GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: JACKSONVILLE (5-2) at NEW ORLEANS (3-4)

NFL: JACKSONVILLE (5-2) at NEW ORLEANS (3-4)

<h3>Saints look to reach .500 against Jaguars</h3>



Jacksonville (5-2) at New Orleans (3-4) Sunday 1:00pm EDT

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- It might not have seen possible aftertheir 0-4 start, but the New Orleans Saints have climbed backinto the NFC playoff picture.


Winners of three straight and now just one game out of firstplace, the Saints look to reach .500 on Sunday, when they hostthe Jacksonville Jaguars.


"Obviously putting a few wins together gives you confidence,"Saints coach Sean Payton said. "We're still 3-4, though, andbelow water, so we haven't arrived anywhere yet. There is stilla long way to go and we have our work cut out for us."

But the Saints' offense has come alive during the winningstreak, resembling the unit that ranked first in the NFL lastseason.


Drew Brees spread around the wealth in last week's 31-10 victoryover the San Francisco 49ers, completing passes to ninedifferent receivers.


While it came against a weak opponent, Brees enjoyed his bestcame of the season by far, completing 31-of-39 passes for 336yards and four touchdowns.


After scoring just 51 points in the four defeats, the Saintshave posted 81 points during the three-game winning streak.

New Orleans is in third place in the muddled NFC South, but justone-half game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and only one gamein back of the first-place Carolina Panthers.


The Jaguars, who held off the Buccaneers, 24-23, last week areplaying the second of three straight road games. Next week, theyvisit the Tennessee Titans in what could be a crucial AFC Southbattle.


Tennessee and Jacksonville are tied for second in the division,two games behind the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.

With quarterback David Garrard still sidelined due to a strainedankle, Quinn Gray will make his second straight start forJacksonville.


Gray won his first career start last week, but executing aconservative game plan, completing only 7-of-16 passes for 100yards.


The Saints likely will try to force the former Florida A&M starto make more plays. Gray was not asked to do much against theBuccaneers as the Jaguars ran on 15 of their 16 first-quartersnaps.

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 0
NEW ORLEANS 0 14:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 32 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL FG NOR
OLINDO MARE 46 YD

JACKSONVILLE 0
NEW ORLEANS 3 12:15 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 0
NEW ORLEANS 3 12:12 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 49 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL TD NOR
REGGIE BUSH 1 YD RUN
(OLINDO MARE KICK)

JACKSONVILLE 0
NEW ORLEANS 10 8:33 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 0
NEW ORLEANS 10 8:33 LEFT, 1ST QTR

JAC BALL ON JAC 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL TD JAC
REGGIE WILLIAMS 80 YD PASS FROM QUINN GRAY
(JOHN CARNEY KICK)

JACKSONVILLE 7
NEW ORLEANS 10 7:32 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 7
NEW ORLEANS 10 7:25 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 32 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL JACKSONVILLE 7
NEW ORLEANS 10 2:09 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL FG JAC
JOHN CARNEY 30 YD

JACKSONVILLE 10
NEW ORLEANS 10 2:01 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 10
NEW ORLEANS 10 1:52 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 21 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL TD NOR
REGGIE BUSH 2 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES
(OLINDO MARE KICK)

JACKSONVILLE 10
NEW ORLEANS 17 0:12 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL TD JAC
MAURICE JONES-DREW 99 YD KICKOFF RETURN
(JOHN CARNEY KICK)

JACKSONVILLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 17 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
JACKSONVILLE 17 17
NEW ORLEANS 17 17 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: NOR - FG, OLINDO MARE 46 YD, 2:45. Drive: 7
plays, 49 yards in 2:45. Key plays:
Brees 20-yard pass to Colston to
Jacksonville 45; Bush 12-yard run
to Jacksonville 33. NEW ORLEANS 3-0
NOR - TD, REGGIE BUSH 1 YD RUN (OLINDO MARE
KICK), 6:27. Drive: 8 plays, 57
yards in 3:42. Key plays: Cooper
recovery of onside kick at New
Orleans 43; Brees 26-yard pass to
Patten to Jacksonville 25; Brees
8-yard pass to Stecker on 3rd-and-8
to Jacksonville 15; Bush 9-yard run
plus 3-yard personal foul penalty
on Knight to Jacksonville 3. NEW
ORLEANS 10-0
JAC - TD, REGGIE WILLIAMS 80 YD PASS FROM
QUINN GRAY (JOHN CARNEY KICK),
7:28. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards in
1:01. NEW ORLEANS 10-7
JAC - FG, JOHN CARNEY 30 YD, 12:59. Drive: 10
plays, 78 yards in 4:16. Key plays:
Taylor 15-yard run JACKSONVILLE
10-10
NOR - TD, REGGIE BUSH 2 YD PASS FROM DREW
BREES (OLINDO MARE KICK), 14:48.
NEW ORLEANS 17-10
JAC - TD, MAURICE JONES-DREW 99 YD KICKOFF
RETURN (JOHN CARNEY KICK), 15:00.
JACKSONVILLE 17-17</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 17 14:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 24 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">CORRECTION

NFL
JACKSONVILLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 17 14:55 LEFT, 2ND QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 24 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 17 11:34 LEFT, 2ND QTR

JAC BALL ON JAC 31 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL
JACKSONVILLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 17 9:49 LEFT, 2ND QTR

NOR BALL ON NOR 25 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL JACKSONVILLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 17 6:21 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: JACKSONVILLE at NEW ORLEANS

<div class="pre">NFL TD NOR
LANCE MOORE 8 YD PASS FROM DREW BREES
(OLINDO MARE KICK)

JACKSONVILLE 17
NEW ORLEANS 24 5:31 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>