NFL team 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.[1] 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.[2] 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 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 [3][4]
| 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.[a][b]
- NOTES
- ^[a] 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.
- ^[b] The team forfeited their second-round selections in 2012 and 2013 as part of the punishment for the team's bounty scandal.
- ^[c] 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.[5]
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[broken anchor] | 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. |
Staff
2012 New Orleans Saints staff | Front office - Owner/president – Tom Benson
- Owner/executive vice president – Rita Benson LeBlanc
- Executive vice president/general manager – Mickey Loomis
- Director of football administration – Khai Harley
- Director of pro scouting – Ryan Pace
- Director of college scouting – Rick Reiprish
- Assistant director of college scouting – Brian Adams
Head coaches - Head coach – Sean Payton†
- Interim head coach (games 7-16)/assistant head coach/linebackers – Joe Vitt
- Interim head coach (games 1-6)/offensive line/running game – Aaron Kromer
Offensive coaches † – suspended for the entire 2012 season (see New Orleans Saints bounty scandal) | | | Defensive coaches - Defensive coordinator – Steve Spagnuolo
- Defensive line – Bill Johnson
- Assistant defensive line – Travis Jones
- Secondary – Ken Flajole
- Assistant secondary – Andre Curtis
- Defensive assistant – Marcus Ungaro
- Defensive assistant – Brian Young
Special teams coaches Strength and conditioning - Head strength and conditioning – Dan Dalrymple
- Assistant strength and conditioning – Charles Byrd
- Weight room assistant – Robert Wenning
|
Final roster
2012 New Orleans Saints final roster |
| Quarterbacks Running backs Wide receivers Tight ends | | Offensive linemen Defensive linemen | | Linebackers Defensive backs Special teams | | Reserve lists - 71 Charles Brown T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 56 Chris Chamberlain OLB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 17 Chris Givens WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 79 Bryce Harris T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 27 Malcolm Jenkins FS (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 70 Marcel Jones T (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 99 Greg Romeus DE (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 23 Pierre Thomas RB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 67 Andrew Tiller G (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 88 Nick Toon WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) - 24 Corey White CB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Injury_icon_2.svg/10px-Injury_icon_2.svg.png) Practice squad Rookies in italics 53 active, 12 inactive, 7 practice squad |
Schedule
Preseason
Regular season
- Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Washington Redskins
Game information |
First quarter 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
Week Two: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Period | 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 | |
With the loss, the Saints fell to 0–2.
Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Game information |
First quarter 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
Game information |
First quarter 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
Week Five: San Diego Chargers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Chargers | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Saints | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Game information |
First quarter 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
Week Seven: New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Period | 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 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 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
Week Seven: New Orleans Saints at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Period | 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 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
Week Nine: Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Eagles | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 13 |
Saints | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
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 | 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
Week Ten: Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period | 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
Week Eleven: New Orleans Saints at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Period | 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 Second quarter 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
Week Twelve: San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period | 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 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 | |
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
Week Thirteen: New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary
Period | 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
Week Fourteen: New Orleans Saints at New York Giants – Game summary
Period | 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 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
Week Fifteen: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period | 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 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 | |
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
Week Sixteen: New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
Period | 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 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
Week Seventeen: Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Period | 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 | |
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
References
- ^ "Joe Vitt took over as Saints coach on Monday". NFL.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016.
- ^ "Aaron Kromer will take over head coaching duties for New Orleans Saints during Joe Vitt's suspension".
- ^ "NFL Transactions Report – New Orleans Saints". National Football League. 2012 NFL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
- ^ "New Orleans Saints – Transactions". Neworleanssaints.com. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
- ^ "Saints Announce 2012 Rookie Free Agent Class". NewOrleansSaints.com. April 30, 2012. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2012 New Orleans Saints season.