# 2012 New Orleans Saints season

The 2012 season was the New Orleans Saints' 46th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 37th playing home games at the Superdome. The Saints head coach was Sean Payton, but he was suspended by the NFL for the entire season as part of the punishment for the team's bounty scandal. On April 12, 2012, linebackers coach Joe Vitt was named interim head coach to replace Payton while he was suspended. On August 22, 2012, it was announced that Aaron Kromer would take over while Vitt himself served a six-game suspension to start the regular season. The Saints attempted to make history as the first host team to play the Super Bowl on their own home field, but they were eliminated from post-season contention for the first time since 2008 in Week 16. The Saints’ defense struggled all season and set an NFL record for most yards given up by a defense, 7,042 yards, surpassing the 1981 Baltimore Colts record of 6,793 yards.

## Personnel changes

After his contract expired, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was hired by the St. Louis Rams to the same position on January 16, 2012. Former Rams' head coach Steve Spagnuolo replaced Williams. Williams was later handed an indefinite suspension from the NFL for his role in the bounty scandal.

## Roster changes
### Signings

    All signings were to active roster, except where otherwise noted.
| Pos. | Player | Date | Notes |
| WR | Andy Tanner | January 18, 2012 | |
| CB | Kamaal McIlwain | January 18, 2012 | Released August 27, 2012. |
| OT | Phil Trautwein | January 18, 2012 | Released May 15, 2012 |
| OG | Nick Howell | January 18, 2012 | Released May 15, 2012. |
| QB | Sean Canfield | January 18, 2012 | |
| CB | Josh Victorian | January 18, 2012 | Released May 15, 2012 |
| CB | Cord Parks | January 18, 2012 | Released July 31, 2012. Re-signed August 2, 2012. Released August 27, 2012. |
| OT | Fenuki Tupou | January 18, 2012 | Placed on injured reserve August 20, 2012. |
| RB | Chris Taylor | January 18, 2012 | Released June 8, 2012 |
| DT | Mitch King | January 18, 2012 | |
| DT | Swanson Miller | January 19, 2012 | Released August 27, 2012. |
| OG | Ben Grubbs | March 15, 2012 | From the Baltimore Ravens |
| DT | Brodrick Bunkley | March 21, 2012 | From the Denver Broncos |
| LB | Chris Chamberlain | March 23, 2012 | From the St. Louis Rams. Placed on injured reserve August 20, 2012. |
| LB | Curtis Lofton | March 24, 2012 | From the Atlanta Falcons |
| LB | David Hawthorne | April 3, 2012 | From the Seattle Seahawks |
| WR | Courtney Roby | April 16, 2012 | Re-signed |
| CB | Jabari Greer | April 20, 2012 | Re-signed |
| LB | Jonathan Casillas | April 24, 2012 | Re-signed |
| K | John Kasay | April 26, 2012 | Re-signed |
| DT | Remi Ayodele | May 7, 2012 | Released August 27, 2012. |
| CB | Marquis Johnson | May 11, 2012 | From the St. Louis Rams |
| OT | Hutch Eckerson | May 14, 2012 | Released August 27, 2012. |
| LB | Lawrence Wilson | May 15, 2012 | |
| CB | Elbert Mack | June 5, 2012 | From the Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| QB | Luke McCown | June 7, 2012 | From the Jacksonville Jaguars. Released August 27, 2012. |
| QB | Drew Brees | July 13, 2012 | Re-signed |
| TE | Derek Schouman | July 24, 2012 | |
| DE | Alex Daniels | July 31, 2012 | |
| LB | Ramon Humber | August 6, 2012 | Re-signed |
| OG | Paul Fenaroli | August 11, 2012 | Released August 27, 2012. |
| TE | Daniel Graham | August 11, 2012 | |
| WR | Greg Camarillo | August 20, 2012 | |
| LB | Barrett Ruud | August 20, 2012 | From the Seattle Seahawks |

### Draft

The Saints did not have a first- or second-round selection.
2012 New Orleans Saints draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 3 | 89 | Akiem Hicks * | DT | Regina | |
| 4 | 122 | Nick Toon | WR | Wisconsin | |
| 5 | 162 | Corey White | S | Samford | |
| 6 | 179 | Andrew Tiller | OG | Syracuse | Pick from MIA |
| 7 | 234 | Marcel Jones | OT | Nebraska | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career ||||||

#### NOTES

    The team traded its 2012 first-round selection and a 2011 second-round selection to the New England Patriots in exchange for the Patriots' 2011 first-round selection.
    The team forfeited their second-round selections in 2012 and 2013 as part of the punishment for the team's bounty scandal.
    The team swapped picks in the sixth round with the Miami Dolphins as part of the Reggie Bush trade.

