11. 1953 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at 6. 2009 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
6. 2009 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 1st
Def: 20th
1st NFC South
d. Cards Div Rnd 45-14
d. Vikings NFC Title 31-28
d. Colts Super Bowl 31-17
HC Sean Payton OC Pete Carmichael DC Gregg Williams
Superdome
Jim Henderson/Hokie Gajan
Offense
QB Drew Brees 30 Purdue
RB Reggie Bush 24 USC
WR Marques Colston 26 Hofstra
WR Devery Henderson 27 LSU
WR Robert Meachem 25 Tenn
TE Jeremy Shockey 29 Miami
LT Jermod Bushrod 25 Towson
LG Carl Nicks 24 Nebraska
C Jonathan Goodwin 31 Michigan
RG Jahri Evans 26 All Pro Bloomsburg
RT Jon Stinchcomb 30 UGA
Defense
LDE Charles Grant 31 UGA
LDT Remi Adoyele 26 Oklahoma
RDT Sedrick Ellis 24 USC
RDE Will Smith 28 Ohio St
LLB Scott Fujita 28 Cal
MLB Jonathan Vilma 27 Miami
RLB Scott Shanle 30 Nebraska
LCB Jabari Greer 27 Tenn
RCB Tracy Porter 23 Indiana
SS Roman Harper 27 Alabama
FS Darren Sharper 34 All Pro Wm&Mary
K John Carney 45 N Dame
P Thomas Morstead 23 SMU
KR Courtney Roby 26 Indiana
PR Reggie Bush 24 USC
3 spots left - and 4 Super Bowl Champions are still alive to claim them, the '09 Saints had the best offense in football. 30 year old Drew Brees had 36 scores and 11 picks. 26 year old Marques Colston has over a thousand yards receiving. One All Pro, it was 26 year old Jahri Evans. There's also an All Pro on defense, it's 34 year old Darren Sharper with 9 picks. 28 year old Will Smith had 13 sacks.
11. 1953 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Record: 9-3
Pythag: 9-3
Off: 1st
Def: 6th
2nd NFL West
Did not make playoffs
HC Buck Shaw
Offense
QB YA Tittle 27 LSU
RB Joe Perry 26 All Pro Compton CC
RB Hugh McElhenny 25 All Pro Wash
RB Joe Arenas 28 Neb Omaha
WR Gordie Soltau 28 Minn
WR Billy Wilson 26 S Jose St
LT Doug Hogland 22 R Oreg St
LG Jerry Smith 23 Wisc
C Bill Johnson 27 A&M
RG Bruno Banducci 32 Stanford
RT Bob St Clair 22 R Tulsa
Defense
LDE Charley Powell 21 None
LDT Al Carapella 26 Miami
MG Art Milchalik 23 R St Ambrose
RDT Leo Nomellini 29 All Pro Minn
RDE Bob Van Doren 24 R USC
LLB Don Burke 27 USC
MLB Hardy Brown 29 Tulsa
RLB Jack Manley 24 R Miss St
LDH Rex Berry 29 BYU
RDH Lowell Wagner 30 USC
S Fred Bruney 22 R Ohio St
K Gordie Soltau 28 Minn
P Jim Powers 25 USC
KR Joe Arenas 28 Neb Omaha
PR Hugh McElhenny 25 Wash
12 Niners teams have moved on - they will be the most represented franchise in rnd 2 and they've got two more shots. The '53 team had the best offense in football. 27 year old YA Tittle had 26 scores and 16 picks in 10 starts. Joe Perry is a 26 year old All Pro, ran for over a thousand yards, scored 13 times. 25 year old Hugh McElhenny is also an All Pro, the Million Dollar Backfield heads to New Orleans. There's an All Pro on defense, 29 year old Leo Nomellini. Lets go to the kick.
1st Qtr
Saints at the 33.
2 plays net 9 yards -- but on the third Rex Berry Intercepts Drew Brees and the Niners take over at the New Orleans 49. Niners with the quick turnover.
