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The Saints set a franchise record for scoring with a dominating 62-7 win over the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The Saints set or tied several franchise records in Sunday night’s win. Most notably was the 62 points scored, which shattered the previous Saints record of 51, set on three occasions – 1969 at St. Louis Cardinals, 1976 at Seattle and 2008 at home vs. Green Bay.

The 62 points matches the highest single-game total in the NFL since the 1970 merger. Eight teams have exceeded the 62-point mark, but none since 1966.

The 55-point margin of victory was not only a franchise mark (surpassing the 42-point victory over Denver in 1988), but it marked only the second time since 1989 that any NFL team has won by 50 or more points (New England 59, Tennessee 0, 2009).

Brees tossed five touchdowns and 325 yards on 31-35 passing. Brees tossed a pair of TDs to WR Marques Colston and TE Jimmy Graham and one to Sproles.

Colston collected seven catches for 98 yards. Graham had six catches for 54 yards.

Ingram led the Saints in rushing with a career-best 91 yards on 14 carries. Sproles had a season-high 88 yards on 12 carries, including an 16-yard touchdown run.

LB Jonathan Casillas led the Saints on defense with five total tackles and a sack.

Following a touchback on the first play from scrimmage, Colts QB Curtis Painter threw a deep pass intended for WR Pierre Garcon that was broken up by CB Jabari Greer. On second down, Colts RB Joseph Addai gained seven yards before being stopped by LB Scott Shanle. On third down, Painter completed a pass to TE Brody Eldridge for an eight-yard gain and the first down before being tackled by LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar.

With a fresh set of downs, Painter threw to Garcon who was forced out of bounds by Greer by the Saints sideline after gaining four yards. Addai took the second down handoff, but was stopped after gaining only one yard by S Roman Harper. On third down, on an aborted play, Painter fumbled the ball and it was picked by LB Jonathan Vilma at the Indianapolis 41-yard line.

On first down, Brees threw a pass Colston for a seven-yard gain. On third down, Ingram gained four yards for the first down. With a fresh set of downs, Brees completed a throw to Sproles for a nine-yard gain. On second and one, Brees handed off to Ingram who gained two yards for the first down at the 20-yard line. Sproles then carried up the right side and gained six yards. On second and four, Colston caught a pass in the end zone and came down with it to give New Orleans an early 7-0 lead.

Starting at the 20, Painter rolled out and found Garcon for a gain of 12 yards. On the next first down play, Painter’s pass was tipped by DT Sedrick Ellis. LT Jeff Linkenbach was called for holding to bring the Colts back ten. On second and 20, Painter completed a dumpoff pass to Addai for a three-yard gain. Facing third and 17, Painter completed another pass to Addai, which gained only eight, sending Colts P Pat McAfee and the punt unit out. Sproles fielded the 56-yard punt, which he returned for eight yards, giving New Orleans starting position at their 19.

On first down, Brees handed off to Ingram who ripped off a six-yard gain. The runs were then mixed up with Pierre Thomas going up the middle for a ten-yard gain.  A short throw for Thomas was then incomplete. But Brees and Thomas made amends and connected on a short pass that the runner turned into a 57-yard gain, a career-long grab, with four yards tacked on for a personal foul penalty. Two plays later, Brees and Colston had a four-yard connection for their second touchdown of the game.

Starting at the 20, Painter completed a nine-yard throw to Colts WR Reggie Wayne. Rookie Indy RB Delone Carter then took a run up the right side for a 23 yards to the New Orleans 48. However on the next play, Caldwell fumbled the ball as it was forced out by DT Tom Johnson and it was picked by rookie DE Cameron Jordan.

Sproles then ran up the right side for a 16-yard gain to the Indianapolis 36-yard line. Sproles then took a screen and gained one more yard. On second down, Brees connected with Meachem near the Colts sideline for a gain of nine yards. Brees then moved the Saints into the red zone at the 16 with a ten-yard toss to WR Lance Moore, which was followed by a nine-yard throw to WR Devery Henderson.  

Ingram carried on the short yardage play and advanced to the five with the first down. Sproles lost a yard on an ensuing play, but without the first quarter having elapsed, he and Brees connected on a six-yard score, the signal-callers third touchdown pass of the game, giving New Orleans a 21-0 lead.

Starting at the 20, Carter took a handoff and gained five yards before being stopped by Vilma and Dunbar. On second down and the final play of the first quarter, CB Patrick Robinson almost picked off a throw by Painter. In what would be a three-and-out, New Orleans would get the ball back at the 31.

New Orleans would go up 28-0 on a seven-play, 69 yards. New Orleans would get into Colts territory on a 26-yard pass play from Brees to Moore. On second and six at the 16, Brees completed a pass to TE Jimmy Graham to the two-yard line. Thomas took the first and gola carry, and gained one yard. On second down, Brees handed off to FB Jed Collins who scored his second rushing touchdown of the season, third overall.

