2006 New Orleans Saints season - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 2006
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...

New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....

season began with the team trying to improve on their 3-13 record in 2005

2005 NFL season

The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...

. All of the team's 2006 regular season home games were played in the Louisiana Superdome

Louisiana Superdome

The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...

, which had been damaged all of the previous season by Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...

. At the time, it had been New Orleans' most successful season, with the team reaching the NFC Championship for the first time in franchise history.

Offseason

On January 17, the Saints made their first step in the 2006 offseason by hiring Sean Payton

Sean Payton

Patrick Sean Payton is the current head coach of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Payton was a quarterback at Naperville Central High School and Eastern Illinois University and played professionally in 1987 and 1988...

, the former assistant head coach for the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...

, as their new head coach.

On March 14, 2006, the Saints acquired former-Chargers QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....

through free agency, where he signed a six-year deal with them.

In the 2006 NFL Draft

2006 NFL Draft

The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...

, the Saints used their first pick on the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner (since vacated in 2010) from USC, Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

, who was passed over by the Houston Texans

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

, who instead selected North Carolina St. defensive end Mario Williams

Mario Williams

Mario Jerrel Williams is an American football defensive end for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was selected first overall by the Texans in the 2006 NFL Draft...

with the first overall pick. They then used their picks on Alabama Safety Roman Harper

Roman Harper

Roman Harper is an American football safety with the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama...

, Bloomsburg OT Jahri Evans

Jahri Evans

-New Orleans Saints:Evans was signed to a three-year contract by the Saints on July 25, 2006. He emerged as a consistent performer in training camp and preseason, and won the starting job after the projected starter, Jermane Mayberry, was injured in training camp and ultimately retired. In his...

, Purdue DE Rob Ninkovich, Oregon St. WR Mike Hass

Mike Hass

Mike Hass is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

, Pittsburgh CB Josh "Bernard" Lay, Northwestern OT Zach Strief, and Hofstra WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

Marques Colston is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft as a supplemental compensatory pick. Following the trade of receiver Donté Stallworth, Colston was inserted into the starting lineup for week 1 of...

Return to New Orleans

The NFL announced on February 5, 2006, that the Superdome would reopen on September 24 when the Saints hosted the Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

.

Sites for the team's 2006 preseason games were announced on March 23. They are Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport, Louisiana

Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....

, for an August 21 game against the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys

, and Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...

, for an August 26 game against the Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....

.

On April 6 the Saints released their 2006 schedule. All home games are scheduled to be played at the Superdome. The home opener against the Atlanta Falcons was moved from September 24 to September 25 and was shown on ESPN

ESPN

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....

's Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...

Offense

WR Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...	Marques Colston Marques Colston Marques Colston is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft as a supplemental compensatory pick. Following the trade of receiver Donté Stallworth, Colston was inserted into the starting lineup for week 1 of... 12	Devery Henderson Devery Henderson -New Orleans Saints:On November 5, 2006, Devery had his best day as a professional in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught 3 passes for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns. Henderson had 158 receiving yards on 5 catches, including a 76 yard touchdown, against the Atlanta Falcons on November... 19	Terrance Copper Terrance Copper Terrance Terrel Copper is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent... 18
LT	Jammal Brown Jammal Brown -New Orleans Saints:He was selected to attend the 2006 Pro Bowl alongside the player he protects, quarterback Drew Brees, after anchoring the line that got the Saints to the NFC Championship Game. Brown's prototypical size at left tackle makes him good at both run and pass blocking. He led the... 70	Rob Petitti Rob Petitti Rob Christopher Petitti is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.... 79
LG	Jamar Nesbit Jamar Nesbit Jamar Kendric Nesbit is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at South Carolina... 67	Montrae Holland Montrae Holland Montrae Rondrell Holland is an American football guard for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft... 61
C Center (American football) Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...	Jeff Faine Jeff Faine Jeffrey Kalei Faine is an American football center for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns 21st overall in the 2003 NFL Draft... 52	Jonathan Goodwin 76
RG	Jahri Evans Jahri Evans -New Orleans Saints:Evans was signed to a three-year contract by the Saints on July 25, 2006. He emerged as a consistent performer in training camp and preseason, and won the starting job after the projected starter, Jermane Mayberry, was injured in training camp and ultimately retired. In his... 73	Montrae Holland 61
RT	Jon Stinchcomb Jon Stinchcomb Jon Stinchcomb is a former American football offensive tackle who played eight seasons in the National Football League. He was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints... 78	Zach Strief Zach Strief Zachary David Strief is an American football offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Saints in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He lived in Milford, Ohio where he played for his varsity football team, the Milford Eagles... 64
TE Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...	Ernie Conwell Ernie Conwell Ernest Harold Conwell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington.... 85	Mark Campbell Mark Campbell Mark Joseph Campbell is a former American Football tight end who played for ten seasons in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns from 1999–2002, the Buffalo Bills from 2003–2005, and the New Orleans Saints from 2006–2008. He was signed by the Browns as an... 80	Nate Lawrie Nate Lawrie Nathan Earl "Nate" Lawrie is an American football tight end formerly of the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... 82
WR	Joe Horn Joe Horn Joseph Horn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and also played for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons... 87	Jamal Jones Jamal Jones Jamal Aman Jones is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at North Carolina A&T... 89	Lance Moore Lance Moore Lance Andrew Moore is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2005... 16
QB Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...	Drew Brees Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue.... 9	Jamie Martin 10	Jason Fife Jason Fife Jason Fife is an American football quarterback with the Dallas Desperados in the Arena Football League. He was originally signed as a free agent by the Detroit Lions in 2004... 11
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...	Deuce McAllister Deuce McAllister Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft... 26	Reggie Bush Reggie Bush Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft... 25	Aaron Stecker Aaron Stecker Aaron Stecker is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Western Illinois.... 27
FB Fullback (American football) A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...	Mike Karney Mike Karney Michael John Mario Karney is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... 44	Corey McIntyre Corey McIntyre Corey McIntyre is an American football fullback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2002... 36

