Reggie Bush Has Big Opening Day
New Orleans Saints Win Opener at Superdome
The Saints set out Sunday looking to win their opener and avoid last seasons 0-4 start. Success.
For the first two quarters it appeared to be a tightly matched defensive battle. It was 10-7 Tampa Bay at the half.
In the first quarter Saints quarterback Drew Brees connected with receiver David Patten for a 39 yard score. Brees also threw a touchdown to Tampa’s Phillip Buchanan when Buchanan returned an interception for 26 yards.
Brees would have a great day finishing 23/32, for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns. He had the longest play from scrimmage in the game with an 84 yard touchdown strike to Devery Henderson in the third quarter.
Bush Scores Winning Touchdown
Although Brees looked great, the story of the day was Reggie Bush. Running back Deuce McAllister wasn’t in the lineup so Bush had to shine. And shine he did.
It was an epic back and forth battle between division rivals for the first two and a half quarters of play. Neither team was able to break any real big plays against one another’s respective defenses.
And then it happened, midway through the third quarter, Bush had a 26 yard run off the left tackle. That was followed by a 26 yard pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey. A field goal from Martin Gramatica tied the game at 10.
After holding Tampa to a field goal, the Saints stung the Bucs secondary with an 84 yard touchdown reception from Henderson. That made the score 17-13 New Orleans heading into the final quarter.
Reggie Bush Has Big Fourth Quarter for Saints
The Buccaneers began the fourth quarter by capping off their drive with a 2 yard TD pass to Ike Hilliard. That’s when Bush went to work.
On the Saints ensuing drive, Bush caught a pass over the middle and ran pass the defense for 29 yards. After a short five yard pass to Bush, followed by an incompletion, it happened.
Bush rolled to the right side flat and Brees found his man. Bush caught the ball one handed at the line of scrimmage and burst up field. He juked one defender and stiffed armed another. During the stiff arm he stretched out for the end zone. Touchdown!
After another back and forth series by the teams’ offenses, Saints linebacker Scott Fujita intercepted Jeff Garcia to seal the victory.
The Saints won at home 24-20 versus the defending NFC South champions. That’s a good start if the Saints plan to take back the division in 2008.
Reggie Bush Stats
The season opener was a big game for Bush. A 26 yard run was his long for the day. He finished with 51 yards on the ground. He had the most success receiving, 8 receptions for 112 yards and that winning 42 yard reception. For the most part, Tampa couldn’t handle Bush’s speed and ability to change direction on the run. Once he got into the open field, it took time to catch up and bring him down.
If Bush can get 163 all-purpose yards more often in 2008, people won’t be saying he’s a bust anymore.
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