### Undrafted free agents

All undrafted free agents were signed just after the 2012 NFL draft concluded on April 28.
| Position | Player | College | Notes |
| LB | Kadarron Anderson | Furman | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp |
| WR | Malcolm Beyah | Middle Tennessee State | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released June 13, 2012. |
| DE | Braylon Broughton | TCU | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp |
| TE | Jake Byrne | Wisconsin | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released August 27, 2012. |
| RB | Travaris Cadet | Appalachian State | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp |
| DB | A.J. Davis | Jacksonville State | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Placed on injured reserve August 11, 2012. Released August 18, 2012. |
| C | Brian Folkerts | Washburn | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released August 27, 2012. |
| WR | Chris Givens | Miami (OH) | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Placed on injured reserve August 2, 2012. |
| S | Jose Gumbs | Monmouth | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp |
| WR | Kevin Hardy | The Citadel | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released July 24, 2012. Re-signed August 6, 2012. Released August 27, 2012. |
| OT | Dan Hoch | Missouri | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released May 15, 2012. |
| LB | Stephen Johnson | Temple | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released May 15, 2012. |
| S | Jerico Nelson | Arkansas | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp |
| RS | Laron Scott | Georgia Southern | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Releases August 6, 2012. |
| OT | Aderious Simmons | Arizona State | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp |
| LB | Aaron Tevis | Boise State | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released August 27, 2012. |
| S | Johnny Thomas | Oklahoma State | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp. Released August 27, 2012. |
| DE/DT | Tyrunn Walker | Tulsa | Added to the team roster on April 30, will participate in rookie mini-camp |
| OG | DeOn'tae Pannell | Penn State | Added to the team roster on May 15 after participating in rookie mini-camp |
| DB | Nick Hixson | Hillsdale | Added to the team roster on May 15 after participating in rookie mini-camp. Released June 8, 2012. Re-signed August 11, 2012. |
| OG | Scott Winnewisser | California (PA) | Signed May 29, 2012. Placed on injured reserve August 6, 2012. |
| RB | Joe Banyard | UTEP | Signed June 7, 2012. |
| WR | Derek Moye | Penn State | Claimed off waivers from the Miami Dolphins on June 13, 2012. Released August 27, 2012. |
| LB | Donavan Robinson | Jackson State | Signed June 22, 2012. Released August 27, 2012. |
| WR | Marques Clark | Henderson State | Signed July 24, 2012. Released August 27, 2012. |

## Schedule
### Preseason

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| HOF | August 5 | vs. Arizona Cardinals | W 17–10 | 1–0 | Fawcett Stadium (Canton, Ohio) | Recap |
| 1 | August 9 | at New England Patriots | L 6–7 | 1–1 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 17 | Jacksonville Jaguars | L 24–27 | 1–2 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 3 | August 25 | Houston Texans | W 34–27 | 2–2 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 4 | August 30 | at Tennessee Titans | L 6–10 | 2–3 | LP Field | Recap |

### Regular season

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
| 1 | September 9 | Washington Redskins | L 32–40 | 0–1 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 2 | September 16 | at Carolina Panthers | L 27–35 | 0–2 | Bank of America Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 24–27 (OT) | 0–3 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 4 | September 30 | at Green Bay Packers | L 27–28 | 0–4 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 5 | October 7 | San Diego Chargers | W 31–24 | 1–4 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 6 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 7 | October 21 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 35–28 | 2–4 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 28 | at Denver Broncos | L 14–34 | 2–5 | Sports Authority Field at Mile High | Recap |
| 9 | November 5 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 28–13 | 3–5 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 10 | November 11 | Atlanta Falcons | W 31–27 | 4–5 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 11 | November 18 | at Oakland Raiders | W 38–17 | 5–5 | O.co Coliseum | Recap |
| 12 | November 25 | San Francisco 49ers | L 21–31 | 5–6 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 13 | November 29 | at Atlanta Falcons | L 13–23 | 5–7 | Georgia Dome | Recap |
| 14 | December 9 | at New York Giants | L 27–52 | 5–8 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 41–0 | 6–8 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 16 | December 23 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 34–31 (OT) | 7–8 | Cowboys Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | December 30 | Carolina Panthers | L 38–44 | 7–9 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
    Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

