SAINTS DEFEAT TITANS 19-16..BUSH ELECTRIFIES!

New Orleans got to a winning start under new head coach Sean Payton as the Saints beat the Tennessee Titans, 19-16 in LP Field. The Saints (1-0) erased a 16-12 deficit on a 22-yard TD pass from QB Todd Bouman to WR Lance Moore with 3:30 to play in the victory. Tennessee (0-1) was held to one touchdown and three field goals by the Saints defense. New Orleans out-gained the Titans overall in yards, 401-219. "I thought there were some positive things and I thought they fought hard in the second half," said Payton after the contest. "I thought there was some things in the red zone that was concerning and we got a little sloppy with the football. We had some minus plays. I told them after the game that there are a lot of things in this game that we can correct and there is still a lot of work we have to do." The offensive output was a concern for Payton. "We settled for too many field goals and we`d like to score more touchdowns when we have some yardage and move the ball between the 30s," he said. QB Drew Brees, in his first game action since a shoulder injury late last season while with San Diego, led the Saints to a pair of field goals by K John Carney in three possessions in over a quarter of work. Brees was 5-of-9 passing for 60 yards and completed four of his last five passes for 59 yards, including a pair of 20-yard strikes to WR Joe Horn. "I like what I saw and it was important for Drew to get back on the field," said Payton at halftime. "There were things that were positive and there is plenty to work on. Overall, it was good for Drew to be back in live action and get this step out of the way so he can move forward." "The first two drives weren`t very good but we were able to get down the field and get a field goal," Brees said. "The third drive, I thought we had a chance to get down there and get a touchdown, but we came up a little short. We came out with points on two of the three drives." Rookie RB Reggie Bush got involved right away as he caught a one-yard pass from Brees on the Saints` second play from scrimmage. In New Orleans` second possession, he took a handoff from Brees, went left then changed direction as he ripped off a 44-yard run down the right sideline. He also had a nine-yard catch from Brees during the third and final drive for the first-team offense. He finished the game with six rushes for 59 yards and two receptions for 10 yards. "He made some big plays in the running game," said Payton. "He can bring big plays and he had a couple of nice runs. The offensive line opened some holes for him. There is work to do there, parts of the game that can improve, but we also had positive moments. We saw some of that potential tonight." "It was a pretty productive day," Bush said. "I got my feet wet and we won the game which is the most important thing." The Saints first unit on defense held the Titans to 16 total yards on Tennessee`s first possession and 10 points over the final two times that Titans QB Billy Volek led the first-team offense. The Titans took a 3-0 lead on their second possession of the game. RB Chris Brown picked up 21 yards on a 2nd-and-3 play down to the New Orleans 32. From there, the Saints defense stiffened as RB Travis Henry was held to two yards on two carries and Volek threw incomplete on third down. K Rob Bironas came on and connected on a 38-yard field goal with 4:51 left in the opening quarter. New Orleans came right back to tie the game thanks to an electrifying 44-yard run by Bush which moved the Saints to the Titans 24. A tripping penalty on the Saints pushed the offense back to the 32, but Brees hooked up with RB Aaron Stecker on a 10-yard pass play which set up a 40-yard field goal by Carney with 1:20 to play in the quarter. Tennessee pulled ahead, 10-3 after an eight-play drive that was capped by a one-yard TD run by Henry with 12:23 left in the second quarter. The score was set up by a 26-yard reception by TE Ben Troupe to the Saints 13. A nine-yard toss from Volek to WR Tyrone Calico took Tennessee to the New Orleans 4, then Henry got the call three straight times, the last ending the 50-yard scoring drive. Brees got on a roll the next time the Saints had the ball as he led the Saints on an eight-play, 71-yard drive for a field goal. Brees hit Horn for 20 yards, Bush for nine - with 15 more tacked on after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Titans CB Pacman Jones - and Horn for 20 more to the Titans 11. Bush got three yards and was then stopped for no gain at the Tennessee 8 which was followed by an incomplete pass by Brees on third down. Carney made his second field goal attempt of the game, a 26-yarder with 9:03 left in the half, as New Orleans trailed, 10-6. "There are a lot of little things we need to work on, details that are important when it comes to winning and losing," said Payton after the first half. "There were parts of the game, both on offense and defense, where we need to execute better, to create positive results on the field. There were also things we did well and players who performed well and made good impressions." QB Jamie Martin took over for Brees midway through the second quarter and helped bring the Saints to a 10-9 deficit with 8:25 left in the third quarter. He directed a 14-play, 71-yard drive over 6:35 as he completed 6-of-8 passes for 49 yards, including three passes for 10 yards or more. RB Jamaal Branch was busy as well on the drive as he had four carries for 28 yards. Late in the half, Martin was picked off by Titans FS Vincent Fuller, who returned the interception eight yards to midfield with 15 seconds left. Titans rookie QB Vince Young scrambled for 12 yards to the Saints 38, but Bironas missed a 56-yard attempt with two seconds left. Tennessee stretched out their lead to 13-9 on a Bironas made his second field goal - a 38-yarder - with 3:50 to play in the third quarter. A 24-yard pass play from Martin to Branch was the key play in an eight-play, 56-yard drive for a 42-yard field goal by Hughes with 19 seconds to go in the third quarter as the Saints pulled to 13-12. The field goal battle continued in the fourth quarter as Bironas made a 28-yard attempt with 9:26 remaining for a 16-12 Titans lead. Tennessee, under Young, drove 35 yards in 11 plays for the score, but the home crowd paused when recently-acquired Saints DE Javon Nanton rolled over Young`s leg on an incomplete pass with 9:29 to go. Young left the field under his own power and Bironas made his kick on the next play for a four-point margin. Martin, who was 13-of-22 passing for 143 yards and was intercepted twice, gave way to QB Todd Bouman with 9:26 to go in the fourth quarter. Bouman led the Saints to the victory late in the fourth quarter as the offense went 56 yards in five plays. Bouman hit WR Chase Lyman for a 20-yard gain. After a one-yard run by Branch, Moore hauled in a 27-yard reception to the Titans 27. Branch picked up five yards to the 22 and Bouman followed with his TD pass on the next play as New Orleans led, 19-16. Bouman was 5-of-8 passing for 77 yards and one TD. Branch finished with 47 yards on 11 carries while Stecker had six carries for 20 yards. Stecker left the game with an ankle sprain after he returned the second half kickoff. Payton said after the game that the x-rays of Stecker`s ankle were negative. Moore caught four passes for 57 yards and one TD to lead all Saints receivers in receptions and yardage. Volek was 4-of-7 passing for 55 yards while Young was 4-of-11 passing for 56 yards for the Titans. Brown finished with nine carries for 47 yards for Tennessee. The Saints will host Dallas for their second preseason game, a nationally-televised matchup in Shreveport, La. on Aug. 21 in Independence Stadium at 7 pm CT (ESPN; WWL 870-AM/105.3-FM; Saints Radio Network and WFNO 830-AM [Spanish]).