NFL: Saints Set Franchise Record For Points Beating Colts 62-7; Colts Now 0-7

Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

Drew Brees completed 31 of 35 passes for 325 yards and five touchdowns, and the New Orleans Saints set a franchise record for points and victory margin in a 62-7 demolition of the hapless Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night.

For the first time as a head coach, Sean Payton spent the game up in the coaches’ booth, where he could sit comfortably with his broken left leg propped up. He called the plays from there and he had to like what he saw from his new vantage point.

Brees had two touchdown passes to Marques Colston and one to Darren Sproles in the first quarter. His fourth and fifth touchdown tosses went to second-year tight end Jimmy Graham in the third quarter.

It seemed the Saints could do whatever they wanted, also rushing for 236 yards.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Drew Brees completed 31 of 35 passes for 325 yards and five touchdowns, and the Saints took advantage of two early turnovers to race out to a 48-7 lead through three quarters of Sunday night’s game against the winless Indianapolis Colts.

For the first time as a head coach, Sean Payton spent the game up high in the coaches’ booth, where he could sit comfortably with his broken left leg propped up. He called the plays from there and he had to like what he saw from his new vantage point.

Brees had two touchdown passes to Marques Colston and one to Darren Sproles before the first quarter ended. His fourth and fifth touchdown passes went to second-year tight end Jimmy Graham in the third quarter.

When the large video board in the Superdome showed Payton peering out from the booth, the crowd erupted. By the time the third quarter ended, there wasn’t much of a crowd left.

It seemed as though the Saints could do whatever they wanted as they also rushed for 162 yards before the final period had even started, with Mark Ingram rushing for 66 yards and Sproles 64. Colston had seven catches for 98 yards.

The disparity of first downs was 32-7 in New Orleans’ favor. Brees was not intercepted and was replaced by Chase Daniel.

Colts quarterback Curtis Painter was only 9 of 16 for 67 yards and was sacked once by linebacker Jonathan Casillas.

For the seventh game this season, Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning was watching from the sideline because of his neck injury that has kept him out all season.

As hard as it had to be for Manning to be a spectator in his return to his native New Orleans, it had to be even harder to see his team’s mistake-prone performance, which looked more like the bumbling Saints of old that his father, Archie, starred for three decades ago.

Indianapolis fumbled twice in the opening quarter, giving the Saints a relatively short field both times.

The first turnover came on the game’s opening drive on a botched snap which linebacker Jonathan Vilma recovered on the Colts 41-yard line.

Brees then completed his first three passes, the last a 14-yard scoring strike to Colston, who made a leaping catch in front of Colts defensive back Jerraud Powers to make it 7-0.

The Saints then went 81 yards in six plays, including Pierre Thomas’s 57-yard gain on a screen pass, and took a 14-0 lead when Brees hit Colston again with a quick 4-yard throw over the middle.

The Saints then took over on their own 48 when Saints defensive tackle Tom Johnson stripped rookie running back Delone Carter and Cam Jordan recovered.

Sproles started the drive with a 16-yard run and finished it with his 6-yard touchdown catch.

Brees’ 26-yard completion to Lance Moore ignited yet another touchdown drive, this one covering 69 yards in seven plays and ending with fullback Jed Collins’ 1-yard score on a second-effort plunge through a pile of players.

John Kasay added field goals of 23 and 47 yards. The second came as time expired in the half and was set up by Colston’s 39-yard reception.

Indianapolis trailed 31-0 before finally scoring on Carter’s 2-yard run, capping a seven-play, 80-yard drive highlighted Carter’s 42-yard scamper on the series’ opening play.

-AP