The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the New Orleans Saints, 27-24, in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Friday Night.
The Saints (1-2) wrapped up training camp this week and will begin preparation for a nationally televised contest against the Houston Texans on Saturday, Aug. 25th in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
"I am looking forward to getting to practice this week and getting our guys back to work," said Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Joe Vitt. "We have a lot of coaching to do. We have a lot of things to clean up and we will get it done this week."
QB Chase Daniel completed 16-of-21 passes for 185 yards and threw two touchdown passes. QB Drew Brees started the game for the Saints and went 10-13 for 133 yards and a touchdown.
RB Chris Ivory led the Saints on the ground, carrying the ball ten times for 43 yards.
RB Travaris Cadet added 28 yards on three carries while leading the team in receiving with five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. Cadet also returned three kickoffs for a total of 85 yards (28.3 avg.).
TE Michael Higgins caught five passes for 42 yards and Devery Henderson hauled in four passes for 31 yards and a touchdown. Joe Morgan made the biggest play of the night, catching a 53-yard touchdown pass from Daniel.
LB David Hawthorne led the defense in tackles with six (five solo).
S Isa Abdul-Quddus contributed four tackles (two solo) and an interception.
The Saints outgained the Jaguars through the air 316-182.
The Jaguars won the coin toss and elected to receive. P Thomas Morstead kicked off for the Saints for a touchback.
QB Blaine Gabbert started the game for the Jaguars. RB Rashad Jennings had success on the ground on Jacksonville's opening drive and rushed for three first downs. Gabbert completed his first pass of the night to WR Justin Blackmon for a short gain and then went on to move the ball deep into the Saints territory. On third-and-eight from connected one New Orleans 16-yard line, Gabbert connected on a sixteen-yard touchdown pass. K Josh Scobee put the extra point through the uprights to put the Jaguars ahead 7-0 with 9:39 remaining. The drive for the Jaguars was nine plays for 80 yards and took 5:22.
Scobee kicked off for a touchback and Brees took the field for the Saints at their own 20-yard line. Brees connected on a 15-yard pass to RB Pierre Thomas to move the chains before handing the ball off to RB Mark Ingram.
On second-and-six, Brees connected with Thomas again for a gain of 25 yards to put the Saints into Jacksonville territory. On third-and-five from the 18-yard line, Brees pass was incomplete which brought on K Garrett Hartley to try a 37-yard field goal. Hartley drilled the kick and brought the score to 7-3 with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter. The drive for the Saints was nine plays for 62 yards and lasted 3:19.
Morstead kicked off to WR Mike Thomas who returned the kick 55-yards to midfield. The Jaguars went three-and-out which brought on P Bryan Anger to punt the ball away. After the touchback, Brees and the Saints took over from their own 20-yard line.
The Saints rushed on first and second down and Brees connected with WR Lance Moore on third down but was stopped short of a first down. After the punt, the Jaguars took over from their 34-yard line.
The Jaguars rushed on three straight plays for 18 yards while picking up a first down and moving inside New Orleans territory to end the first quarter with Jacksonville ahead 7-3.
Inside New Orleans territory, Gabbert connected on a 15-yard pass to Blackmon but a penalty moved them back ten yards. The Jaguars picked up a couple of first downs on passes from Gabbert to Thomas and TE Marcedes Lewis. On second-and-14 from the Saints 16-yard line, Gabbert connected on a touchdown pass to TE Colin Cloherty. Scobee connected on the PAT and put the Jaguars ahead 14-3 with 9:00 remaining in the second quarter. The drive for the Jaguars was 14 plays for 66 yards and lasted 8:15.
After a touchback, Brees returned to lead the Saints from their 20-yard line. On first down, Brees was sacked by DE Jeremy Mincey in the process of throwing and lost the ball. The ball was recovered by DT Terrance Knighton for Jacksonville and the Jaguars took over from the Saints 15-yard line.
The Jaguars went three-and-out and Scobee connected on a 36-yard field goal to put the Jaguars ahead 17-3 with 7:25 remaining in the second quarter. The drive for the Jaguars was four plays for -3 yards and lasted 1:27.
Scobee booted the ball deep into the endzone and the ball was returned 23-yards by RB Travaris Cadet. The Saints rushed on three consecutive plays to move the ball to pick up a first down and move to the 25-yard line.
On first down, Brees threw for the first of two consecutive completions to WR Devery Henderson for a gain of 13-yards and a new set of downs.
Brees then connected with WR Marques Colston for a gain of 15-yards and moved the Saints into Jacksonville territory. Brees hit Henderson for a short gain and then completed a pass to Colston for 28 yards and his fifth straight completion. On first down, Brees hit Henderson in the corner of the endzone for an eight-yard touchdown.
Brees completed six straight passes on the drive to move the Saints downfield for the score. K John Kasay put the extra point through the uprights and closed the gap to 17-10 with 2:55 remaining in the first half. The drive for the Saints went nine plays for 85 yards and lasted 4:30.
