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Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:59 pm EDT

Saints stay undefeated thanks to Dolphins' desire to air it out

By Chris Chase

There aren't too many downsides to starting the season 5-0 and outscoring opponents by a staggering 99 points, as the New Orleans Saints have done this year. If we're nitpicking, though, you might say that these Saints hadn't yet proven capable of playing from behind. But after today's game against the Miami Dolphins, it's safe to say that comebacks won't be a problem for the best team in the NFL.

After trailing 24-3 in the first half (the first time New Orleans was behind all season), the Saints stormed back to outscore Miami 43-10 over the game's final 31 minutes. The New Orleans offense was potent in the second half, per usual, but the comeback was aided greatly by the Dolphins' bizarre, pass-heavy fourth quarter play-calling. Nursing a three-point lead early in the final period was a strange time for Miami to get the urge to throw it around like the Saints usually do.

Here are the Dolphins' first two drives of the quarter, along with the score at the time:

Miami 34 -- New Orleans 31

1st-10, MIA20 13:23 C. Henne incomplete pass to the right
2nd-10, MIA20 13:17 C. Henne incomplete pass to the right
3rd-10, MIA20 13:12 C. Henne incomplete pass down the middle

New Orleans 37 -- Miami 34

1st-10, MIA20 8:35 C. Henne incomplete pass down the middle
2nd-10, MIA20 8:30 R. Brown incomplete pass to the left
3rd-10, MIA20 8:21 C. Henne incomplete pass to the left

That's zero runs during the two most crucial possessions of the game for the team with the NFL's No. 1 rushing offense. Bizarre

Related: Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints

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121 Comments

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  1. ktmoze
    1. Posted by ktmoze Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:05 pm EDT

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    My guess is that O.Coordinator, Dan Henning, thought Henne was the next Marino and Teddy Ginn could actually catch a cold.
    SaintsNews.net
  2. Shaun
    2. Posted by Shaun Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:15 pm EDT

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    ted ginn needs to be benched
  3. FAN'83
    3. Posted by FAN'83 Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:24 pm EDT

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    bench teddy already
  4. Jim H
    4. Posted by Jim H Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:41 pm EDT

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    Ted Ginn definitely should be benched,, how many catches did he miss today ?? That tip that was returned he should have had, there were several passes that went right through his hands,, both of them !! ans Henne goes back to him again when in hurry up offense,, Ginn is a high paid receiver thats needs to be traded !!
  5. Eric
    5. Posted by Eric Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    If you watched the game, you'd know that in those 6 incomplete passes, at least 3 of those were very catchable balls that were flat out dropped by Dolphins receivers. Not necessarily bad play calling, just proof that the Dolphins don't know how to catch the ball.
  6. Shoe
    6. Posted by Shoe Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:46 pm EDT

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    How about 3 Games where Miami's defense looked like total [profane] in the 2nd half.. The Colts scored EVERY time they had the ball... So did the Jets and now the Saints... Miami can't make a 2nd half defensive stop to save thier sorry asses or they could be 4-2.. instead as USUAL they suck ass!!
  7. Court C
    7. Posted by Court C Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:53 pm EDT

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    coulda... shoulda... woulda....dolphins blew it. SAINTS WIN! WHO DAT!!!!
  8. snakestikes66
    8. Posted by snakestikes66 Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:57 pm EDT

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    well this loss is over now think of the Jets and get back on track with a win .
  9. sweeper_two
    9. Posted by sweeper_two Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:01 pm EDT

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    so the Phins lost the game.......and yes the defence got soft again in the second half....but heck if ya gotta lose may as well lose to a potential superbowl team
  10. sweeper_two
    10. Posted by sweeper_two Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:01 pm EDT

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    so the Phins lost the game.......and yes the defence got soft again in the second half....but heck if ya gotta lose may as well lose to a potential superbowl team
  11. sweeper_two
    11. Posted by sweeper_two Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:04 pm EDT

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    oops sorry didnt mean to post that twice
  12. M.
    12. Posted by M. Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    Why can't you just give credit where credit is due, the saints are a good team and they adjusted. Yeah the Dolphins could use a few receivers but the Saints were just able to come back and play ball like they have been playing all season.
  13. Corey
    13. Posted by Corey Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:13 pm EDT

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    we cant be stop go saints
  14. Frank
    14. Posted by Frank Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:16 pm EDT

