The 49ers (2-7) travel to Louisiana Superdome for a 12:00 ET kickoff against the New Orleans Saints (5-3), the second NFC West road game in three weeks. The Saints are 1-0 inside the division after the Week 1 win over Detroit and 5-3 in Jim Haslett's first year as head coach.[1][2]
Jim Haslett took the Saints' job in January and the franchise that had not won in November of any of the previous five seasons is 5-3 heading into a Sunday at the Superdome against the 49ers. The bullet list of what Haslett has built in nine months: a defensive front that generates pressure without blitzing, a Ricky Williams workload heavy enough to keep the chain moving, a Jeff Blake quarterback who manages the game on the throws that matter.
Week 10 begins the NFL's stretch run. The Vikings sit at 8-1; the Bucs at 6-3; the Eagles and Saints at 5-3 chase the NFC's wild cards. The Jets are 7-2; the Dolphins 8-1. Inside the division the Warner injury continues to be the dominant story; Trent Green starts for the Rams again Sunday. The Monday-night game is Pittsburgh at Buffalo. The Sunday at the Superdome is the schedule’s mid-month inflection.
Through nine games the 49ers sit at 2-7 with a minus 54 point differential. Garcia is on pace for 4,300 passing yards. Owens has 58 catches and is on pace for the franchise's single-season catch record. Garner is averaging 95 from scrimmage. The Saints are 5-3 with Blake averaging 215 passing yards per game and Williams 4.1 a carry. New Orleans averages 24 points per game and has held five of eight opponents under 20. Vegas opens the 49ers as 6-point road underdogs.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Titans | 7-1 | W7 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5-3 | W5 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 5-4 | L3 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 3-6 | W1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 2-6 | W2 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2-7 | L6 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 6-2 | W3 |
| Miami Dolphins | 6-2 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 6-2 | L1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 4-4 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 2-6 | L2 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Raiders | 7-1 | W5 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 5-3 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 4-4 | L1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 2-7 | L5 |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-8 | L8 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Rams | 7-1 | W1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5-3 | W4 |
| Carolina Panthers | 3-5 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3-6 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2-7 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-1 | L1 |
| Detroit Lions | 5-3 | L1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 4-4 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3-5 | L1 |
| Chicago Bears | 1-7 | L3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 6-2 | W3 |
| Washington Redskins | 6-3 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 5-4 | L1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3-5 | L1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 2-6 | -- |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Andrew Glover 1 yard pass from Jeff Blake ( Doug Brien kick) | 0-7 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Willie Jackson 4 yard pass from Jeff Blake ( Doug Brien kick) | 0-14 |
| Saints | Joe Horn 43 yard pass from Jeff Blake ( Doug Brien kick) | 0-21 |
| Saints | Ricky Williams 1 yard rush ( Doug Brien kick) | 0-28 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Saints | Doug Brien 44 yard field goal | 0-31 |
| 49ers | Charlie Garner 1 yard rush ( Wade Richey kick) | 7-31 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Terry Jackson 11 yard pass from Jeff Garcia ( Terry Jackson run) | 15-31 |
Jeff Blake threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns, Joe Horn caught 10 for 180 with a score and the New Orleans Saints beat the 49ers 31-15 at the Louisiana Superdome to drop San Francisco to 2-8. Jeff Garcia went 22 of 36 for 262 yards and a touchdown and threw two interceptions. Charlie Garner ran for 49 and a touchdown on 13 carries. Ricky Williams ran for 81 on 27 carries. The Saints led 28-0 at halftime.[1][2]
The 49ers were down 28-0 at halftime in New Orleans. Jeff Blake threw three first-half touchdowns. Joe Horn caught 10 for 180. The Saints' offense, built across Jim Haslett's first nine months, was the cleaner operation by every measurement.
