The 2007 season was the New Orleans Saints' 41st season in the National Football League (NFL), their 32nd playing home games at the Louisiana Superdome and their second under head coach Sean Payton. The team tried to improve upon its 10–6 record in 2006 and its third division title—the Saints' first in the NFC South. Their other two division titles were in the NFC West, prior to the league's 2002 realignment. After opening up the pre-season in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 5, 2007, the Saints ended with a 3–2 pre-season record. The Saints opened the regular season with a nationally televised game against the defending Super Bowl XLI champion Indianapolis Colts, but ultimately had a disappointing season, finishing 2007 with a 7–9 record and were officially eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since 2005. The Saints also had no player make the Pro Bowl for the first time since their 1–15 1980 season.
Offseason
NFL draft
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Preseason
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap HOF August 5 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers L 7–20 0–1 Fawcett Stadium Recap 1 August 10 Buffalo Bills L 10–13 0–2 Louisiana Superdome Recap 2 August 18 Cincinnati Bengals W 27–19 1–2 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 3 August 23 at Kansas City Chiefs W 30–7 2–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 4 August 30 Miami Dolphins W 7–0 3–2 Louisiana Superdome Recap
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 6 at Indianapolis Colts L 10–41 0–1 RCA DomeRecap 2 September 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 14–31 0–2 Raymond James StadiumRecap 3 Tennessee TitansL 14–31 0–3 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 4Bye 5 October 7 Carolina PanthersL 13–16 0–4 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 6 October 14 at Seattle SeahawksW 28–17 1–4 Qwest FieldRecap 7 October 21Atlanta FalconsW 22–16 2–4 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 8 October 28 at San Francisco 49ers W 31–10 3–4 Monster ParkRecap 9 November 4 Jacksonville Jaguars W 41–24 4–4 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 10 November 11 St. Louis Rams L 29–37 4–5 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 11 November 18 at Houston Texans L 10–23 4–6 Reliant StadiumRecap 12 November 25 at Carolina Panthers W 31–6 5–6 Bank of America StadiumRecap 13 December 2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 23–27 5–7 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 14 December 10 at Atlanta FalconsW 34–146–7 Georgia DomeRecap 15 December 16 Arizona Cardinals W 31–24 7–7 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 16 December 23 Philadelphia Eagles L 23–38 7–8 Louisiana SuperdomeRecap 17 December 30 at Chicago Bears L 25–33 7–9Soldier FieldRecap
Standings
Week-by-week results
Week 1: at Indianapolis Colts
Game summary The 2007 New Orleans Saints began their regular season in the annual Thursday night Kickoff game against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning completed a 27-yard TD pass to WR Marvin Harrison for the score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints managed to get their only touchdown of the game as CB Jason David (a former Colt) returned a fumble 55 yards to the endzone. Afterwards, New Orleans took the lead with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 34-yard field goal. Indianapolis tied the game prior to halftime with kicker Adam Vinatieri nailing a 33-yard field goal. In the second half, the Colts dominated the rest of the game. During the third quarter, RB Joseph Addai got a 2-yard TD run, while Manning hooked up with WR Reggie Wayne on a 29-yard TD pass. For the fourth quarter, Indianapolis wrapped up the game with Vinatieri getting a 33-yard field goal, Manning & Wayne hooking up with each other again on a 45-yard TD pass, and safety Matt Giordano returning an interception 83 yards for a touchdown.
With the loss, the Saints began the year at 0–1.
Scoring summary
Q1 – IND – 1:36 – 27-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison (Adam Vinatieri kick) (IND 7–0)
Q2 – NO – 11:32 – Jason David 55-yard fumble return TD (Olindo Mare kick) (7–7)
Q2 – NO – 6:30 – Olindo Mare 34-yard FG (NO 10-7)
Q2 – IND – 0:45 – Adam Vinatieri 33-yard FG (10–10)
Q3 – IND – 9:45 – Joseph Addai 2-yard TD run (Vinatieri kick) (IND 17–10)
Q3 – IND – 6:11 – 29-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne (Vinatieri kick) (IND 24–10)
Q4 – IND – 14:12 – Adam Vinatieri 33-yard FG (IND 27–10)
Q4 – IND – 10:05 – 45-yard TD pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne (Vinatieri kick) (IND 34–10)
Q4 – IND – 0:55 – Matt Giordano 83-yard interception return TD (Vinatieri kick) (IND 41–10)
Week 2: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Game summary Following their season opening loss to the Colts, the Saints flew to Raymond James Stadium for an NFC South duel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Bucs RB Carnell "Cadillac" Williams got a 1-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints continued to struggle as Tampa Bay QB Jeff Garcia hooked up with WR Joey Galloway on a 69-yard TD pass and a 24-yard pass.
In the third quarter, the Buccaneers extended their lead with Williams getting another 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, New Orleans finally got on the board with FB Mike Karney getting a 1-yard TD run. However, in the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay closed out the game with kicker Matt Bryant's 27-yard field goal. The Saints got the final score of the game as QB Drew Brees completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston.
