The play of the game that turned it all around

Yeah it's overblown what the Bush antics meant. We did indeed stop them to a 3 and out and were pretty much driving it down their throat on the next drive. And that was the time where the Bears defense was reeling and the running game officially got into gear. The fullback blast up the middle got us to the 29 on a 12 yard run. The perfect play on 2nd down was a RB draw, but for some reason he let the Bears pin their ears back and get after Brees on 2nd and 10 and then on 3rd and 10. That was dissappointing to me that Payton didn't do the unexpected and catch an up the field aggressive defense with a run up the middle on a delay.

So no, the Bush finger pointing didn't turn the game around. The relentless pass rush by the Bears due to the Saints becoming a one-dimensional team is what ultimately spelled our demise. Not even the great Payton could miraculously pull that one off. Although he came damn close (I still stand firm had the Saints gone ahead 21-16 like they should have, then the wheels would have come off for the Bears, much like it did for the Saints instead).

I'll give you a visual. Imagine trying to climb a steep hill and you're almost at the top after a tough struggle (the comeback from 16-0 to make it 16-14 with a first and 10 at the Bears 29 and their defense reeling), and then you just about get over it but you lose your footing slightly (the 3 and out and the missed FG by the Saints), and come crashing down (the safety and the domination by the Bears defense from that point on). There is your picture. The Saints were one big play away from being in the Super Bowl. That play was never made.

 

ESPN just did a great job at highlighting the 3 failed pass plays I mention in the original post.

In all 3 plays it appears that Brees just does a poor job at locating the open receiver. In the first play, it's Copper (and Aikman actually brought that up as well). Then on 2nd down, I can't tell who it is (maybe a TE) that's got single coverage with Willenmeyer (sp?) and is open for 10 plus yards but elects to go for the kill to the endzone to Copper who is blanketed. Then on 3rd down it appears that Jamal Jones is open on a slant route but he threw off target towards Devery on the sidelines, who was also blanketed.

Brees, who was so incredible in his decision making all year long, picked a bad time to have it go haywire on that series of downs.