The New Orleans Saints scored a late touchdown to beat the Houston Texans, 31-23, on Sunday in each team's third preseason game.
Saints vs. Texans final score: Drew Brees and company shred Houston pass defense
All three of New Orleans’ quarterbacks threw for touchdowns on Sunday.
The Saints' offense was firing on all cylinders throughout the game. Drew Brees finished with over 100 yards passing, including a 51-yard touchdown to Pierre Thomas. Backup Luke McCown was equally sharp, tossing a pair of scores. Even Ryan Griffin, New Orleans' third-string quarterback, delivered late in the game with a game-clinching touchdown pass.
Ben Tate kept the Texans in the game early on, rushing for over 70 yards on 11 carries and scoring a touchdown. The first-team offense was mostly ineffective otherwise, though backup quarterback T.J. Yates had an efficient day, completing seven of his nine passes and finding the end zone. But the Saints' level of success on defense wasn't enough to keep Rob Ryan from freaking out on the sidelines.
Injury report
Saints linebacker Will Smith was the most notable player to exit the game on Sunday. Given the Saints' lack of pass rushers, Smith is a key part of their defense. He limped to the locker room after this play.
Next week
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