Indianapolis would start at their 20 with Brown taking a handoff and Dunbar stopping him for no gain. On second-and-ten, a pass by Painter was incomplete, while a third down throw was short of his intended target Wayne. Sproles took McAfee’s 54-yard punt and returned it 16 yards.

On New Orleans’ first third down play of the game with seven yards needed, Brees and Graham connected on a 16-yard reception. With a fresh set of downs, WR Robert Meachem took an end around for a loss of one yard. On second down, Thomas carried up the middle of the field for a gain of nine yards, setting up third-and-two, where Sproles took a handoff to gain 11 yards and the first down. With a fresh set of downs at the 20, the Saints would move into the red zone with a five-yard encroachment penalty on Indianapolis DT Dan Muir.

Brees then completed a pass for a six-yard gain to Graham. Ingram then carried for a five-yard gain and a second down throw to Graham from Brees was ruled incomplete. At third and goal from the five, a pass intended for Moore was broken up by Colts DB Kevin Thomas, sending K John Kasay out for a 23-yard field goal.

On their next drive, Indianapolis would move into New Orleans territory on a 42-yard run by Carter. Colts RB Donald Brown later had a key run to the three-yard line. On first and goal from the three though, Ellis and Vilma stopped Brown for a one-yard gain. Carter gained two yards for Indy’s first points of the game.

Starting at their 18, Brees completed a pair of passes to Sproles for a gain of 11 and then connected with Colston for a nine-yard gain. The two then met on a pass in the middle of the field where they gashed the Indianapolis secondary for a gain of 39 yards, putting the Saints at their opponents’ 23-yard line. A throw was completed to Sproles, but the running back was stopped for a seven-yard loss, but as time expired, Kasay booted a 47-yard kick to give the Saints a 27-point lead going into halftime.

Receiving the ball to start the second half, Sproles took the ball from four yards deep in the end zone and had a 29-yard return. On first down, Ingram carried to the 32-yard line for a seven-yard gain before being stopped by Colts LB Philip Wheeler.  

On second down, Brees completed a pass for a six-yard gain to the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner. Brees and Graham would then connect for a 13-yard gain to move to the Indianapolis 49-yard line.

Thomas then gained four yards on a run and then the first down was converted on a six-yard pass from Brees to the runner. Sproles then took a pitch play for a four-yard gain before being tackled by Colts CB Jerraud Powers. Sproles then took a handoff up the middle on a play action fake and gained 14 yards to the Colts 21 before being tackled by S Antoine Bethea.

On the next first down play, Brees was sacked by Colts DE Jamaal Anderson for a one-yard loss.  On the next play, New Orleans would get it back and four more yards when Colts DE Dwight Freeney was called for offsides. Reaching the red zone at the 17 on the penalty, Brees then completed a 13-yard throw to Colston. Brees ran a perfect fake and found Graham for the four-yard score and New Orleans’ second 40-point performance of the season.

Colts S Joe Lefeged took the kickoff out of the end zone and was stopped by New Orleans at the 13-yard line. Carter rushed on the first play of the drive for a seven-yard gain before being stopped by Vilma. On second down, Painter was called for an intentional grounding penalty. Painter scrambled on third down, but couldn’t pick up a first down, so McAfee was send out to punt and following a 39-yard kick, New Orleans would have starting position at their 40.

Ingram started off the drive with a ten-yard carry before being tackled by Colts S David Caldwell. Brees then rolled out and found Moore near the Colts sideline for an eight-yard gain and the first down. Ingram took a handoff on the next play and converted the first down for a four-yard gain before being tackled by Bethea and Wheeler.

Following a holding penalty on G Jahri Evans, Thomas gained two yards on a rush and then Brees and Colston connected on a 13-yard pass play, setting up third and one. Ingram then took the handoff up the middle and converted another first down with a six-yard gain. Ingram then moved forward again for an eight yard gain to the 14 before tripping on Thomas. Brees then completed a pass to Thomas and a yard was lost on the play. Sproles then took a pitch and moved to the two-yard line with a 13-yard rush. Brees then connected with Graham for the two-yard touchdown.

Starting at the 20, Colts RB Donald Brown gained only one yard before being stopped by DE Jeff Charleston and DE Cameron Jordan. A second down pass attempt by Painter was broken up by Robinson. On third and nine, a pass intended for Colts WR Austin Collie was dropped.

After the punt by McAfee, New Orleans would start at the 41 with QB Chase Daniel entering the game. Ingram took the first carry of the drive for a four-yard gain and then a four-yard rush.

The former Alabama standout then bounced out the outside for a gain of 20 yards before being forced out of bounds by Bethea at the 29. Thomas then spelled Ingram and gained 11. A 16-yard rush by Sproles set the club single-season record for scoring to give the Saints the 55-7 lead.

New Orleans wouldn’t be done on their club record though as on the next possession, CB Leigh Torrence returned a Painter pass 72 yards for a touchdown for the game’s final score.