Mariucci pulled Garcia in the fourth quarter for Rick Mirer. The Mirer cameo produced a closing field-goal drive and the second multi-game stretch this year where the starting quarterback has been benched. The benching is not the headline; the structural breakdown that produced the 28-0 halftime is the headline. The 49ers' defense has now surrendered 28-plus in five of the last seven games and has not held an opponent under 25 since Week 5.
The season is 2-8 with six games left and the schedule offering Kansas City at home next, then Atlanta, then San Diego on the road, then back-to-back home games to close out November. The 49ers' wild-card mathematics are gone. The franchise's calendar concern is whether the back six produces enough Sundays of competent football to keep the coordinator and the head coach in place for 2001.
Saints 31, 49ers 15. Margin: minus 16. Record: 2-8, minus 70 differential. • Blake: 21-of-27 for 288, 3 TDs. • Horn: 10 catches for 180, 1 TD. • Williams: 27 carries for 81 (3.0 ypc), 1 TD. • Garcia: 22-of-36 for 262, 1 TD, 2 INTs (pulled in fourth quarter). • Mirer: closing field-goal drive in relief. • Garner: 13 carries for 49, 1 TD; 1 catch for 6. • Owens: 6 catches for 97. • Halftime: New Orleans 28, San Francisco 0. • Quarter scoring: SF 0-0-7-8; NO 7-21-3-0.
A 31-15 road loss in New Orleans. The 49ers fall to 2-8 with six games left.
How it unfolded
The Saints opened with an 11-play touchdown drive ending in the first Blake-to-Horn touchdown. The second quarter produced three more Saints touchdowns: a Williams short rushing score, a Blake 23-yard touchdown to Andrew Glover, and a Blake 17-yard touchdown to Willie Jackson. The 49ers entered the second half down 28-0. Garner scored on a 4-yard run in the third quarter to make it 28-7. The Saints added a fourth-quarter field goal. Mirer came in late in the fourth and led a 9-play drive ending in a Richey field goal. The Saints kneeled out the closing minute.
The turning point
The entire first half. The 49ers' defense surrendered touchdowns on three of the Saints' first four possessions; the offense produced two three-and-outs and a turnover on its first three drives. The 28-0 halftime margin was the franchise's largest first-half deficit since 1997.
By the numbers
Blake 21-of-27 for 288 and three touchdowns; the highest completion percentage by any quarterback against the 49ers this year. Horn 10 catches for 180; the third 150-plus receiving day against the 49ers' secondary in five weeks. Garcia 262 with one touchdown and two interceptions; the worst single-game line of the year before the benching. Garner 49 on 13 carries with a touchdown. Owens 6 catches for 97; his sixth straight 90-plus receiving game.
Personnel watch
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Jeff Garcia | 22/36 | 262 | 1 | 2 | |
| NOR | |||||
| Jeff Blake | 21/27 | 288 | 3 | 0 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Charlie Garner | 13 | 49 | 1 | 11 |
| Jeff Garcia | 4 | 24 | 0 | 18 |
| Fred Beasley | 2 | 11 | 0 | 9 |
| Terry Jackson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NOR | ||||
| Ricky Williams | 27 | 81 | 1 | 10 |
| Jeff Blake | 6 | 23 | 0 | 12 |
| Terrelle Smith | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| Chad Morton | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Aaron Brooks | 2 | -2 | 0 | -1 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Terrell Owens | 6 | 97 | 0 | 47 |
| Greg Clark | 4 | 53 | 0 | 24 |
| J.J. Stokes | 4 | 51 | 0 | 23 |
| Jerry Rice #80 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 21 |
| Terry Jackson | 3 | 20 | 1 | 11 |
| Tai Streets | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Charlie Garner | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| NOR | ||||
| Joe Horn | 10 | 180 | 1 | 43 |
| Andrew Glover | 3 | 37 | 1 | 21 |
| Willie Jackson | 4 | 34 | 1 | 13 |
| Ricky Williams | 2 | 17 | 0 | 15 |
| Chad Morton | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Lamont Hall | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
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