After a touchback by Morstead, the Jaguars took over from their 20-yard line. Due to two penalties against the Saints, Jacksonville moved the ball down to the New Orleans 37-yard line at the two-minute warning. Gabbert connected with Thomas for two completions before facing fourth-and-one from the Saints 18-yard line with 56 seconds remaining. On fourth down, Jennings was stopped short of the first down by LB Will Herring and LB Martez Wilson.
Daniel entered the game for the Saints with :48 remaining in the half. On his first attempt, he completed a pass to Cadet for a gain of 19 yards. After a penalty, the Saints moved inside Jacksonville territory to the 47-yard line with :43 remaining. After a penalty against the Saints, Daniel connected with Cadet again for a gain of nine yards to bring up third-and-11. On third down, Daniel was sacked by Mincey and DE Andre Branch to bring the first half to a close.
The Jaguars started the third quarter with an onside kick. S Courtney Greene recovered the onside kick at the New Orleans 48. QB Chad Henne entered the game for the Jaguars. After two rushes, Henne threw incomplete and the Jaguars and forced to punt the ball away. Cadet called a fair-catch and the Saints took over from their 14-yard line.
On first down, Daniel hit TE Michael Higgins for a completion and a gain of 15 yards. Daniel complete another pass to Higgins before handing off to Cadet for a gain of ten yards. On first down, Daniel hit Morgan for a 53-yard touchdown pass with 11:13 remaining in the third quarter. Hartley converted on the extra point and tied the game at 17. The drive for the Saints was five plays and went 86 yards while lasting 2:22.
Henne and the Jaguars took over from their 20-yard line after the touchback. Henne completed two passes to WR Cecil Shorts III and picked up a first down. On first-and-10, Henne threw the ball deep and the pass was tipped by CB Elbert Mack and intercepted by S Isa Abdul-Quddus at the New Orleans 32-yard line.
Cadet ran on first down for a gain of nine yards on first down and Ivory rushed for a gain of 11 yards on the next play while moving the ball to the Jacksonville 48-yard line. On first-and-ten, Daniel hit Morgan for a 10-yard gain. The offense stalled after committing a penalty and were forced to punt the ball away. The ball was downed at the Jacksonville four-yard line by Mack.
On first down, RB Keith Toston carried the ball 42 yards to the Jacksonville 46-yard line. Henne then completed an 11-yard pass to WR Brian Robiskie to move the ball to the New Orleans 41-yard line. Henne hit Robiskie again for a gain of 15 yards and moved the ball into the redzone. After a penalty, Henne threw three consecutive incomplete passes and Scobee came on and made a 47-yard field goal with 1:40 left in the third quarter. The drive for the Jaguars was ten plays and went 67 yards over 3:41.
The Saints started the drive from their 23-yard line after a 29-yard return by Cadet. Ivory carried on the next three plays, picking up 18 yards as the quarter came to an end. The Saints went three-and-out to start the fourth quarter and the Saints were forced to punt.
The Jaguars took over from their 11-yard line. After two short rushes, Henne dropped back to pass on third down and was taken down by DE Braylon Broughton for a loss of five yards. Anger punted the ball away and the Saints took over on their 38-yard line.
After an eight-yard run by Ivory, Cadet hauled in a pass from Daniel to pick up a first down. Daniel went right back to Cadet for a short-gain. Daniel threw incomplete on his next two attempts and Morstead punted the ball away to the Jacksonville 21-yard line.
QB Jordan Palmer entered the game for the Jaguars on their next possession. After picking up a first down on the ground, the Jaguars weren't able to pick up a first down and punted the ball away.
New Orleans took over on the 20-yard line. RB Joe Banyard carried for a seven-yard gain for the Saints before Daniel completed four consecutive passes, two to Higgins, to move New Orleans into Jaguars' territory. After a penalty by Jacksonville, the Saints moved down to the Jacksonville 23-yard line with 2:30 remaining.
On second down, Daniel hit Cadet for a 24-yard touchdown pass with 1:53 remaining in the game. Kasay connected on the extra point to put the Saints ahead 24-20 with 1:53 remaining. The drive for the Saints went eight plays for 80 yards over 3:32.
Jacksonville took over on their 26-yard line. Palmer threw two consecutive incomplete passes before connecting on a first down pass to WR Chastin West. Palmer threw incomplete on third down and faced fourth-and-11. Palmer threw incomplete on fourth down, but a penalty gave Jacksonville the ball on the New Orleans 32-yard line.
On third-and-goal from the Saints 11-yard line, Palmer dropped back to pass and was incomplete to bring up fourth down. On fourth down, Palmer connected on an 11-yard touchdown pass to WR Kevin Elliott with 13 seconds remaining. Scobee hit the extra point and gave the Jaguars a 27-24 lead. The drive for Jacksonville was 12 plays for 74 yards and lasted 1:40.
Scobee kicked the ball away and Cadet returned the ball 33 yards to the New Orleans 28-yard line. QB Sean Canfield entered the game for the Saints. He completed a 14-yard pass on first down to RB Joe Banyard. In the final play of the game, Canfield was sacked as time expired and the Jaguars won 27-24.
