Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune December 11, 2008 10:16PM
Roman Harper is called for pass interference in overtime that gives the Chicago Bears a first down at the 15-yard line. Two plays later, the Bears hit a field goal to win.
Saints at Bears in-game blog
CHICAGO — In a game that had been pretty hard fought throughout, in the end, it came down to a penalty.
New Orleans Saints safety Roman Harper was hit with a 38-yard pass interference penalty on third-and-7 to give the Chicago Bears the ball at the 15-yard line. Two plays later, Bears placekicker Robbie Gould hit a 35-yard field goal with 12:19 in overtime and Chicago won 27-24.
The Saints (7-7) aren’t mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but it’s all but over. The Bears (8-6) are still alive to win the NFC North division.
Reggie Bush was asked about why he played only sparingly in the second half. Bush played only on one punt return in the third quarter and did not see any action on offense.
• A look at the Saints’ top five offensive players.
• What Brees has to do to break Marino’s 1984 record of most passing yards in a season.
“That’s how it goes,” said Bush, who said he sprained his knee on a run in the second quarter. “I just work here. I’m just an employee. I don’t call the shots. I definitely don’t call the plays.”
Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who again didn’t have a great game, finished 24-of-43 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. His counterpart, Kyle Orton was 24-of-40 for 172 yards and two interceptions.
Orton’s numbers were terrible, except for the last drive in regulation (see below).
Pierre Thomas continues to look good for the Saints. He rushed for 87 yards on 22 carries and scored a touchdown and caught seven passes for 59 more yards and a touchdown. He was better at being Reggie Bush than Reggie Bush. Bush had six carries for 30 yards and two catches for 16 yards. But it was clear Bush wasn’t 100 percent.
Marques Colston had a decent game as well, catching six passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.
Devin Hester had four catches for 46 yards, but it was a big pass interference call against Roman Harper in overtime, who was trying to cover Hester, that proved to be the key play of the game.
The Saints have now lost the past three games they’ve played at Soldier Field.
Here is the compilation of the game updates
Orton, a great one? (0:00 4Q)
With the game on the line, Kyle Orton started to look like Joe Montana. He was 8-of-10 then threw an incomplete pass to tight end Greg Olsen in the end zone that could have been pass interference on Jason David, then was sacked on the next play and the Bears got an immediate time out.
Robbie Gould then hit the tying field goal as time ran out in regulation. Game goes to overtime tied at 24.
Still some life (3:10, 4Q)
The Saints have taken the lead. Drew Brees hit Marques Colston for an 11-yard touchdown and the Saints go up 24-21 in a game that New Orleans desperately needs to keep alive any hopes of making the playoffs.
After not playing that well this season — when he wasn’t hurt, that is — Colston now has six catches for 84 yards.
Ahem, this is where the game turns? (5:17, 4Q)
The Bears followed the Saints gift with one of their own. Kyle Orton threw a bad pass that was intercepted by Scott Fujita and returned to the 36.
After an incomplete pass and a Pierrre Thomas loss of five yards, Drew Brees his Marques Colston for a first down. It was one of the rare times in this game that Brees and his former favorite receiver seemed to be on the same page.
OK, this is where the game turns … (5:35, 4Q)
Is it stubborness or just that the guy never learns? Another Saints short yardage play, another offensive play call that was doomed from the start.
On fourth and inches, the Saints try a pitch wide to Pierre Thomas, who was swallowed up by the Bears defense. The Saints continue to attempt run outside on short yardage situations, and continue to not get the first down.
As the game turns (7:31, 4Q)
This could be where the game turns. A gutsy call by the Bears to run a fake punt and punter Brad Maynard hit Adrian Peterson with the pass that was clearly a first down. But the ruling was that Peterson didn’t have complete control of the ball when he was hit by Lance Moore, the would-be punt returner.
So the Saints get a huge break.
Pierre Thomas scored the Saints only touchdown of the first half.
Saints pull within, 21-17 (9:07, 4Q)
Garrett Hartley’s 30-yard field goal brought the Saints within four points and capped a time-consuming 63-yard drive. Since the Josh Bullocks interception, it’s been all Saints. They have dominated time of possession in the second half, controlling the ball for 14:54 of the first 21 minutes of the second half.
Bears take 21-14 lead to the fourth quarter (15:00, 4Q)
The Saints have maintained the momentum they got after the Bullocks’ interception. They’ve put a couple of first downs together and are at midfield early in the fourth quarter. The Bears have blown fourth-quarter leads against Atlanta, Carolina and Tampa Bay this season. Could the Saints be next?
Saints strike quick, move within 21-14 (3:44, 3Q)
That didn’t take long. Two plays after Bullocks’ interception, Pierre Thomas rambled 42 yards for a touchdown. It’s 21-14 Bears but the Saints have some major momentum.
Saints get another turnover (4:26, 3Q)
Josh Bullocks’ interception on a deflected pass ended a promising Bears drive and has given the Saints new life at the Chicago 45-yard line. Not sure when Bullocks last picked off a pass but it’s been a while. The pass was intended for receiver Rashied Davis but bounced off his shoulder pads and into the arms of Bullocks who ran it back 23 yards into Chicago territory.