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    SAINTS are for real this year!! 'Aints now means you "Aint gonna beat us!" (saints/broncos in the big dance this season is MY predict.)
  15. K
    15. Posted by K Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:30 pm EDT

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    ScottB
    What a pathetic post. The only reason the dolphins had such a lead was due to inept play-calling by Payton. If he decided to run the ball early in the game like he did in the second half, this game would have been over by halftime. Get over it.
  16. K
    16. Posted by K Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:33 pm EDT

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    Saints even outrushed the Dolphins 138 to 137 despite not running the ball at all in the 1st half. The Dolphins defense were out to get Brees and Payton played into their hands by getting pass-happy in the 1st half. Once Payton went with Bell and Thomas in the second half, the Dolphins had no chance.
  17. James C
    17. Posted by James C Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:33 pm EDT

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    Hey Scotty. What about the pass that was clearly dropped in the opening drive by the phins on third down and the replay equipment was inoperable so the saints couldnt challenge. That would have changed the field position on the saints first drive and may have changed the entire game too. How can you blame this loss on the refs? #1 run offense and two straight series of passes in the fourth quarter?!
  18. Jeff T
    18. Posted by Jeff T Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    Poster #12 ScottB.
    Always things you can point out that refs get wrong. Things did not go your teams way and a grittier team won with a great comeback!
    You said "Then, at the end when Miami had a chance to win it by a point, the receiver is called for an illegal forward pass when he was obviously only trying to get to the sidelines to stop the clock! What a load of s#!t A forward pass?!?"
    Refs ruled that as he was falling he threw the ball out of bounds to stop the clock sooner that if he fell out of bounds. In the instant replay you can see his face that he knew he got caught! LOL
    Your team played a great 1st half and had a great game plan but fell apart in the second half. Your record belies how good your team is and we are just a much better team this year! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
  19. Geoff D
    19. Posted by Geoff D Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    broncos? orton vs roths manning or brady? really?
  20. Joe
    20. Posted by Joe Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    The Dolphins lost because New Orleans is one hell of a team; but don't discount 3 drops by the Official Little [profane] of the Miami Dolphins, Ted Ginn Jr. and a key drop by his understudy, Anthony Fasano.
    Add to that the inexplicable personal foul penalties by Ayodele and Porter and Center Jake Grove's 2 false start penalties, and the Dolphins beat themselves more than Paul Reubens at a dirty movie house.
  21. .
    21. Posted by . Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    Lol, its annoying watching people dissing on Ted Ginn. As I recall he wasn't the only one to drop passes in that final drive or close. What about Ricky Williams dropping a perfect pass to him, or the TE dropping the perfect pass from Ronnie Brown. Its not all Ted Ginns fault. As for the nerds that blame the officiating lets take a look.
    Drew Brees reached the ball across the plain of the EndZone (which in the RULES thats it all a ball as to do.) You can blame your coach for calling a TIMEOUT and allowing the Saints to score that TD.
    The Sharper INT TD could have been over ruled but their was irreviewable evidence as to where he was. You can thank your player for being in front of the cameras for that. The refs can't simply over turn a call with those reviews it has to be VALID evidence which they didnt have.
    Everyone seen the idiot WR for Miami shove the ball out of bounds, seriously he was being tackled at the legs and there was no way the ball came loose. You can see the movement of his arms throwing the ball forward.
    Blame the loss on Miami straying away from the game plan and thinking they could actually pass against our defense. We shut down the run in the 2nd half and our offense showed up. We out rushed you, we out passed you, we out coached you. Deal with it and stop making excuses for your loss
  22. Joe
    22. Posted by Joe Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    The Dolphins lost because New Orleans is one hell of a team; but don't discount 3 drops by the Official Little B#### of the Miami Dolphins, Ted Ginn Jr. and a key drop by his understudy, Anthony Fasano.
    Add to that the inexplicable personal foul penalties by Ayodele and Porter and Center Jake Grove's 2 false start penalties, and the Dolphins beat themselves more than Paul Reubens at a dirty movie house.
  23. Sam L.
    23. Posted by Sam L. Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:53 pm EDT

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    Ted Ginn needs to spend the rest of this lifetime and half of the next holding on to the ball.
  24. YGM
    24. Posted by YGM Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:54 pm EDT

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    rush ronnie brown and ricky willians dumb@$$'s

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