### Game summaries
#### Week 1: vs. Washington Redskins

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 |
| Saints | 7 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 32 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: September 9
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 72,180
* Referee: David Scott
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
Game information :
First quarter
WAS – Billy Cundiff 37-yard field goal, 7:05. Redskins 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 49 yards, 7:29.
NO – Jimmy Graham 20-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 3:49. Saints 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:16.
WAS – Pierre Garçon 88-yard pass from Robert Griffin III (Billy Cundiff kick), 3:28. Redskins 10–7. Drive: 1 play, 88 yards, 0:21.
Second quarter
WAS – Aldrick Robinson 5-yard pass from Robert Griffin III (Billy Cundiff kick), 11:33. Redskins 17–7. Drive: 12 plays, 57 yards, 6:20.
WAS – Billy Cundiff 41-yard field goal, 6:08. Redskins 20–7. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 3:05.
NO – Courtney Roby 4-yard return of blocked punt (Garrett Hartley kick), 0:40. Redskins 20–14.
Third quarter
WAS – Alfred Morris 1-yard run (Billy Cundiff kick), 11:24. Redskins 27–14. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 3:36.
WAS – Billy Cundiff 37-yard field goal, 7:10. Redskins 30–14. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 3:40.
NO – Garrett Hartley 21-yard field goal, 1:50. Redskins 30–17. Drive: 12 plays, 87 yards, 5:20.
Fourth quarter
WAS – Billy Cundiff 45-yard field goal, 10:59. Redskins 33–17. Drive: 12 plays, 53 yards, 5:51.
NO – Lance Moore 33-yard pass from Drew Brees (Darren Sproles run), 6:19. Redskins 33–25. Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 1:04.
WAS – Alfred Morris 3-yard run (Billy Cundiff kick), 3:18. Redskins 40–25. Drive: 1 play, 3 yards, 0:05.
NO – Darren Sproles 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 2:25. Redskins 40–32. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 0:53.
Top passers
WAS – Robert Griffin III – 19/26, 320 yards, 2 TD
NO – Drew Brees – 24/52, 339 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
WAS – Alfred Morris – 28 rushes, 96 yards, 2 TD
NO – Pierre Thomas – 4 rushes, 17 yards
Top receivers
WAS – Pierre Garçon – 4 receptions, 109 yards, TD
NO – Lance Moore – 6 receptions, 120 yards, TD :
With the loss, the Saints started their season 0–1.

#### Week 2: at Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 10 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 27 |
| Panthers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
* Date: September 16
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C), cloudy
* Game attendance: 72,879
* Referee: Gerald Wright
* TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, Mike Martz and Kristina Pink
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 1-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 9:39. Saints 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:21.
CAR – Charles Godfrey 9-yard interception return (Justin Medlock kick), 5:33. Tied 7–7.
NO – Garrett Hartley 22-yard field goal, 1:26. Saints 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 4:07.
Second quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 53-yard field goal, 7:08. Saints 13–7. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:36.
CAR – Jonathan Stewart 17-yard pass from Cam Newton (Justin Medlock kick), 3:33. Panthers 14–13. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:35.
CAR – Mike Tolbert 2-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 0:11. Panthers 21–13. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 2:20.
Third quarter
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 3-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 8:17. Panthers 28–13. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:04.
Fourth quarter
NO – Mark Ingram 1-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 12:53. Panthers 28–20. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:35.
CAR – Cam Newton 5-yard run (Justin Medlock kick), 9:55. Panthers 35–20. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:58.
NO – Drew Brees 1-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:55. Panthers 35–27. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 2:54.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 31/49, 325 yards, TD, 2 INT
CAR – Cam Newton – 14/20, 253 yards, TD
Top rushers
NO – Pierre Thomas – 9 rushes, 110 yards
CAR – Cam Newton – 13 rushes, 71 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Darren Sproles – 13 receptions, 128 yards
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. – 3 receptions, 104 yards :
With the loss, the Saints fell to 0–2.

#### Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Chiefs | 3 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 27 |
| Saints | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: September 23
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 72,226
* Referee: Don King
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Lance Moore 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 12:18. Saints 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 83 yards, 2:42.
KC – Ryan Succop 25-yard field goal, 4:51. Saints 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 82 yards, 7:27.
Second quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 40-yard field goal, 14:55. Saints 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 4:56.
KC – Ryan Succop 45-yard field goal, 4:41. Saints 10–6. Drive: 5 plays, 18 yards, 1:34.
Third quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 1-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 13:10. Saints 17–6. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 1:41.
NO – Jed Collins 6-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 5:36. Saints 24–6. Drive: 2 plays, 7 yards, 0:45.
KC – Jamaal Charles 91-yard run (Ryan Succop kick), 5:18. Saints 24–13. Drive: 1 play, 91 yards, 0:18.
Fourth quarter
KC – Ryan Succop 34-yard field goal, 13:40. Saints 24–16. Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 3:48.
KC – Ryan Succop 38-yard field goal, 9:11. Saints 24–19. Drive: 9 plays, 50 yards, 3:32.
KC – Drew Brees sacked in endzone by Justin Houston for safety, 5:40. Saints 24–21.
KC – Ryan Succop 43-yard field goal, 0:03. Tied 24–24. Drive: 13 plays, 37 yards, 5:30.
Overtime
KC – Ryan Succop 31-yard field goal, 6:27. Chiefs 27–24. Drive: 12 plays, 40 yards, 5:19.
Top passers
KC – Matt Cassel – 26/44, 248 yards, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 20/36, 240 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
KC – Jamaal Charles – 33 rushes, 233 yards, TD
NO – Darren Sproles – 7 rushes, 62 yards
Top receivers
KC – Dwayne Bowe – 7 receptions, 79 yards
NO – Lance Moore – 4 receptions, 40 yards, TD :
With the close loss, the Saints fell to 0–3.

