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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2012 ● BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM
SAINTS POSTGAME NOTES
*QB Drew Brees completed 31 of 49 passes for 325 yards, one touchdown and one interception while also adding one touchdown on the ground.
*Breesand the Saints started off fast as they took the ball to open the game after a touchback and drove down the field on an 11-play, 80-yard drive, ending with a one-yard touchdown pass from Brees to TEJimmy Graham. On the drive, Brees completed six-of-six passes for 55 yards. Five of those passes went to RBDarren Sproles for 54 yards.
*Brees' first-quarter, one-yard touchdown pass to Graham extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 45, second-longest in NFL history. Johnny Unitas holds the NFL record of 47 consecutive games.
*Brees also extended his NFL-record streak of games with 20 or more completions to 38.
*Graham caught seven passes for 71 yards, adding the first quarter one-yard touchdown.
*Graham has caught a touchdown in seven straight games (including two postseason games) the longest active streak in the NFL.
*Sproles led the Saints in receiving with 13 receptions for 128 yards. He set a new career-high in receptions surpassing the nine that he previously recorded vs. New England on October 24, 2010 as a member of the San Diego Chargers.
*RB Pierre Thomas started and carried nine times for 110 yards, including a 23-yard run in the first quarter that helped set up a field goal. Thomasnow has 2,628 career rushing yards, moving him past Mario Bates into eighth place on the club's all-time rushing list. It was the fourth 100-yard rushing game of Thomas' career. Thomas also had four receptions for 33 yards.
*RB Mark Ingramalso saw extensive action, carrying 16 times for 53 yards and reaching the end zone for the first time in the fourth quarter on a one-yard score.
*K Garrett Hartley was two-for-two on field goals, as well as hitting three extra point attempts. Hartley's second quarter 52-yard field goal established a new career-high for him.
*DE Cameron Jordan recorded his first sack of the season and second of his career, when he stopped Panthers QB Cam Newton for a nine-yard loss in the first quarter.
*New Orleans forced their first turnover of the 2012 season at a crucial point in the second quarter, when LB Jonathan Casillas recovered a fumble by Panthers RB Mike Tolbertat the New Orleans eight-yard line.
*S Malcolm Jenkins led the Saints with ten tackles (eight solo). LB Curtis Lofton also recorded ten tackles (five solo).
