New Orleans Saints back in playoff contention with 38-17 win over Oakland Raiders – NFL Week 11 Recap
New Orleans Saints have finally got themselves back on .500 as they got an outstanding 38-17 victory against Oakland Raiders in Week 11 game on Sunday, November 18, 2012, at O.co Coliseum, Oakland, CA.
Saints continue the remarkable turnaround to their season after starting it with a 0-4 record. The team is now standing in 3rd place in National Football Conference (NFC) South with a 5-5 record.
The win was marked by striking performance by the Saints’ offence as it completely ripped apart Raiders’ injury-plagued defence.
Raiders (3-7) are now in deep trouble as they lost their third game in a row and are now standing at 3rd position in the American Football conference (AFC) East.
Saints got the victory thanks to a remarkable performance by the offensive team and particularly by quarterback Drew Brees.
Brees completed 20 out of 27 passes for 219 yards and scored three touchdowns without throwing an interception. According to the Associated Press, Brees said:
"We're on our way. Had you told us or anybody after 0-4 we'd be looking at 5-5 at some point, I think a lot of people might have looked at that and said that's pretty unrealistic. But here we are. We just knew that things were going to turn for us if we
just continued to do things the right way, good things were going to happen. And we did that."
Saints offence was helped by Raiders’ banged-up defence which has given up 137 points in last three weeks, highest points allowed by them in three games in a row since 1961. Talking after the game, Raiders head coach Dennis Allen said:
"It doesn't make you feel good, I know we're better than that, and I know we can play better than that. And we'll continue to work, and we'll get better."
Raiders’ offence failed to stop giving away turnovers. Quarterback Carson Palmer threw two interceptions; the first one was returned for a touchdown while the other was thrown near the end zone.
Saints got themselves in a dominating position in the first 10 minutes of the game as they scored two touchdowns to end the first quarter 14-0.
Raiders finally broke the deadlock in the second quarter with a touchdown to reduce the Saints lead to 7-14.
However, Saints got back their 14-point cushion with Brees throwing his second touchdown pass of the day to finish the first half 21-7.
Saints running back Mark Ingram carried the ball 27 yards to reach the end zone as score went 28-7.
Raiders then scored field goal, but it was soon followed by Saints’ another touchdown, thanks to A 15-yard pass from Brees to wide receiver Lance Moore as third quarter finished at 35-10.
Saints kicker Garrett Hartley scored a 47-yard field goal at the start of the final quarter. Even though Raiders scored a touchdown with four minutes remaining in the clock, it was not enough as Saints clinched the game 38-17.
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