 |
| New Orleans Saints |
The New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and you will continue their record-hunting. The "holy" Drew led his team with a strong performance in the Divisional Playoffs in the NFL. While New Orleans, the Detroit Lions were defeated by 45:28, off the Cincinnati Bengals, the Houston Texans with 31:10 from.
.
Thus able to establish themselves in the night to Sunday in the first two wildcard playoffs each of the third-placed teams in the NFC and AFC against the table sixth both the regular season.
Brees and Stafford ready for Shootout
After Saints quarterback Drew Brees in the regular season including the records for most pass yards (5476), most arrived passes (468) and the highest hit accuracy (71.2%) broke while with his team in the local Mercedes Benz had lost a single game Superdome, New Orleans was the clear favorite in the wildcard playoff at home against Detroit.
But the Lions were led by the young quarterback Matthew Stafford impressed in recent weeks by unconditional offensive. Stafford came in just the last four games of the season to over 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns thrown. Overall, he was next to Brees and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots one of three quarterbacks who popped in this record-breaking season, the magic 5,000-yard mark. Consequently, many observers expected an open game.
Detroit with a strong start, the Saints show nerves
At the beginning there were the Lions, who expects the fast pace and submitted with a nearly perfect first drive took the lead 7-0. Had one before the game even thought that the young and inexperienced playoff team from Detroit would show nerves, it was the home side at the start of New Orleans, who brought himself into trouble by unusual errors.
In both the first and the second quarter was ever a fumble for the Saints to beech. During the entire regular season, Drew Brees and Co. had lost the ball only six times. Detroit took a chance and went with a narrow 14:10 lead in the break, the Saints after the last drive of the first half of "only" been able to conclude with a field goal.
Brees takes command
In the second half, took over Drew Brees but definitely in charge. For the first drive after the break, took the record-breaking quarterback just 1:51 minutes to bring his team to a 41-yard touchdown pass to Devery Henderson with 17:14 for the first time in the lead. While the Lions no remedy against the Saints defense were improved and had to punt the ball back almost immediately, Brees ran hot and completed his second drive in the third quarter with a touchdown pass from - 24:14 for the Saints.
Matthew Stafford could shorten by a spirited run for a touchdown but again at 24:21, but the Saints could not bring themselves out of the rest of them and in turn responded with a touchdown by Darren Sproles at 31:21. At least now the game was the expected offensive spectacle. The (pre-) decision followed directly in the next move, as Lions QB Stafford a deep pass to Titus Young attempted which was intercepted by Jabari Greer. The Saints, and especially the superior Brees could once more, take this chance. His 56-yard pass to Robert Meachem led to another touchdown that brought New Orleans to 38:21 in leadership.
Next stop: San Francisco
The brave Lions struggled through another impressive drive, was able to finish the star receiver Calvin Johnson to Stafford pass for a touchdown, but once again approached to 38:28, but no later than the following onside kick landed at the Saints, was the Match decided. New Orleans scored two more touchdowns and made it so, complete any possession in the second half with the optimum yield of seven points.
In the end, the Saints won a wildcard playoff expect entertaining and deserves to 45:28 underpinned mainly in an impressive second half that they are probably the strongest team in the NFL next to the Green Bay Packers. Drew Brees once again at the end were a record 466 yards and three touchdown passes to Beech. "We are focused only on winning, not on any records or yards," said New Orleans coach Sean Peyton.
In the next week have the star quarterback and his Saints to the San Francisco 49ers travel before then in the Conference Final presumably waiting for the showdown with the Packers. A young team, the Lions have to watch these meetings on television, is determined in the coming years, but still be talked about.
Houston wins first playoff game
Before New Orleans, the Houston Texans as the first wildcard team had their place in the Conference playoffs secured. It was the first playoff game ever in the history of the Texans who play in the NFL since 2002. Both Houston and Cincinnati Bangels went with rookie quarterbacks in the game.
It was Andy Dalton (257 yards) from the Bangels indeed be achieved much more space saving than his counterpart TJ Yates (159 yards). But while Yates crowned his solid performance in the third quarter with a 40-yard touchdown pass to receiver Andre Johnson-Star, Dalton threw three interceptions. The very first introduced at the end of the first half to 17:10 of the leadership Texans, as JJ Watts intercepted a pass from Dalton and could carry more than 29 yards into the end zone.
Foster strong, happier Johnson
Man of the match became Houston running back Arian Foster, with the ball a total of 24 times and got into the hands and scoring 153 yards and two touchdowns. For Foster, who was not drafted, but only as a free agent and later as a replacement player for the Texans and slowly worked up to the starter, this was definitely a special night as well as for wide receiver Andre Johnson. The four-time Pro Bowl All Star who plays for the Texans since 2003, had actually been thought necessary to end his career without a single playoff participation.
"This has made a huge fun," Johnson said after the game, according to nfl.com. "It's not me, but to the whole team and all who belong to it. There is something very special for me because I have been the day when I came here, I always said that I would like to experience this time. It is a very special feeling. I have long ceased to smile so much. "
The Texans now face the Ravens
In Conference playoff, the Texans in the next week traveling to the Baltimore Ravens, who finished the regular season with 12 wins and four losses as the second best team in the AFC. In the other wild card playoffs, it will arrive on Sunday to the New York Giants vs. duels. Altanta Falcons and Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.