One first down - Joe Perry 10 yard run. But Roman Harper gets a sack on a safety blitz to knock the Niners out of FG range. Touchback on the punt.
1/10 - Brees to Robert Meachem, 22 yard pickup.
1/10 - Pierre Thomas 11 yards to the Niner 47.
1/10 - Brees to Devery Henderson, 12 yards.
1/10 - 11 for Thomas to the 24.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - 3 for Thomas
3/7 - Brees hits Reggie Bush in space, Bush goes all the way to the 4 yard line and it's a first and goal.
1/goal - Nothing for Bush
2/goal - Brees -- End Zone -- Henderson -- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS - Drew Brees zips the ball to Devery Henderson and the Saitns score first.
Niners at the 28.
1/10 - Joe the Jet for 9
2/1 - YA Tittle's first completion is to Hugh McElhenny and he rumbles 34 yards to the Saints 29.
1/10 - Nothing for Perry
2/10 - Will Smith sacks Tittle. Third and really long.
3/18 - Tittle -- downfield to Billy Wilson, brilliant catch by Wilson and the Niners have a first and goal at the 9.
1/goal - 3 for McElhenny.
2/goal - 3 for McElhenny.
3/goal -- Why not -- 3 more for McElhenny and he is Into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN 49ERS - it takes about 4 minutes for Tittle and the Niners to go 72 yards and tie this up.
Nice Courtney Roby return, out to the 43.
1/10 - Pierre Thomas bursts through the line -- Thomas -- Thomas Is Gonna Go! Thomas Is Gonna Go! Pierre Thomas is gonna Go 57 yards All the Way for the TOUCHDOWN SAINTS - up and down the field these two teams go -- a 57 yard Pierre Thomas TD run to maks it 14-7 Saints!
Niners at the 37 - two plays lose 4 yards, including a Charles Grant sack and the quarter ends.
2nd Qtr Saints 14 49ers 7
Its the best offense from '53, it's the best offense from '09 and they are showing it so far in the Superdome. Niners with 3rd and long.
They punt. Saints at the 32.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Brees finds Lance Moore for 15.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Brees hits Colston for 18 yards and the Saints are at the 35.
1/10 - Bush gets 3
2/7 - Brees finds Meachem - 20 more yards -- the New Orleans Saints are rolling, just rolling down the field today.
1/10 - Pierre Thomas for 9.
2/1 - Brees - EndZone --- Jeremy Shockey --- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS -- the Saints offense so good, so good -- and it's 21-7.
Niners at the 38. 3 and out. Saints at the 18.
They get a first down, Brees 13 to Colston -- but Leo Nomellini gets a sack - and with 5 left in the half, the Niners regain at the 35.
1/10 - 4 for Perry
2/6 - Tittle to McElhenny, 12 yards and the Niners cross midfield.
1/10 - Joe the Jet busts one, 32 yards to the Saints 17, a holding call on the next play bumps them back.
1/20 - Tittle is sacked, Smith with his 2nd, that's 4 Saints sacks.
2/22 - McElhenny for 9, third and long at the 20, it's the 2 minute warning.
3/13 - Tittle -- End Zone --- TOUCHDOWN 49ERS --- Tittle to his third receiver, the rookie Harry Babcock -- 20 yard strike - a strike from Tittle -- the Niners cut the deficit to 21-14.
Saints at the 27, they get a first down on a 27 yard Colston reception, but are forced to punt with 30 seconds left - --- and Hugh McElhenny breaks a return -- he goes all the way to the Saints 28 yard line! The 49ers, with 1 timeout left, have the ball at the New Orleans 28, 21 seconds to go.
They don't advance the ball -- but Soltau hits the FG at the whistle -- and as we head to the locker room, the Niners trail just 21-17.
3rd Qtr: Saints 21 49ers 17
We got a good one; just 2 spots remain in round 2 - one of these squads will move forward.
Arenas with the big return - 49ers will start at the 44.