#### Week 4: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 27 |
| Packers | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: September 30
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 70,571
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
Game information :
First quarter
GB – James Jones 12-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 9:02. Packers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 62 yards, 2:04.
NO – Marques Colston 20-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 3:33. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 5:29.
Second quarter
GB – Greg Jennings 9-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 14:15. Packers 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:18.
GB – James Jones 14-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 4:50. Packers 21–7. Drive: 13 plays, 92 yards, 6:08.
NO – Darren Sproles 6-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 0:27. Packers 21–14. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 4:23.
Third quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 20-yard field goal, 9:41. Packers 21–17. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:19.
NO – Joseph Morgan 80-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 3:49. Saints 24–21. Drive: 4 plays, 92 yards, 1:21.
Fourth quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 27-yard field goal, 13:04. Saints 27–21. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:31.
GB – Jordy Nelson 11-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 7:00. Packers 28–27. Drive: 7 plays, 57 yards, 3:25.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 35/54, 446 yards, 3 TD
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 31/41, 319 yards, 4 TD, INT
Top rushers
NO – Darren Sproles – 5 rushes, 20 yards
GB – Cedric Benson – 18 carries, 84 yards
Top receivers
NO – Marques Colston – 9 receptions, 153 yards, TD
GB – Jordy Nelson – 8 receptions, 93 yards, TD :
With the loss, the Saints faced their first 0–4 start since 2007.

#### Week 5: vs. San Diego Chargers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Saints | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: October 7
* Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,109
* Referee: Carl Cheffers
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
Game information :
First quarter
SD – Robert Meachem 15-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nick Novak kick), 6:56. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 91 yards, 3:26.
NO – Devery Henderson 40-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 2:58. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:58.
Second quarter
SD – Nick Novak 20-yard field goal, 9:58. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 4:08.
NO – Marques Colston 19-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 7:19. Saints 14-10. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:39.
SD – Robert Meachem 44-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nick Novak kick), 0:36. Chargers 17–14. Drive: 4 plays, 86 yards, 1:12.
Third quarter
SD – Ryan Mathews 13-yard run (Nick Novak kick), 12:27. Chargers 24–14. Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 1:19.
NO – Marques Colston 16-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 0:11. Chargers 24–21. Drive: 9 plays, 87 yards, 4:28.
Fourth quarter
NO – Marques Colston 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 8:50. Saints 28–24. Drive: 9 plays, 90 yards, 5:49.
NO – Garrett Hartley 26-yard field goal, 2:56. Saints 31–24. Drive: 7 plays, 16 yards, 2:49.
Top passers
SD – Philip Rivers – 27/42, 354 yards, 2 TD, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 29/45, 370 yards, 4 TD, INT
Top rushers
SD – Ryan Mathews – 12 rushes, 80 yards, TD
NO – Pierre Thomas – 9 carries, 30 yards
Top receivers
SD – Malcolm Floyd – 5 receptions, 108 yards
NO – Marques Colston – 9 receptions, 131 yards, 3 TD :
Drew Brees broke Johnny Unitas' record of consecutive games with a touchdown in the first quarter. The record touchdown was witnessed by Unitas' son Joe. With the surprising win, the Saints go into their bye week at 1–4.

#### Week 7: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 35 |
| Buccaneers | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
* Date: October 21
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 77 °F (25 °C), sunny
* Game attendance: 58,906
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, John Lynch and Jennifer Hale
Game information :
First quarter
TB – Tiquan Underwood 13-yard pass from Josh Freeman (Connor Barth kick), 12:22. Buccaneers 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:05.
TB – Doug Martin 36-yard run (Connor Barth kick), 5:55. Buccaneers 14–0. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 4:58.
NO – Marques Colston 17-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:46. Buccaneers 14–7. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:09.
Second quarter
TB – Vincent Jackson 17-yard pass from Josh Freeman (Connor Barth kick), 13:18. Buccaneers 21–7. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:28.
NO – Darren Sproles 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 9:24. Buccaneers 21–14. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:54.
NO – Joe Morgan 48-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 4:35. Tied 21–21. Drive: 5 plays, 79 yards, 2:45.
NO – David Thomas 20-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 0:15. Saints 28–21. Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 1:38.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
NO – Pierre Thomas 5-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 13:23. Saints 35–21. Drive: 12 plays, 95 yards, 5:01.
TB – Dallas Clark 3-yard pass from Josh Freeman (Connor Barth kick), 4:10. Saints 35–28. Drive: 14 plays, 81 yards, 6:18.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 27/37, 377 yards, 4 TD, INT
TB – Josh Freeman – 24/42, 420 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
NO – Pierre Thomas – 13 rushes, 32 yards, TD
TB – Doug Martin – 16 rushes, 85 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Lance Moore – 9 receptions, 121 yards
TB – Vincent Jackson – 7 receptions, 216 yards, TD :
With the win, the Saints improved to 2–4. Also, QB Drew Brees increased his number of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 49.

