NEW ORLEANS _ New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is expert at quick-strike, low-risk passes good for first downs.
But Sunday's display in the Superdome went far beyond efficiency. The Carolina Panthers' pass-rush was ineffectual, allowing Brees to pick apart a young secondary for over 400 passing yards. The Panthers fell to 1-5 with this 41-38 defeat.
Brees drove the Saints into field goal range on the Saints' final drive. Brandin Cooks caught a six-yard pass to set up New Orleans kicker Will Lutz with a 52-yard field goal that crossed through the goal post with 11 seconds remaining.
Brees found tight end Josh Hill in the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown with just over six minutes left. Hill was originally ruled out of bounds on that play, but a review confirmed he got both feet in bounds with control of the ball.
The Panthers, who once trailed 21-0, fought back to 31-30 in the fourth quarter, only to see Graham Gano's extra-point kick go wide.
Trailing by eight with about three minutes left the Panthers caught a break when Saints cornerback Brian Dixon was called for pass interference in the end zone, while defending Devin Funchess. Cam Newton faked a handoff to Jonathan Stewart and swept right, leaping into the end zone for the score.
That set up a two-point conversion try. Newton threw to Funchess in the corner of the end zone to tie the game with 2 minutes, 58 seconds left.