With the loss, the Saints fell to 0–2. Scoring summary Q Team Time Scoring play Score 1 TB 5:30 Williams 1-yard TD run (Bryant kick) TB 7–0 2 TB 13:23 69-yard TD pass from Garcia to Galloway (Bryant kick) TB 14–0 2 TB 1:12 24-yard TD pass from Garcia to Galloway (Bryant kick) TB 21–0 3 TB 4:32 Williams 1-yard TD run (Bryant kick) TB 28–0 3 NO 5:55 Karney 1-yard TD run (Mare kick) TB 28–7 4 TB 7:35 Bryant 27-yard FG TB 31–7 4 NO 2:56 4-yard TD pass from Brees to Colston (Mare kick) TB 31–14
Week 3: vs. Tennessee Titans
Trying to snap a two-game skid, the Saints played their Week 3 Monday night homeopener, as they played an interconference duel with the Tennessee Titans. In the first quarter, New Orleans' struggles continued as Titans kicker Rob Bironas nailed a 33-yard field goal, while QB Vince Young completed a 35-yard TD pass to WR Brandon Jones. In the second quarter, the Saints managed to get the only score of the period as RB Reggie Bush got a 1-yard TD run. In the third quarter, New Orleans took the lead with Bush getting another 1-yard TD run. However, Tennessee regained the lead with RB LenDale White's 1-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Titans took over as Young completed a 3-yard TD pass to TE Bo Scaife, while Vincent Fuller ended the game with an interception return of 61 yards for a touchdown. In the game, QB Drew Brees was 29 of 45 for 225 yards with 4 interceptions (3 of them coming from LB Keith Bulluck).
With the loss, the Saints entered their Bye Week at 0–3. Scoring summary Q Team Time Scoring play Score 1 TEN 2:44 Bironas 33-yard FG TEN 3–0 2 TEN 12:55 Jones 35-yard TD pass from Young (Bironas kick) TEN 10–0 2 NO 1:00 Bush 1-yard TD run (Mare kick) TEN 10–7 3 NO 7:55 Bush 1-yard TD run (Mare kick) NO 14-10 3 TEN 2:19 White 1-yard TD run (Bironas kick) TEN 17–14 4 TEN 8:55 Scaife 3-yard TD pass from Young (Bironas kick) TEN 24–14 4 TEN 2:39 Fuller 61-yard interception return TD (Bironas kick) TEN 31–14
Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers
Game summary Coming off their bye week and still in search of their first win of the year, the Saints stayed at home at played a Week 5 divisional duel with the Carolina Panthers. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Panthers kicker John Kasay got a 23-yard field goal. The Saints responded with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 25-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Panthers retook the lead with Kasay's 35-yard field goal. New Orleans responded with Mare kicking a 28-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Saints took the lead with FB Mike Karney getting a 2-yard TD run for the only score of the period. However, in the fourth quarter, Carolina came back to win with QB David Carr completing a 17-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith, along with Kasay's 52-yard field goal as time ran out.
With the loss, the Saints fell to their first 0–4 start since 1996.
Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks
Scoring summary:
Q1 – NO – 12:38 – Pierre Thomas 5-yard fumble return (Olindo Mare kick) [NO 7-0 SEA]
Q2 – NO – 14:28 – Eric Johnson 3-yard pass from Drew Brees (Olindo Mare kick) (13–86, 7:04) [NO 14-0 SEA]
Q2 – NO – 5:18 – Lance Moore 7-yard run (Olindo Mare kick) (6–66, 2:48) [NO 21-0 SEA]
Q2 – SEA – 2:16 – Ben Obomanu 17-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick) (7–63 3:02) [NO 21-7 SEA]
Q2 – NO – 0:30 – Marques Colston 2-yard pass from Drew Brees (Olindo Mare kick) (9–80 1:46) [NO 28-7 SEA]
Q2 – SEA – 0:02 – Josh Brown 52-yard FG (4–38 0:28) [NO 28-10 SEA]
Q4 – SEA – 6:39 – Nate Burleson 22-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick) (6–80 1:31) [NO 28-17 SEA]
Week 7: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Coming off of their road win over the Seahawks, the Saints went home for a Week 7 divisional duel with the Atlanta Falcons. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood as QB Drew Brees completed a 37-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson. The Falcons replied with former Saints kicker Morten Andersen getting a 38-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Atlanta took lead with Andersen kicking a 33-yard field goal, along with QB Byron Leftwich completing a 9-yard TD pass to WR Roddy White.
In the third quarter, New Orleans regained the lead with rookie RB Pierre Thomas getting a 24-yard TD run for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Falcons tried to rally as Andersen kicked a 21-yard field goal. The Saints sealed the win with Brees completing a 4-yard TD pass to RB Reggie Bush, with Bush getting the 2-point conversion on the ground.
With the win, New Orleans improved to 2–4.
Week 8: at San Francisco 49ers
Coming off their divisional home win over the Falcons, the Saints flew to Monster Park for a Week 8 intraconference duel with the San Francisco 49ers. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood with QB Drew Brees completing a 17-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston, along with kicker Olindo Mare getting a 26-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Saints continued their offensive revival with Brees completing a 2-yard TD pass to WR Terrance Copper, along with a 3-yard TD pass to Colston.
In the third quarter, the 49ers tried to come back as kicker Joe Nedney nailed a 29-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, New Orleans managed to put the game out of reach with Brees and Colston hooking up with each other one last time on a 15-yard TD pass. Afterwards, San Francisco's only response was by QB Alex Smith completing a 7-yard TD pass to TE Vernon Davis.
With the win, the Saints improved to 3–4.
Week 9: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming off their road win over the 49ers, the Saints went home for a Week 9 interconference duel with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood as kicker Olindo Mare managed to get a 46-yard field goal, while RB Reggie Bush got a 1-yard TD run. The Jaguars responded with QB Quinn Gray completing an 80-yard TD pass to WR Reggie Williams, along with former Saints kicker John Carney getting a 30-yard field goal. New Orleans responded with QB Drew Brees completing a 2-yard TD pass to Bush. However, Jacksonville immediately answered as RB Maurice Jones-Drew returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to end the period. In the second quarter, the Saints regained the lead as Brees completed an 8-yard TD pass to WR Lance Moore for the only score of the period.