#### Week 8: at Denver Broncos

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Broncos | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
* Date: October 28
* Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT/6:20 p.m. MDT
* Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 76,832
* Referee: Mike Carey
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
Game information :
First quarter
DEN – Willis McGahee 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 4:39. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 98 yards, 4:39.
Second quarter
NO – Darren Sproles 29-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 14:53. Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 55 yards, 1:53.
DEN – Eric Decker 13-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Matt Prater kick), 6:43. Broncos 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 2:17.
DEN – Matt Prater 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Broncos 17–7. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 4:24.
Third quarter
DEN – Demaryius Thomas 1-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Matt Prater kick), 9:30. Broncos 24–7. Drive: 11 plays, 93 yards, 5:30.
Fourth quarter
DEN – Eric Decker 2-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Matt Prater kick), 14:54. Broncos 31–7. Drive: 4 plays, 51 yards, 1:57.
DEN – Matt Prater 33-yard field goal, 5:27. Broncos 34–7. Drive: 7 plays, 42 yards, 3:29.
NO – Jimmy Graham 18-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 2:03. Broncos 34–14. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 4:24.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 22/42, 213 yards, 2 TD, INT
DEN – Peyton Manning – 22/30, 305 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
NO – Pierre Thomas – 8 rushes, 43 yards
DEN – Willis McGahee – 23 rushes, 122 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Jimmy Graham – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 7 receptions, 137 yards, TD :
With the loss, the Saints fell to 2–5. However, despite the loss, QB Drew Brees increased his record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 50.

#### Week 9: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
| Saints | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: November 5
* Game time: 7:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,099
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Patrick Robinson 99-yard interception return (Garrett Hartley kick), 2:36. Saints 7–0.
Second quarter
PHI – Alex Henery 22-yard field goal, 12:03. Saints 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 5:33.
NO – Chris Ivory 22-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 8:33. Saints 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 3:30.
NO – Marques Colston 1-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:13. Saints 21–3. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:46.
Third quarter
PHI – DeSean Jackson 77-yard pass from Michael Vick (Alex Henery kick), 8:42. Saints 21–10. Drive: 2 plays, 83 yards, 0:49.
PHI – Alex Henery 37-yard field goal, 7:00. Saints 21–13. Drive: 5 plays, 3 yards, 1:34.
NO – Jimmy Graham 6-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:20. Saints 28–13. Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 5:40.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
PHI – Michael Vick – 22/41, 272 yards, TD, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 21/27, 239 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
PHI – LeSean McCoy – 19 rushes, 119 yards
NO – Chris Ivory – 10 rushes, 48 yards, TD
Top receivers
PHI – DeSean Jackson – 3 receptions, 100 yards, TD
NO – Jimmy Graham – 8 receptions, 72 yards, TD :
With the win, the Saints improved to 3–5. Also, QB Drew Brees increased his streak of games with at least one passing touchdown to 51.

#### Week 10: vs. Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
| Saints | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: November 11
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,126
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
Game information :
First quarter
ATL – Mike Johnson 1-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 11:38. Falcons 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:22.
ATL – Matt Bryant 37-yard field goal, 9:19. Falcons 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 2:07.
NO – Chris Ivory 56-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 6:49. Falcons 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 2:30.
Second quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 29-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 13:33. Saints 14–10. Drive: 11 plays, 90 yards, 5:23.
ATL – Tony Gonzalez 2-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 6:27. Falcons 17–14. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 7:06.
NO – Jimmy Graham 14-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 0:34. Saints 21–17. Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 1:43.
Third quarter
NO – Marques Colston 7-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 9:23. Saints 28–17. Drive: 7 plays, 81 yards, 3:31.
Fourth quarter
ATL – Tony Gonzalez 6-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 13:27. Saints 28–24. Drive: 12 plays, 91 yards, 5:46.
ATL – Matt Bryant 20-yard field goal, 9:08. Saints 28–27. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:42.
NO – Garrett Hartley 31-yard field goal, 5:54. Saints 31–27. Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 3:14.
Top passers
ATL – Matt Ryan – 34/52, 411 yards, 3 TD, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 21/32, 298 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
ATL – Jacquizz Rodgers – 3 rushes, 29 yards
NO – Chris Ivory – 7 rushes, 72 yards, TD
Top receivers
ATL – Tony Gonzalez – 11 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD
NO – Jimmy Graham – 7 receptions, 146 yards, 2 TD :
After their huge win over the Eagles, the Saints stayed home for a game against their heated rival Falcons. Sitting at 3–5, the Falcons came into this game at 8–0. The Saints surprisingly won their 4th-straight game against the Falcons and improved their record to 4–5 while the Falcons dropped to 8–1. Drew Brees brought his total of games with a passing touchdown to 52.

