Saints TE Jimmy Graham: Blowout of Packers 'huge confidence builder'
Saints tight end Jimmy Graham said Sunday that the 44-23 blowout win over the Green Bay Packers is a huge confidence builder for the New Orleans Saints going forward, according to NFL.com.
The Saints moved to 3-4 on the season with the win and are now percentage points behind the Carolina Panthers (3-4-1) for first place in the NFC South.
"It's a huge confidence builder and really it shows us really what we need to do," Graham said. "I talked to Drew [Brees] earlier in the week, you know, we need to really focus on our tempo, our tempo has got to be, personnel in and to the ball and snap it. Because when our tempo is at a pace where the defense is running around it just changes games and makes this a special offense."
New Orleans' 44 points were the most it has scored in a game this season and its most since scoring 34 in a season-opening overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The Packers had been allowing 21 points per game going into Sunday.
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Graham, who's dealt with a shoulder injury this season, caught five passes for 59 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown late in the third quarter at the Superdome. Rookie Brandin Cooks had his best game so far, catching six passes for 94 yards and a touchdown and adding a four-yard touchdown run.
Brees finished with 311 passing yards and three touchdowns while completing 27 of his 32 attempts. The 84.4 percent completion percentage was Brees' highest since 2011, and it was the first time since Week 3 this season that Brees didn't throw an interception.
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The Saints play the Panthers on Thursday and can take possession of first place in the division with a win.
- Ben Estes
