Courtesy of CBS Sports
A trio of backups helped lead the New Orleans Saints to yet another victory.
With Sunday’s 36-25 road win over the Chicago Bears, Teddy Bridgewater improved to 5-0 as the team’s starter this season as he has been filling in for the injured Drew Brees.
Bridgewater had some help on Sunday as a pair of other backups (running back Latavius Murray and tight end Josh Hill) also had big games filling in for injured starters Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook.
With the victory, New Orleans is now 6-1 overall on the season.
How It Happened:
The first quarter was filled with a pair of special teams scores — one by each team. The Bears’ first possession of the game resulted in Pat O’Donnell’s punt being blocked by J.T. Gray. The ball was batted out of the end zone and that resulted in a safety.
The Saints added to that 2-0 lead with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Bridgewater to tight end Hill who had hauled in three passes for 43 yards and the one receiving touchdown.
The Bears would quickly respond with an 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Cordarrelle Patterson.
The Bears took the lead in the second quarter with a 46-yard field goal by Eddy Pineiro but the Saints reclaimed it with a 39-yard field goal with 6:31 left in the second quarter.
The Saints though would take control of the game in the second half.
New Orleans marched down the field with a 6-play, 75-yard drive which was capped with a 3-yard touchdown run by Murray.
Later in the quarter, Bridgewater found Taysom Hill for a 4-yard touchdown. Bridgewater would end the game completing 23-of-38 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Bridgewater’s favorite target was All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas who had 9 catches for 131 yards.
At the end of the third quarter, New Orleans held a comfortable 26-10 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Saints would add a 30-yard field goal by Will Lutz early in the fourth quarter.
The Bears got a garbage-time touchdown as Mitchell Trubisky hit Allen Robinson for a 7-yard touchdown and then converted a two-point conversion pass attempt. The Bears recovered the onside kick and then scored another touchdown as Trubisky found Javon Wims for a 6-yard touchdown.
Big Number: 252
That was the total amount of yardage the Saints defense surrendered to the Bears offense. That total was even smaller before a pair of late touchdowns totaling 132 yards in the final few minutes of the game. In addition, the Saints defense held an already struggling Bears offense to 17 yards on 7 carries, linebacker A.J. Klein and safety Vonn Bell both recovered fumbles while Cam Jordan recorded two sacks.
Player of the Game: Latavius Murray
Murray had been regulated to rarely used backup since signing in free agency with New Orleans over the summer. Murray entered Sunday’s game with 26 carries for 141 yards and one touchdown. Murray though took full advantage of being the starter against Chicago as he rushed for a game-high 119 yards on 27 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Next Up: Sunday at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Kickoff at noon.