Passage: For the second time in three weeks, the Patriots went on the road to square off against an undefeated team; the 10-0 Saints entered the game with the most points scored in the league. After the Patriots deferred the opening coin toss, the Saints returned the opening kickoff to their own 35-yard line before a 33-yard pass from Drew Brees to wide receiver Devery Henderson on the game's first play put the Saints quickly in Patriots territory. However, the Patriots defense stopped the Saints on a 3rd-and-4 from the 15-yard line, setting up a 30-yard John Carney field goal. The Patriots responded by holding the ball for nearly eight minutes, advancing 80 yards on a 14-play drive that ended in a 4-yard touchdown run by Maroney on 4th-and-1, the second such conversion of the drive. The score put the Patriots ahead 7-3. The Saints did not reach midfield on their next drive and punted; however, the Patriots turned the ball back over when on the ensuing play Brady was intercepted by cornerback Mike McKenzie, who returned it eight yards to the Saints' 41-yard line. Seven plays later, early in the second quarter, the Saints took a 10-7 lead when a Brees dump-off pass to running back Pierre Thomas resulted in an 18-yard touchdown. The Patriots could not reach midfield on their next possession and punted. On the ensuing play, Brees connected with Henderson on a 75-yard touchdown pass that extended the Saints' lead to 17-7. The Patriots faced a 3rd-and-12 early on their next drive, but Brady threw a 33-yard pass to Aiken to move the Patriots into Saints territory. The drive stalled at the Saints' 18-yard line, forcing a 36-yard Gostkowski field goal to cut the Saints' lead to 17-10. Four plays later, Brees hit former Patriots tight end David Thomas on a 25-yard pass before wide receiver Robert Meachem caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to give the Saints a 24-10 lead with just under two minutes left in the half. The Patriots' offense was able to reach the Saints' 32-yard line on first down with 35 seconds left, but advanced no further, setting up a 50-yard Gostkowski field goal attempt on fourth down that fell wide left. With possession to begin the second half, the Patriots lost it when a 6-yard pass to Maroney, the first play of the half, resulted in a fumble by Maroney at the Patriots' 26-yard line. Saints defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis recovered the fumble and returned it seven yards before he too fumbled; Welker recovered the ball for the Patriots at that spot. Later in the drive, on 3rd-and-9 from their own 42-yard line, Brady hit Aiken on an 11-yard pass to convert; on the play, Brady passed Drew Bledsoe as the Patriots' all-time passing leader. Two plays later, Brady connected with Moss on a 47-yard pass down to the Saints' 2-yard line, setting up a 2-yard Maroney touchdown run that cut the Saints' lead to 24-17. However, the Saints responded on their next play with a 68-yard pass from Brees to wide receiver Marques Colston, setting up a 2-yard touchdown catch by tight end Darnell Dinkins two plays later, re-establishing a 14-point Saints lead. The Patriots moved down to the Saints' 10-yard on their next drive, but attempted to convert on 4th-and-4 from that spot instead of kicking a field goal; Brady's pass attempt to Moss fell incomplete. The Saints' next drive spanned into the fourth quarter but ended on a punt from the Saints' own 35-yard line. The Patriots fared no better, going three-and-out on their ensuing possession. The Saints continued to build a lead when Brees ended a 9-play, 75-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Colston. Down 38-17 with under eight minutes to go, the Patriots tried to mount a drive but two plays in, Brady was intercepted by safety Darren Sharper on a deep pass; Sharper returned it 38 yards to the Patriots' 25-yard line. However, the Saints could not convert a first down and Carney missed a 37-yard field goal wide right. With 5:26 remaining in the game and down 21 points, the Patriots replaced Brady with his backup, Hoyer, on their next possession; the Patriots went three-and-out. After a Saints punt, the Patriots held the ball for the final 1:52 of the game, ending it on an 8-yard sack of Hoyer. With the loss, the Patriots dropped to 7-4 on the season, and 1-4 in road games.
How many field goals were missed? How many more blocks per game did Smith have in his best season than in his average season? How many of the top five scoring averages are not held by Bryant? How many points were the Saints trailing by at the end of the first quarter? How many poitns per game are the difference between the first and fifth spots? How many triple doubles has Johnson had in his career? Which team scored last in the first half? Which team was leading at the half? how many games did saints win before playing patriots? who scored most points in the league? who won the game?