Saints Extend Win Streak in Overtime Victory Over Bears
The New Orleans Saints ran their current win streak to four games on Sunday.
The Saints scored 20 answered points from a stretch that began at the end of the first half and lasted until the late in the final quarter and then got a game-winning 43-yard field goal from Wil Lutz in overtime to help them to a 26-23 win over the Chicago Bears in an NFC match-up held at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
New Orleans got on the scoreboard first, on the initial drive of the game, when Lutz made good on a 38-yard field goal, his 29th successful kick, wrapping up a 12-play, 55-yard drive, which gave them a quick 3-0 lead at the 8:13 mark of the first quarter.
Chicago answered right back, on their first possession of the game, courtesy of a 44-yard field goal by Cairo Santos, completing a 14-play, 49-yard drive, which tied the contest, 3-3, at the 1:17 mark of the first period.
The Saints had a chance to grab the lead back on their next possession but Lutz missed on a 27-yard field goal attempt, which hit the right upright, ending his string of 29-consecutive field goals with his first miss this season.
The Bears took their first lead at the 8:10 mark of the second quarter when Nick Foles threw a 24-yad touchdown pass to Allen Robinson, ending a 4-play, 80-yard drive, giving them a 10-3 advantage.
Chicago widened its lead at the 1:39 mark of the second quarter when Santos kicked through his second field goal of the game, this one from 29 yards away, putting the finishing touches on a 7-play, 50-yard drive, which extended their advantage to 13-3.
New Orleans was able to draw closer right before the end of the half when Drew Brees connected with Jared Cook on a 16-yard touchdown pass with three seconds remaining, putting the exclamation mark on a 9-play, 68-yard drive, to make it 13-10, a score that held up as both teams headed to their respective locker rooms at halftime.
Foles led the way for the Bears in the first half, completing 9-of-14 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while David Montgomery carried the football nine times for 66 yards.
In the first half for the Saints, Brees completed 16-of-19 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown, while Alvin Kamara compiled 121 yards of total offense, including 86 receiving yards and 35 rushing yards.
The Saints evened things at the 9:19 mark of the third quarter when Lutz made good on his second field goal of the game, this one from 38 yards out, capping off a 4-play, 75-yard drive, which tied the contest, 13-13.
New Orleans took the lead at the 5:04 mark of the third quarter when Lutz converted on his third field goal of the day, this one from 39 yards away, wrapping up an 8-play, 19-yard drive, which gave them a 16-13 advantage.
The Saints gained a two-score lead at the 9:57 mark of the fourth quarter when Brees tossed a 20-yard scoring strike to Taysom Hill, ending a 7-play, 60-yard drive, to make it 23-13.
Chicago broke the string of 20-unanswered New Orleans points at the 3:32 mark of the final frame when Foles threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney, completing an 11-play, 75-yard drive, to keep them in the game, making the score 23-20.
The Bears tied it with :13 left in the fourth quarter when Santos boomed through a long 51-yard field goal, ending a 12-play, 35-yard drive, to tie the game, 23-23, sending it into overtime.
New Orleans, on its second possession of the overtime period, was able to set up the game-winning 35-yard field goal by Lutz with only 1:36 left in the overtime frame, giving them the 3-point triumph, and possibly avoiding the first tie for the franchise since 1972.
The Saints ended up outgaining the Bears, in terms of total yards, 394-329, including a 122-96 edge in rushing yards, as well as a 272-233 advantage through the air.
Brees led the way for the Saints, completing 31-of-41 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns, while Alvin Kamara compiled 163 yards of total offense, including 96 receiving yards and 67 rushing yards.
In a losing cause for the Bears, Foles completed 28-of-41 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, while Montgomery finished with 89 rushing yards on 21 carries.
With the victory, New Orleans improved to 5-2 on the season, while Chicago dropped to 5-3.
The Saints return to action next Sunday when they travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers in a big NFC South showdown.