Back to the Top News Newsfeed

Drew Brees Leads Saints Out of Hole, Past Eagles and to the N.F.C. Championship

Bill Feig/Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees shared a curious statistic after his team defeated the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday: In the third quarter, with the Eagles ahead by 4 points, the Saints put together 23-play, 117-yard touchdown drive.

Yes, 117, if you include the penalties that forced the Saints to backtrack and regain lost yardage.

The long march down the field — which officially was listed as an 18-play, 92-yard drive — paid off when Brees hit wide receiver Michael Thomas for a 2-yard receiving touchdown that put the Saints ahead for good.