New Orleans Saints (7-2) – San Francisco 49ers (4-6) : 27-13
The bottle doesn’t matter, as long as you’re drunk. New Orleans suffered but ultimately defeated valiant Californians. In difficulty offensively, Sean Payton’s men had the merit of being realistic if not attractive. Hit in the ribs and replaced by Jameis Winston in the second half, Drew Brees (8/13, 76 yards, 1 touchdown) struggled once morest a biting defense, ensuring the bare minimum. Just like Michael Thomas, little to his advantage (2 receptions, 27 yards).
Fortunately for the Louisianans, Alvin Kamara was within his usual standards (8 carries, 15 yards, 2 touchdowns + 7 receptions, 83 yards, 1 touchdown) to carry, almost single-handedly, the attack on his shoulders (98 of 237 yards of his team). But also and above all defense. Led by a gala Demario Davis (12 tackles, including 3 for loss, 1 sack, 2 quarterback hits, 1 pass defended), she carried out the decisive actions when the team was regarding to let go (2 punts recovered, 2 interceptions, 2 sacks) to retain that valuable advantage. By leaving the best Californian runner (Jerick McKinnon) at 33 yards on the ground, she continues her formidable series. For the 47th time in a row, no one opposite has not crossed the symbolic bar of 100 yards in this sector of play. But they needed a series for this before getting in the leg.
More realistic Saints
Deprived of a multitude of players, Kyle Shanahan still had to rack his brains all week to find the right formula. Given the start of his team’s match, he thought he had found the right ingredients. A perfect alternation between runs and passes allowed the visitors to open the scoring on a short pass from Nick Mullens (24/38, 247 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions) towards Brandon Aiyuk (7 receptions, 75 yards, 1 touchdown) following a long inaugural drive (7 minutes 17) and mastered (75 yards in 13 actions). The young technician once once more shows that he is one of the best minds in the league. Far from the euphoria experienced at the start of the week in Tampa Bay, the Saints are stammering their football. Four balls hit, including a punt released (and lost), Sean Payton’s men only had possession for 81 seconds in a one-sided first quarter.
.@NickMullens + Brandon Aiyuk connect for a @49ers TD! @THE2ERA
????: #SFvsNO on FOX
????: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/p1akRoFoep pic.twitter.com/chF9eAXIy3— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2020
The second makes it possible to reverse the trend, but things take time to settle. Drew Brees is clumsier than usual and New Orleans does not advance (90 yards in the first half). Facing them, Robert Saleh uses an aggressive scheme which prevents the veteran from finding his targets calmly. The field goals respond to each other, as do the punts, before a new error sets the record straight. Ken Webster inadvertently touches Thomas Morstead’s clearance and returns the leather to Brees & Co. at the gates of the red zone. Alvin Kamara takes care of the sentence and puts all this little world back to back (10-10).
Demario Davis and the defense pulls out the muscles
After a complicated start, the defense led by Dennis Allen is getting back in tune and assuming its status as 3e squad in the league in terms of yards conceded. Stopping San Francisco on a 4e attempt in the last two minutes, it leaves enough time for his offensive counterpart to go up 57 yards and pass for the first time of the evening. At the finish, Alvin Kamara, who converts the offering from 3 yards into 6 more points. The Californians play more punchy football and have their hands on the ball (22 minutes of possession); yet they return to the locker room with a late touchdown (17-10).
Brees ➡️ Kamara … TOUCHDOWN @Saints!
????: #SFvsNO on FOX
????: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/p1akRoFoep pic.twitter.com/2y8oj6GJ4u— NFL (@NFL) November 15, 2020
Fluid gameplay has given way to more approximations. Touched shortly before the break on a sack, Drew Brees was replaced by Jameis Winston (6/10, 63 yards) following returning from the locker room. A change that somewhat disturbs the precarious balance glimpsed at the end of the period, and the two sacks conceded in the red zone lead New Orleans to convert a field goal to take a 10-point lead. On the other side of the ball, on the other hand, all the lights are green. The unit certainly bends under the passes of Nick Mullens, but takes decisive action at the right time. An interception (Malcolm Jenkins), a sack (CJ Gardner-Johnson), a new covered punt, the pressure on the niners is becoming more and more pressing. A domination which offers the opportunity to New Orleans to conclude and which materializes by the 3rd touchdown of the meeting of Alvin Kamara more than 7 minutes from the end (27-13).
San Francisco does not abdicate for as much and tries by all the means to return. An additional gall goal, a fumble from Taysom Hill recovered and the visitors began to hope. But taking too many risks, Nick Mullens burned his wings a second time and saw his pass intercepted by Patrick Robinson in the end zone. The last loss of ball in a meeting well provided for at this level. Jameis Winston then lets slip the last seconds by pressing the ground game to validate the 7th success of the Saints this season.
