New Orleans Saints vs Arizona Cardinals Match Player Stats On Dec 18, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Dec 18, 2016

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Drew Brees passed for four touchdowns and 383 yards with no interceptions -- becoming the first opposing quarterback to pass for 300 yards against the Cardinals this season -- and the Saints downed Arizona 48-41 in a shootout at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Brees bounced back after going two straight games without a touchdown pass and being intercepted three times each game in losses to Detroit and Tampa Bay.

The combined 89 points scored made it the highest-scoring game in the NFL this season. The teams combined for 59 first downs, including 33 by the Saints.

Brandin Cooks caught seven passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints (6-8) while David Johnson established a new NFL record with the Cardinals (5-8-1) by becoming the first player in league history to amass 100 or more yards from scrimmage in each of his first 14 games to start a season.

Brees, who completed 37 of 48 passes for a 127.9 rating, found Michael Thomas on a 4-yard scoring strike with 5:33 remaining that snapped a 34-34 tie.

The Cardinals had plenty of time to drive down the field and tie it up once again, but Brittan Golden fumbled the ball back to the Saints after catching a short pass and former Cardinals running back Tim Hightower added his second short rushing touchdown for New Orleans to break things open, 48-34.

Carson Palmer connected with John Brown for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 2:19 left to play to pull Arizona with seven points, but the Cardinals couldn't get the ball back and Brees' 6-yard first-down completion to tight end Coby Fleener with 1:45 left to play allowed New Orleans to run out the clock.

The loss assures Arizona of its first losing season in four years under coach Bruce Arians. The Saints, meanwhile, are assured of their third consecutive non-winning season amid rumors earlier in the day of a potential front-office shakeup looming after season's end.

Palmer was 28 of 40 for 318 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Johnson accounted for 108 total yards with 12 carries for 53 yards and two touchdowns and four catches for 55 yards.

Brees threw three of his touchdowns in the first half to help the Saints to a 24-20 lead after two quarters.

Kerwynn Williams, a reserve running back for the Cardinals, raced 49 yards down the right sideline to give Arizona the early lead. But after Wil Lutz kicked a 37-yard field goal for New Orleans, Paul Kruger stripped Larry Fitzgerald of the ball after a short completion, Craig Robertson recovered, and eight plays later Brees found Travaris Cadet for a 10-yard touchdown to help put the Saints ahead, 10-7.

Cadet burned All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson on the play, faking in and then bouncing his route outside to get wide open on the touchdown pass before Peterson closed in.

Brees began driving the Saints downfield on his next possession, but Cardinals linebacker Markus Golden knocked the ball loose, it fell into Calais Campbell's hands, and the 6-foot-8 defensive tackle managed to return the fumble 53 yards for the first defensive touchdown of his nine-year career.

Poor special teams play, which has plagued the Cardinals all season, haunted them again on Sunday. Following Campbell's fumble recovery and return, kicker Chandler Catanzaro missed the point-after attempt.

Just 57 seconds later, Brees hit Cooks on a play-action call that confused Cardinals safety D.J. Swearinger and after catching the ball with no one near him, Crooks took it into the end zone for a 65-yard touchdown. Before the second quarter was done, the two hook up once again, this time with Cooks easily pulling away from safety Tyrann Mathieu for a 45-yard touchdown catch and run.

The Cardinals ended the half with a 10-yard scoring strike from Palmer to J.J. Nelson.

Notes: According to a CBS Sports report on Sunday, the Saints are considering trading coach Sean Payton "should there be suitors" and the team "may be undergoing a front office restructuring of sorts." Payton signed a five-year extension that offseason that runs through the 2020 season. ... Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald appeared in his 200th game for the Cardinals on Sunday, joining kicker Jim Bakken (234) as the only players to appear in 200 games with the Cardinals. ... Cooks on Sunday became the first Saints receiver to reach 1,000 receiving yards in consecutive seasons since Marques Colston (2009-12). ... DT Calais Campbell's two sacks of Drew Brees give him 54½ in his career, moving him ahead of Simeon Rice and into sole possession of second place in Cardinals' history.