#### Week 11: at Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 14 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
| Raiders | 0 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
at O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: November 18
* Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST/1:05 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C), partly cloudy
* Game attendance: 56,880
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, John Lynch and Jennifer Hale
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 1-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 7:53. Saints 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:02.
NO – Malcolm Jenkins 55-yard interception return (Garrett Hartley kick), 4:06. Saints 14–0.
Second quarter
OAK – Brandon Myers 1-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:10. Saints 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 81 yards, 2:17.
NO – Lance Moore 38-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 0:48. Saints 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 90 yards, 3:22.
Third quarter
NO – Mark Ingram 27-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 14:43. Saints 28–7. Drive: 1 play, 27 yards, 0:17.
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 40-yard field goal, 10:22. Saints 28–10. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 4:21.
NO – Lance Moore 15-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 3:26. Saints 35–10. Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 2:46.
Fourth quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 47-yard field goal, 10:28. Saints 38–10. Drive: 9 plays, 31 yards, 4:26.
OAK – Juron Criner 3-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:00. Saints 38–17. Drive: 7 plays, 93 yards, 2:03.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 20/27, 219 yards, 3 TD
OAK – Carson Palmer – 22/40, 312 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram – 12 rushes, 67 yards, TD
OAK – Marcel Reece – 19 rushes, 103 yards
Top receivers
NO – Marques Colston – 4 receptions, 69 yards
OAK – Marcel Reece – 4 receptions, 90 yards :
After 2 straight dominant home wins, the Saints traveled to Oakland to take on the Raiders. The Saints again dominated this game after the Raiders took the first points of the game. The Saints would win and improve to 5–5 on the season keeping their playoff hopes alive. Also Drew Brees brought his streak of at least 1 passing touchdown in a single game to 53.

#### Week 12: vs. San Francisco 49ers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| 49ers | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
| Saints | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: November 25
* Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,147
* Referee: John Parry
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
Game information :
First quarter
SF – Colin Kaepernick 7-yard run (David Akers kick), 7:21. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 62 yards, 2:06.
NO – David Thomas 6-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:45. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 5:36.
Second quarter
NO – Marques Colston 10-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 7:53. Saints 14–7. Drive: 2 plays, 11 yards, 0:48.
SF – Ahmad Brooks 50-yard interception return (David Akers kick), 0:22. Tied 14–14.
Third quarter
SF – Frank Gore 6-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick (David Akers kick), 12:17. 49ers 21–14. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:43.
SF – Donte Whitner 42-yard interception return (David Akers kick), 11:30. 49ers 28–14.
NO – Jed Collins 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 7:19. 49ers 28–21. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:11.
Fourth quarter
SF – David Akers 27-yard field goal, 7:50. 49ers 31–21. Drive: 16 plays, 84 yards, 9:28.
Top passers
SF – Colin Kaepernick: 16/25, 231 yards, TD, INT
NO – Drew Brees: 26/41, 267 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
SF – Frank Gore: 19 rushes, 83 yards
NO – Chris Ivory: 8 rushes, 34 yards
Top receivers
SF – Delanie Walker: 3 receptions, 81 yards
NO – Darren Sproles: 7 receptions, 65 yards :
The loss dropped the team to 5–6, but Brees's record of games with at least 1 passing touchdown stood at 54. This loss was brought up by the ejection of nose tackle Brodrick Bunkley.

