Saints Again Show Spunk, but Run Out of Gas

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- If someone told New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton back in August that his team would be 3-1 after playing on the road three times in the first four weeks of the 2006 season, I'd imagine he'd be pretty happy if that prediction came true.

That's exactly where the rejuvenated Saints stand at the quarter point of the campaign, and Payton is indeed pleased with his club's significant progress. However, that doesn't take the sting out of Sunday's 21-18 defeat to the division-rival Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium, a game in which New Orleans took a three-point lead into the fourth quarter before giving up two long touchdown drives in the final eight minutes.

The Saints played with the same determination that helped lift them to last Monday's memorable 23-3 win over Atlanta. But it was clear in the waning stages of Sunday's contest that Payton's gritty charges had little left in the tank after such an emotional display.

The defense, which was flying to the football throughout Monday's triumph and had been remarkably steady through the season's first three weeks, allowed Carolina to march 91 yards in 12 plays and grab a 14-10 lead on a short Jake Delhomme touchdown pass to Drew Carter with 7:20 left to play.

After the Saints went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, DeShaun Foster burst through New Orleans' tired defense for a backbreaking 43-yard scoring run with less than two minutes to go.

'We knew the play was coming, in fact, we were calling it out as soon as they lined up,' said Saints' linebacker Scott Fujita of Foster's touchdown. 'We pursued Foster well and he just got through. It was a tough one and a play that we wish we could have over again.'

Foster ended with 105 yards on 16 carries and became the first back to eclipse the century mark against New Orleans this season. Carolina compiled 165 yards on the ground as a team.

MAKING HIS MARQ

Rookie wide receiver Marques Colston continues to impress, as the youngster racked up a career-high 132 yards on five catches in the loss. Eighty-six of those yards came when he broke free down the middle and hauled in quarterback Drew Brees' deep pass for a touchdown with 1:15 remaining. Brees then found Joe Horn for the two-point conversion to account for the final margin.

The play was the fourth-longest pass in franchise history.

Colston currently ranks sixth in the NFL with 336 receiving yards and is averaging an impressive 16.8 yards on his 20 catches. The seventh-round draft choice is also tied for the league lead with three touchdown receptions.

COOL BREES

Brees had another terrific game as well, as he completed 28-of-38 passes for 349 yards without an interception. It was the second 300-yard outing for the former Charger (Purchase cheap San Diego Chargers Tickets) this season, joining a 353-yard effort in the Saints' Week 2 win at Green Bay Packers.

The sixth-year pro is averaging 265.8 passing yards per game thus far, the fifth-best mark among NFL quarterbacks at the moment. Brees is also completing a strong 65.7 percent of his throws and has been picked off just twice through the first four weeks.

CONGRATULATIONS

A pair of New Orleans players reached significant milestones in Sunday's loss. Kicker John Carney booted his 400th career field goal, a 31-yarder in the second quarter, while Horn made his 500th reception with a 17-yard grab in the third.

Carney becomes only the third kicker in NFL history to reach the 400 field- goal plateau, joining Gary Anderson (537) and ex-Saint Morten Andersen (526).

Horn finished with five catches for 63 yards.

HOME SWEET DOME

The Saints play their second game at the refurbished Superdome this Sunday when the defending NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers come to the Big Easy for an important early-season divisional showdown.

Tampa's fallen on some hard times in the early going, however. The Bucs are off to a disappointing 0-3 start and will be playing without starting quarterback Chris Simms, who needed emergency surgery to remove his spleen following a physical loss to Carolina on September 24. Rookie Bruce Gradkowski will make his NFL starting debut in Simms' absence.

'We have to be ready for an angry Tampa Bay team,' said Brees. 'We need to stay focused and have a great week of practice and meetings. Nobody in our locker room is feeling sorry for themselves and we know that Tampa isn't (feeling sorry for the Saints).'

Tampa Bay did sweep last year's season series with New Orleans and has emerged victorious in each of its last two visits to the Superdome, including a 20-17 triumph on October 10, 2004.

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