Game Notes | Week 7: Saints @ Panthers

This should be a very good game, making up for suffering through another week of watching the Bengals franchise continue its descent to the bottom of the toilet.

A Dwayne Jarrett sighting! First-down reception on 3rd & 7.

Surprise. Jonathan Stewart getting most of the time in the backfield on the first drive. Ha. Announcer says, "This is a matchup the Panthers feel like they can exploit all day, Muhsin Muhammad against Jason David." Ya think? Big game coming for Muhammad.

Drive stalls. John Kasay comes on a for a field goal.

Brees makes a nice play to get out of trouble, and finds Colston only to have Colston drop the ball. Awesome play by a Panthers D-Lineman to jump the quick pass and bat it down. No idea who made the play b/c Fox decided a Cowboys gamebreak was more important than keeping up with the game they're actually showing.

Steve Smith just absolutely burned Mike McKenzie, but Delhomme overthrew him on the sideline.

Bush just got stuffed on a punt return. I don't get these guys who claim you just shouldn't punt to him or Hester. Play the game!

Saints try some kind of fake reverse, and Julius Peppers takes down Drew Brees for his 4th sack of the season. Deuce runs over Charles Godfrey and carries the pile. That leads to a Mike Karney touchdownn plunge. Vulture!

Panthers go 3 & out. Why can't they run the ball? I know they have some major injury issues on the O-Line, but they've been disappointing all year considering the two first-rounders they have running the ball.

Ken Lucas makes a play on the ball, but Colston knocks it out of his hands and into Jon Beason's hands. But Beason can't hold onto it. Brees catches a break. Shockey gets an awkward tight end screen, and Peppers forces a fumble which Chris Harris picks up (doesn't he always?).

Jonathan Stewart nice stutter-step move and finds an opening for an 18-yard TD run.

Thomas Davis untouched nice pursuit of Reggie Bush to stop an outside run on 3rd & one. Mark Jones with a nice punt return for about 25 yards.

Flea-flickers are fun! Handoffs to Jonathan Stewart who stumbles and flips back to Delhomme while he was falling (nice job to get it back to Delhomme with a spiral), and Delhomme hits Steve Smith for a big gainer. Stewart's had some footing issues the past couple of games.

Drew Brees with his third batted pass of the day. I don't remember that being a huge problem for him even though he's only 6'0" tall. I think the Panthers D-Line is just playing very well. Brees winds up for a deep ball to Devery Henderson, and it's overthrown. Mark Jones with another nice punt return. Whoops, block in the back. Poor call. Wasn't even touched.

It's a 13-7 Panthers lead at halftime. I don't know if they can keep the Saints offense down in the second half, but Julius Peppers and the D-Line are playing very well.

DeAngelo Williams opens Carolina's 2nd half with a 17-yard run and a late hit call on the Saints. Big gainer, credit to Williams' stiff arm. Stewart gets the next carry, finds a seam, and takes it about 7 yards. Play action to Stewart, 39-yard bomb to Steve Smith, who makes an awesome catch, twisting and falling backwards between two defenders. The Black Rambo!

Just got news that Reggie Bush is out for the game, injured his left knee on a punt return at the end of the first half. Lance Moore returning punts.

Panthers D-Line continuing to dominate, getting pressure on Brees.

Interception from Brees to Ken Lucas. That should have been Lucas' second. Brees' timing with Colston appears to be off after Colston's long layoff.

Delhomme targets Muhammad on a corner fade by No. 87 can't come up with it. Delayed draw to Stewart for a couple of yards inside the 5-yard line. Delhomme to DeAngelo Williams who goes over the pylon for the score, 27-7 Panthers.

Brees deep over the middle, and he puts on the money for a backwards diving Jeremy Shockey. Nice play. 26 yards. Brees deep to Henderson, batted away by Charles Godfrey. Saints are opening up the passing game down by 20 yards. Brees to Meachem on the sidelines, and how did they rule that a catch? He was bobbling that the whole time. The red flag is coming out here. Officials reverse before they even get a chance to review.

Carolina D holds on short-yardage once again and turns it over on downs. Muhammad with a circus catch to convert on 3rd down. Delhomme to Steve Smith for about 20 yards. Panthers aren't content to just run into the pile here -- good for him. Smith over 100 yards on the afternoon.

This game has been over since the middle of the 3rd quarter. Here comes a meaningless John Kasay field goal, 30-7.