November 3, 2009

The Saints have tied their best start to a season.

Drew Brees had 308 yards passing, Pierre Thomas scored two touchdowns and Jabari Greer returned an interception for a score to help the Saints improve to 7-0 with a 35-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. Only the 1991 Saints began a season with as many wins.

Greer's touchdown was the Saints' fifth score on an interception this season, tying a single-season franchise mark set in 1998. Tracy Porter also had an interception on the Saints 1-yard line on a pass tipped by Jonathan Vilma in the fourth quarter, preserving a 28-24 lead.

Darren Sharper sealed the win with his seventh interception of the season in the final seconds, the third pick of the night thrown by Matt Ryan.

Greer's interception also was the Saints' 14th overall this season, one fewer than all of last season, and it gave New Orleans at least one interception in every game.

Brees hit Marques Colston for an 18-yard score, and New Orleans also scored on runs of 22 yards by Thomas and one yard by Reggie Bush.

Greer also gave up a touchdown, however, when he was beaten by Roddy White on a 68-yard pass from Ryan early in the third quarter. That score made it 28-21.

Michael Turner had 151 yards rushing, including a 13-yard touchdown.

The Falcons' defense also produced a score. Thomas DeCoud's jarring sack on a delayed blitz up the middle dislodged the ball from Brees and Kroy Biermann returned the ball from the 4-yard line, giving Atlanta a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter.

Brees came back strong from the turnover, leading the Saints 80 yards on 12 plays to tie it at 14. Jeremy Shockey's 27-yard catch over the middle moved New Orleans into Atlanta territory, and Brees capped the drive by lofting his scoring pass to Colston, who jumped in front of cornerback Tye Hill to make the grab.

A little more than three years ago, the Falcons were the visitors when the Saints returned to the newly reopened Louisiana Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. That Monday night had a storybook start for the Saints, who scored on a blocked punt on Atlanta's opening drive.

With those vivid memories still fresh, the Superdome crowd was cheering wildly as the Saints' defense took the field after the opening kickoff.

This time, however, Ryan calmly led the Falcons 77 yards for a score. He got plenty of help from Turner, who gained 22 yards up the middle on the second play of the game and finished with 38 yards on the series. Ryan also connected with tight end Tony Gonzalez for a 27-yard gain to the Saints 13, setting up Turner's eighth touchdown of the season.