsburgh territory. Palko then picked up 13 yards on a scramble and picked up a devastating block by Branch on Steelers LB Rian Wallace. On the next play Palko was intercepted by Gay when he attempted to hook up with Aaron Hosack down the middle of the field with 2:19 remaining in the game.
Following a short week that will see the Saints return to Millsaps College for more training camp sessions, the Saints return home to host the Buffalo Bills on Friday evening, August 10 with a game set to kickoff at 7:00 pm CT. The game will also be televised nationally by CBS Sports.
|