Game Balls: 49ers vs Saints (Week 14)

Following a 48-46 thriller in the Superdome, these are the Saints that earned Game Balls from Saints News Network.

Author:
Brendan Boylan
Updated:
Dec 9, 2019 12:18 PM EST
Original:
Dec 9, 2019

Following what may be deemed the NFL’s game of the year, these are the Saints that earned game balls from Saints News Network in their 48-46 loss to the 49ers.

Drew Brees

Since coming back from thumb surgery against the Cardinals back on October 27th, the future Hall of Fame quarterback had yet to have a purely dominant performance until yesterday afternoon inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Brees started the game cooking connecting with tight end Jared Cook for two first quarter touchdowns and racking up nearly 150 yards through the air on the Saints first three drives of the contest.

After accounting for 4 touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) within the first half, Brees saved his best for last connecting with Michael Thomas and Tre’Quan Smith in the fourth quarter to give the Saints a one-point lead with 56 seconds remaining on in regulation.

In the loss, Brees was 29 of 40 for 349 yards and threw for five touchdowns. In addition to his five passing touchdowns, his one rushing touchdown in the first half had the 40-year-old quarterback account for each New Orleans touchdown Sunday afternoon.

Drew Brees’ five passing touchdown performance puts him two touchdown passes behind Peyton Manning (539) for most passing touchdowns in an NFL career. His next opportunity to break the record comes against Peyton’s former team the Colts on Monday Night Football.

Denote’ Harris

After battling injury in the middle of the season, Harris returned to his return duties on Thanksgiving Day, giving the Saints a spark over the division rival Falcons. However, Harris provided more than just a spark for New Orleans against the Niners.

Harris saw seven total returns (5 kick returns & 2 Punt returns) in the instant classic between the former NFC West foes. With the rapid pace and high-scoring drama on Sunday, special teams needed to be special and Harris was just that.

With 192 total return yards Harris provided a short field for the Saints multiple times in the first half, including a 52-yard kickoff return that set the Saints up near midfield and a 25-yard punt return that set the Saints up inside the 49ers 30 yard line.

Head Coach Sean Payton has repeatedly sung high praises for the NCAA’s leader in returns for touchdowns (14) and has claimed he will be one of, if not the best, kick/punt returners in football.

The special talent in Harris also earned him some time on the offensive side of the football. Harris finished with a reception and a rushing attempt on Sunday.

Michael Thomas

All the kid does is make plays and provides 10+ catches week in and week out and yet again he caught one of our game balls.

It is becoming difficult to put into words how impressive and how special this season has been for the Ohio State product. Now with 121 receptions on the season, Thomas remains on pace to set a single season record for receptions and has an outside shot at becoming only the second player to finish the season with 1,900 yards receiving.

Thomas had another clutch performance for the Saints hauling in 11 receptions for 134 yards and a 21-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter against the Niners. With a long in the game of 49 yards, Thomas showed again that he is an elite route runner in every aspect of the route tree and why he is Brees’ most trusted target.

Thomas’ leads the league in both receptions (121) and yards (1.424) and finds himself in the top ten in touchdown receptions with 7. With 24 receptions (8 per game) over the final three games of the season Thomas would break Marvin Harrison’s single season record for receptions (143) set back in 2002.

Craig Robertson

An overlooked captain of the New Orleans Saints who spends most of his time these days commanding the special team’s unit came up big for a depleted linebacking corps on Sunday.

Without starting linebackers, A. J. Klein and Kiko Alonso the Saints asked their team’s leader in tackles from 2016 to be the next man up and he delivered. Robertson finished with 8 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a pass deflected and the lone interception of the game.

A vital piece to the Saints’ defense a few seasons ago, many fans found themselves shocked and confused to see Robertson fall out of the linebacking rotation and on to special teams. However, Robertson’s current role with the Saints is just as vital as his role as a starting linebacker just three years ago.

Robertson’s anchoring of kick coverage, and leadership on the special teams unit has been a recipe for success for a Saints team that has turned the corner over the past three seasons in that category.

Follow Brendan Boylan on Twitter: @btboylan

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