Saints waste scoring opportunity (8:31, 3Q)
The Saints squandered a chance to pull within a touchdown when Adewale Ogunleye intercepted a short pass by Drew Brees at the Bears 16-yard line. Before the play, the Saints appered to have momentum, marching from their own 29 to the Bears 9. They had just converted a fourth-and-1 at the 10 and looked to be in prime position to score a touchdown when Ogunleye made a leaping interception in the backfield against Brees as he tried to scramble from pressure.
Halftime stats, leaning in favor of the team trailing
Can it be? Kyle Orton has better numbers than Drew Brees? It’s true, at least in accuracy. Orton is 11-of-17 for 76 yards and Brees is 10-of-23 for 93 yards with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Thomas, and one interception. There were almost a couple other interceptions, but the Bears couldn’t hold on.
Before Reggie Bush went out, and we’re still trying to find out how severely he’s hurt, he had five carries for 30 yards. He looked pretty solid, was hitting the holes and showing good leg drive, with the exception of his final carry, when it appeared something happened to his knee and he turned and just went out of bounds. Thomas has eight carries for 24 yards and has caught four passes for another 32.
Chicago’s Matt Forte, he of Slidell and Tulane, has four carries for eight yards, but hurt his toe on his first carry. He has toughed it out coming back, and could become a force in the second half.
As a team, the Saints have 140 yards to Chicago’s 103.
Bears extend lead (0:49, 2Q)
The Bears added another touchdown just before halftime. Kyle Orton scrambled in from 6 yards out to make it 21-7 Chicago. It’s not looking good for the Saints. Their only score was the result of a gift. Otherwise, they’ve been dominated. The score means the Saints have allowed at least 20 points in eight consecutive games. The Bears made the 21-7 lead hold up until halftime. They’re going to need to make some major adjustments in the second half to pull this one out.
Bush out? (4:39, 2Q)
It looks like Reggie Bush is injured. He missed the last series on offense and did not go back to return a punt. Lance Moore returned instead. Saints trainers were looking at his left knee, as Bush limped off the field. That’s the same knee Bush injured in October and had arthroscopic surgery on to repair cartilage damage. We’re trying to get a report on his condition but there’s been no official work yet. Bush watched the last series while standing on the sideline so at least they didn’t have to take him to the locker room.
Another big return sets up Bears’ score (7:42, 2Q)
Danieal Manning is killing the Saints. He returned the ensuing kickoff after the Thomas touchdown 52 yards to give the Bears great field position, at the Saints 41. Jason David then was whistled for a 39-yard pass interference call, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by former Tulane standout and Slidell native Matt Forte. It’s 14-7 Bears. Forte left the game for awhile with a toe injury, which occurred on the Bear’s first series. He”s back and looks good now.
The one good moment for the Saints was when the Bears fumbled near their goalline.
Saints tie it (9:52, 2Q)
The Saints took advantage of a gift from the Bears to tie the score, 7-7. Jon Vilma recovered a fumbled snap by quarterback Kyle Orton at the Bears’ 1-yard line. Two plays later, Pierre Thomas ccaught a swing pass by Brees and rambled in for the tying score. The play was set up by a tremendous punt by Glenn Pakulak and an even better cover by Usama Young, who tight-roped the goal line to down it at the 1-foot line.
Saints off to cold start (Kickoff)
No sooner had they anounced the wind-chill temperature of 18 degrees then Danieal Manning took the opening kickoff and raced 83 yards for a touchdown. Manning was untouched. As he dodged kicker Garrett Hartley near midfield he thrust his hand over his head and raced the final 45 yards virtually by himself. Twelve seconds into the game and the Saints trail 7-0. Not the way they wanted to start. The crowd at Soldier Field is rockin’, dancing in their seats to “Shout” on the Soldier Field p.a. system.
Reggie Bush warms up on the field before the Saints game at Chicago tonight.
Weather update (6:48 p.m.)
They just announced a weather report in the press box. It’s 29 degrees with winds out of northwest at 15 miles per hour. Gusts are up to 26 miles per hour. That’s pretty stiff. The forecast is for temperatures to drop into the mid-20s. The wind is also expected to drop to about 11 miles per hour. No word on the wind-chill temperature. Will update when we get it.
Setting the scene (6:15 p.m.)
Well, I just completed the half-mile trek from Michigan Avenue to Soldier Field and the weather wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Sure, it’s cold but I really don’t think it’s bad enough to have an effect on the game.
Now the wind is another matter. The flags on the top of Solider Field are whipped horizontal by the winds, but surprisingly the winds are blowing from the northwest, toward Lake Michigan, not from it.
Nevertheless, it’s not going to be easy to pass or catch in the conditions.
If you’re watching on TV, the wind is swirling inside the stadium. It appears to be blowing much stronger from north to south. That means from right to left if you’re viewpoint is from behind the Saints sideline. Kicker Garrett Hartley just went through pre-game warm-ups and was well short on both of his attempts from 48 yards going into the northerly wind. With the wind behind him, he was able to convert from 54 yards. His attempt from 57 yards was well short.
Punter Glenn Pakulak doesn’t seem to be having any problem so far. He’s booming 50 yarders consistently with decent hangtime.
When I first arrived at the stadium, several Saints were on the field going through warm-ups. A few were even in shorts, among them, Reggie Bush and Marques Colston. Bush seemed particularly intent on making a statement. He wore a sleeveless T-shirt and no socks.
Drew Brees just went through his little pre-game hype chant with the team around him in the end zone. The Saints looked fired-up for this one. Their body language looks good.
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