One first down, Perry 28 yard run -- the drive stalls, Soltau hits another FG and it is 21-10 Saints.
Saints at the 34. They get a first down on a home run -- Brees hits David Thomas on a 53 yard bomb -- the Saints are at the 49er 12, but Nomellini gets his second sack -- the Saints settle for the FG - with 9 minutes left in the third, it's 24-20.
Niners at the 30.
1/10 - Joe Perry gets 10 and an offsides on the next play adds 5.
1/10 - McElhenny for 6.
2/4 - McElhenny for 5, Niners to the Saints 44.
1/10 - Arenas for 3.
2/7 - 3 for Perry
3/4 - McElhenny picks it up, the Niners at the Saints 31.
1/10 - McElhenny -- the King sweeping right -- McElhenny goes all the way to the New Orleans 4 yard line!
1/goal -- Give to Perry --- TOUCHDOWN NINERS -- 8 Plays, 70 yards -- all Runs, it takes 5 minutes and the 49ers have taken the 27-24 lead!!
Saints at the 38, one first down, Brees 8 to Thomas the big play - Nomellini picks up the hat trick -- and the drive ends in a punt.
Niners at the 27, two plays net 2 yards and the quarter ends.
4th Qtr: 49eers 27 Saints 24
The Niner running game asserting itself - Niners have the lead and a 3rd and 8 at their own 29.
They pick it up - Tittle to Soltau, 13 yards and the Niners are at the 42.
1/10 - 3 yards for Perry.
2/7 - A dozen for McElhenny, the Niners are at the Saints 43.
1/10 - 2 for Perry.
2/8 -- Tittle ----Picked Off by Darren Sharper -- Sharper picks off Tittle -- down at the Saints 29, Big Play for New Orleans, they take over with 12 to play.
1/10 - 3 for Bush.
2/7 - Thomas busts a 24 yarder, Thomas across midfield to the Niner 44.
1/10 - 1 for Bush.
2/9 - Brees -- finds Colston over the middle -- Colston breaks a tackle -- Colston open field -- Colston will be knocked out of bounds --at the 1 yard line! 42 yards from Brees to Colston and the Saints have a first and goal!
1/goal -- Bush -- Over the Top and Into the End Zone -- TOUCHDOWN SAINTS -- Reggie Bush the 1 yard plunge into the end zone and the Saints take the 31-27 lead with a little more than 9 minutes left in the game.
Niners at the 24. 3 and out. Saints will start at the 35.
3 and out. Niners will get the ball back at their own 43 after the good McElhenny return - Niners at the 43, 5 and a half to go.
3 and out - the Saints maligned defense stiffens and with 4 minutes+ left in the game, they once again take over at the 24. They get a first down, 21 yard Henderson reception.
But again - punt - at the 2 minute warning the Niners take over at the 23.
They need to go 77 yards -- this is probably it.
1/10 - Tittle to Perry for 2
2/8 - First down, Tittle to McElhenny, 10 to the 35. There's a minute and a half left, Niners down to 2 timeouts
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 -- Darren Sharper Intercepts Tittle again -- Sharper's second Pick -- Darren Sharper Picks Tittle again, Saints at the Niner 40. Little more than a minute to go.
3 and out - the Saints miss a FG -- the Niners take over at their own 40 - there's only 15 seconds left, the Niners have no timeouts. They're unable to move the ball and the Saints advance.
Final: Saints 31 49ers 27
2 late Sharper picks were the story here - the Saints will host the '84 Raiders in rnd 2.
Brees: 17 for 27 293 yds 2 TD/INT
Tittle: 8 for 18 123 yds TD/2 INT
Thomas: 16 carries 141 yds TD
Perry: 18 carries 118 yds TD
Colston: 4 catches 100 yds
McElhenny 3 catches 56 yds 11 carries 77 yds TD
Sharper: 2 INT
Smith/Nomellini: 2 sacks
Player of the Game: Darren Sharper
