Cardinals - Saints Notes: Second Half

> Warner's return is questionable, and Rackers makes things worse by kicking it out of bounds. Brees continues the live surgery to Henderson, then it's Thomas for four, which for Red today is a defensive win. Bush gets a few more as the world looks scared of him. The field goal third down is a tipped ball to Bush for the stop, and the Saints go aggro with a fourth down attempt, but it's just an offsides jump try, and the offense takes the flag for the punt. It checks up at the 11, and Warner returns before the ads.

> From the gun, Warner finds Doucet, who does his Anquan Boldin impersonation for the first down. A small note of Drama enters the game, but it's muted with a shotgun run to Stephens-Howling that doesn't go far. Hightower for three more sets up the big third down, and from the gun, Warner doesn't have the time to get it to Breaston. Fox's Darryl Johnston interprets the Saints defenders not hitting Warner after the throw as sportsmanship, when all it is in this day and age of football is Intelligence. Bush wiggles for a few on the punt return.

> If Bush plays like this against a good defense, he's going to make people think he wasn't a bust; 14 more, then another Saints first down to Colston, which gets 15 more on a low hit to Brees. The QB misses Colston in the end zone, then goes to Moore on a covered bubble screen. Third and 11 from the gun sees actual pressure, and Henderson can't pull it in. Garrett Hartley connects from 43, and it's 38-14 Saints.

> After a touchback, Hightower can't make a catch, then Fitz bulls his way for a first as Johnston questions Warner's deep ball. Doucet drops one before the sticks, then Fitz does the same past it, and yes, Sharper made a good hit there, but Fitz makes that play more often than not. The drive ends on a shallow cross to Fitz that's tackled well before the sticks, and Red Looks Very, Very Dead... especially after Bush goes 83 yards for the coup de grace punt return touchdown, with punter Ben Graham conserving energy very much. Maybe he also bet the over, which was achieved on the play. Saints 45, Cardinals 14.

> With Fox calling for Leinart and concession, Warner to Fitz for a first, then Doucet for more; we are now in Full Time Speculation on whether this is Warner's last game. The Cards do seem to be protecting the QB better, and a pretty throw to Breaston puts it in the red zone. Hightower nearly blows the drive with a fumble, and the delay cost them a first down, if not a touchdown. On fourth and three and Final Prayer At A Cover, Warner can't connect with Breaston, and that's that.

> With all drama gone from the game, the Saints run clock and move the sticks into Red territory, stopping only on an odd fourth down call of an end-around to back up TE David Thomas. Red takes the ball back with Leinart at the controls, and suffers the same lack of support from his WRs, then throws into double coverage for an incomplete that should have been picked. If anyone sees any reason to be enthused by Leinart's future prospects in the NFL, they might be the first. At least the over was taken care of before the teams stopped giving a damn.

> Garbage time passes without incident, and that is that. The Saints will host the NFC title game, and while their defense might not be what you expect to see from a Final Four team, there is no doubt that they will be the gambling favorite -- and should be. As for the Cardinals, I actually think they are a batter team than they were last year, but that they just ran into a better team. Also, they really could use a half dozen more players on defense.