#### Week 13: at Atlanta Falcons

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| Falcons | 7 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: November 29
* Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST/7:20 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 70,514
* Referee: Scott Green
* TV announcers (NFLN): Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock and Alex Flanagan
Game information :
First quarter
ATL – Michael Turner 3-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 11:09. Falcons 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:51.
Second quarter
ATL – Tony Gonzalez 17-yard pass from Matt Ryan (Matt Bryant kick), 14:08. Falcons 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 49 yards, 2:28.
ATL – Matt Bryant 45-yard field goal, 8:53. Falcons 17–0. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 0:51.
NO – Mark Ingram 1-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 3:17. Falcons 17–7. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:36.
Third quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 21-yard field goal, 8:24. Falcons 17–10. Drive: 15 plays, 83 yards, 6:36.
NO – Garrett Hartley 52-yard field goal, 3:53. Falcons 17–13. Drive: 8 plays, 36 yards, 2:49.
Fourth quarter
ATL – Matt Bryant 29-yard field goal, 14:48. Falcons 20–13. Drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 2:50.
ATL – Matt Bryant 55-yard field goal, 4:25. Falcons 23–13. Drive: 11 plays, 43 yards, 5:38.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 28/50, 341 yards, 5 INT
ATL – Matt Ryan – 18/33, 165 yards, TD
Top rushers
NO – Pierre Thomas – 14 rushes, 84 yards
ATL – Michael Turner – 12 rushes, 83 yards, TD
Top receivers
NO – Lance Moore – 7 receptions, 123 yards
ATL – Tony Gonzalez – 4 receptions, 58 yards, TD :
After the tough home loss to the Niners, the Saints traveled to take on the Falcons in a TNF matchup. The Saints' 4-game winning streak against the Falcons would be snapped as the team dropped to 5–7. Also, QB Drew Brees's streak of consecutive games with at least 1 passing touchdown would come to an end as he threw a career-high 5 interceptions in one game on the night. Regardless, his total passing touchdowns at this point was 31 bringing him his 5th straight season with 30+ passing touchdowns.

#### Week 14: at New York Giants

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 27 |
| Giants | 14 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 52 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: December 9
* Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST/3:25 p.m. CST
* Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C), rain
* Game attendance: 81,437
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Elbert Mack 73-yard interception return (Garrett Hartley kick), 9:38. Saints 7–0.
NYG – David Wilson 97-yard kickoff return (Lawrence Tynes kick), 9:25. Tied 7–7.
NYG – Martellus Bennett 6-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 4:19. Giants 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 35 yards, 2:24.
Second quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 32-yard field goal, 9:46. Giants 14–10. Drive: 14 plays, 81 yards, 5:44.
NO – Garrett Hartley 25-yard field goal, 1:57. Giants 14–13. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 4:06.
NYG – Domenik Hixon 5-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 0:20. Giants 21–13. Drive: 10 plays, 69 yards, 1:37.
Third quarter
NYG – David Wilson 6-yard run (Lawrence Tynes kick), 13:04. Giants 28–13. Drive: 4 plays, 20 yards, 1:40.
NYG – Hakeem Nicks 25-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 8:13. Giants 35–13. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 3:09.
NO – Darren Sproles 13-yard run (Lawrence Tynes kick), 7:21. Giants 35–20. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:52.
NO – Darren Sproles 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:51. Giants 35–27. Drive: 6 plays, 68 yards, 3:09.
Fourth quarter
NYG – Victor Cruz 10-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick), 14:20. Giants 42–27. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 2:31.
NYG – Lawrence Tynes 39-yard field goal, 10:19. Giants 45–27. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:31.
NYG – David Wilson 52-yard run (Lawrence Tynes kick), 5:10. Giants 52–27. Drive: 1 play, 52 yards, 0:10.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 26/43, 354 yards, TD, 2 INT
NYG – Eli Manning – 22/35, 259 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram – 13 rushes, 68 yards
NYG – David Wilson – 13 rushes, 100 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
NO – Joe Morgan – 2 receptions, 106 yards
NYG – Victor Cruz – 8 receptions, 121 yards, TD :
The Saints were dominated by the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. They fell to 5-8 with the loss.

#### Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Saints | 7 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: December 16
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,096
* Referee: Mike Carey
* TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, and Laura Okmin
Game information :
First quarter
NO – David Thomas 9-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 11:12. Saints 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:48.
Second quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 25-yard field goal, 13:23. Saints 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:23.
NO – Darren Sproles 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 4:57. Saints 17–0. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 4:26.
NO – Lance Moore 7-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 0:09. Saints 24–0. Drive: 5 plays, 38 yards, 0:55.
Third quarter
NO – Joe Morgan 34-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 9:05. Saints 31–0. Drive: 8 plays, 92 yards, 4:24.
Fourth quarter
NO – Garrett Hartley 36-yard field goal, 8:09. Saints 34–0. Drive: 8 plays, 63 yards, 2:46.
NO – Mark Ingram 11-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 4:54. Saints 41–0. Drive: 3 plays, 43 yards, 1:32.
Top passers
TB – Josh Freeman – 26/47, 279 yards, 4 INT
NO – Drew Brees – 26/39, 307 yards, 4 TD
Top rushers
TB – LeGarrette Blount – 4 rushes, 25 yards
NO – Mark Ingram – 14 rushes, 90 yards, TD
Top receivers
TB – Vincent Jackson – 6 receptions, 81 yards
NO – Jimmy Graham – 5 receptions, 69 yards :
With the win, the Saints improved to 6–8 and swept the Buccaneers for the first time since 2006 and posted their first shutout win since 1995 to the New York Jets 12–0. The Saints did not post another shutout until 2021, when they beat the Buccaneers 9-0. This is also the Saints' largest margin of victory over the Buccaneers in franchise history.

