Saints vs Cardinals Recap - Marching Indeed

Saturday afternoon’s NFC divisional round match up of high-powered offenses, turned out to be a completely one-sided contest. The NFC’s #1 seed, New Orleans Saints came out on all cylinders and never slowed down.

The game couldn’t have started any better for the Arizona Cardinals, with Tim Hightower breaking off a 70-yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage. It seemed that Arizona would score at will for the second week in a row.

The tide would turn quickly and behind the flashy moves of Reggie Bush, the Saints big offense scored in bunches. A depleted Arizona defense, without talented young defensive backs Antrel Rolle and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, absolutely attributed to the Saints ability to score early and often. Though, a different outcome is almost impossible to fathom.

The 45-14 victory clinched a spot in next week’s NFC title game for the Saints. Lots of experts were very skeptical on the Saints coming out victorious Saturday, due to their three game losing streak at the end of the year. Clearly a rested and ready New Orleans team showed up yesterday and dominated every aspect of the game.

It was a breaking out party for third year running back Reggie Bush. Bush carried the ball just 5 times for 86 yards and a touchdown. His 46-yard TD was as “highlight reel” as they come. Showing both power and finesse, he weaved through the Cardinal defense, and burst his way into the end zone. Bush showed his overall talent by also adding 24 receiving yards, and 109 return yards. Perhaps on his way to silencing the negative criticism he receives after years of not producing completely as expected.

Once again huge disparities in first downs, third down conversions, and time of possession determined the outcome of an NFL game. New Orleans led big in all three categories. Combined with the ability to protect the ball (0 turnovers), the Saints were able to clinch another home game to host the NFC Championship game next week against the winner of today’s Dallas/Minnesota matchup.

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Still not an official decision, this could have been the last game for Cardinal quarterback Kurt Warner.

Key Stats

NO - ARI

YARDS - 418 - 359

PASSING YDS - 247 - 258

RUSHING YDS - 171 - 101

1ST DOWNS - 27 - 15

3RD DOWN - 7/13 - 1/8

T.O.P. - 36:27 - 23:33

Passing Comp/Att Yards TD Int

Brees (NO) 23/32 247 3 0

Warner (ARI) 17/36 205 0 1

Leinart (ARI) 7/10 61 1 0

Rushing Att Yards TD Fumb

Bush (NO) 5 84 1 0

Thomas (NO) 13 52 0 0

Hightower (ARI) 6 87 1 0

Wells (ARI) 5 7 1 0

Receiving Rec Yards TD

Colston (NO) 6 83 1

Henderson (NO) 4 80 1

Shockey (NO) 3 36 1

Fitzgerald (ARI) 6 77 0

Doucet (ARI) 8 68 0

Breaston (ARI) 4 52 0

By: Josh McElwee
ProFootball-fans.com New Orleans Saints Correspondent