#### Week 16: at Dallas Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Saints | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 31 |
at Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas
* Date: December 23
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
* Game attendance: 92,570
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
Game information :
First quarter
NO – Mark Ingram 9-yard run (Garrett Hartley kick), 10:25. Saints 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:35.
Second quarter
DAL – Dez Bryant 58-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 12:47. Tied 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 74 yards, 1:28.
DAL – Dez Bryant 58-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 5:43. Cowboys 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 3:23.
NO – Lance Moore 6-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 1:11. Tied 14–14. Drive: 12 plays, 90 yards, 4:32.
NO – Garrett Hartley 37-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 17–14. Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards, 0:47.
Third quarter
DAL – Dan Bailey 47-yard field goal, 10:26. Tied 17–17. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 4:34.
NO – Pierre Thomas 5-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 4:03. Saints 24–17. Drive: 3 plays, 5 yards, 0:14.
Fourth quarter
NO – David Thomas 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 11:10. Saints 31–17. Drive: 10 plays, 98 yards, 4:53.
DAL – Dwayne Harris 16-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 3:35. Saints 31–24. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 1:10.
DAL – Miles Austin 19-yard pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey kick), 0:15. Tied 31–31. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 1:14.
Overtime
NO – Garrett Hartley 20-yard field goal, 10:33. Saints 34–31. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 3:00.
Top passers
NO – Drew Brees – 37/53, 446 yards, 3 TD
DAL – Tony Romo – 26/43, 416 yards, 4 TD
Top rushers
NO – Mark Ingram II – 21 rushes, 53 yards, TD
DAL – DeMarco Murray – 11 rushes, 40 yards
Top receivers
NO – Marques Colston – 11 receptions, 153 yards
DAL – Dez Bryant – 9 receptions, 224 yards, 2 TD :
With the win, the Saints improved to 7–8. However, the Saints were eliminated from postseason contention, thus rendering them unable to play Super Bowl XLVII on their own home turf.

#### Week 17: vs. Carolina Panthers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 10 | 14 | 17 | 44 |
| Saints | 0 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 38 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
* Date: December 30
* Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 73,124
* Referee: Alberto Riveron
* TV announcers (Fox): Ron Pitts, Mike Martz and Krista Voda
Game information :
First quarter
CAR – Graham Gano 20-yard field goal, 5:41. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 15 plays, 76 yards, 7:06.
Second quarter
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:18. Panthers 10–0. Drive: 3 plays, 82 yards, 1:12.
NO – Marques Colston 7-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 5:14. Panthers 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 3:04.
NO – Jonathan Vilma 18-yard interception return (Garrett Hartley kick), 4:31. Saints 14–10.
CAR – Graham Gano 30-yard field goal, 0:39. Saints 14–13. Drive: 9 plays, 60 yards, 3:52.
NO – Garrett Hartley 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Saints 17–13. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 0:39.
Third quarter
NO – Jimmy Graham 19-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 10:45. Saints 24–13. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 4:15.
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 54-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:48. Saints 24–20. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:57.
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 2:29. Panthers 27–24. Drive: 3 plays, 36 yards, 1:18.
Fourth quarter
CAR – Mike Tolbert 1-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 10:16. Panthers 34–24. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:36.
CAR – DeAngelo Williams 12-yard run (Graham Gano kick), 8:23. Panthers 41–24. Drive: 1 play, 12 yards, 0:06.
NO – Marques Colston 19-yard pass from Drew Brees (Garrett Hartley kick), 5:10. Panthers 41–31. Drive: 10 plays, 81 yards, 3:13.
CAR – Graham Gano 42-yard field goal, 4:08. Panthers 44–31. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:02.
NO – Darren Sproles 33-yard pass from Drew Brees, 2:52. Panthers 44–38. Drive: 4 plays, 80 yards, 1:16.
Top passers
CAR – Cam Newton – 16/33, 248 yards, INT
NO – Drew Brees – 29/43, 396 yards, 3 TD, INT
Top rushers
CAR – DeAngelo Williams – 21 rushes, 210 yards, 2 TD
NO – Mark Ingram – 10 carries, 39 yards
Top receivers
CAR – Steve Smith Sr. – 3 receptions, 73 yards
NO – Lance Moore – 4 receptions, 121 yards :
With the loss, the Saints finished with their first losing season since 2007 at 7–9. Also, the team was swept by the Panthers for the first time since 2008.

## Standings

NFC South :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ Atlanta Falcons | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 3–3 | 9–3 | 419 | 299 | L1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 357 | 363 | W4 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 5–7 | 461 | 454 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 4–8 | 389 | 394 | W1 |