Defense

LDE Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...	Charles Grant Charles Grant (American football) Charles Gabriel Grant is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft... 94	Eric Moore 95
NT	Hollis Thomas Hollis Thomas Hollis Thomas, Jr. is a defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at Northern Illinois.... 99	Antwan Lake Antwan Lake Antwan Lake is an American football defensive tackle for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2002... 96	Rodney Leisle Rodney Leisle Rodney Allen Leisle is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He attended Ridgeview High School in Bakersfield, California and played college football at UCLA... 77
DT	Brian Young 66	Willie Whitehead Willie Whitehead William Whitehead, Jr. is a professional American and Canadian football defensive end, most recently for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He walked-on to play college football with Auburn before winning a scholarship... 98
RDE Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...	Will Smith Will Smith (football player) William Smith is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. He played college football at Ohio State University.-High school career:... 91	Eric Moore 95
SLB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...	Scott Fujita Scott Fujita Scott Anthony Fujita is an American football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft... 55	Alfred Fincher 56
MLB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...	Mark Simoneau Mark Simoneau Mark Lee Simoneau is a former American football linebacker who played for ten seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Kansas State and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played for the Falcons from 2000–2002, before he was... 53	Danny Clark 54
WLB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...	Scott Shanle Scott Shanle -St. Louis Rams:Shanle made his NFL debut against the New York Giants on September 7, 2003. He also saw special teams action in six games for St. Louis. He was waived by the Rams on December 9, 2003.-Dallas Cowboys:... 58	Terrence Melton Terrence Melton Terrence Lee Melton is an American football linebacker for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Houston Thunderbears as a street free agent in 2000... 51
LCB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...	Mike McKenzie 34	DeJuan Groce DeJuan Groce DeJuan Anthony Groce is an American football cornerback in the NFL who is a free agent. He was drafted in the 2003 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. Groce has also played for the New Orleans Saints, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Toronto Argonauts... 28	Curtis Deloatch Curtis Deloatch Curtis Lee Deloatch is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004... 39
SS Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...	Omar Stoutmire Omar Stoutmire Omar Array Stoutmire is a retired American football safety in the National Football League. He played college football at Fresno State and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 1997 NFL Draft.... 23	Steve Gleason Steve Gleason Stephen Michael Gleason is a former American football safety of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Washington State.As a free agent in 2008, Gleason retired from the NFL after eight... 37	Jay Bellamy Jay Bellamy Jay Bellamy is a former American football safety most notably for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1994... 20
FS Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...	Josh Bullocks Josh Bullocks Josh Bullocks is the best football player to ever walk this earth.Josh Bullocks is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.Bullocks has also been a member... 29	Bryan Scott Bryan Scott Bryan Anderson Scott is an American football safety for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft... 24	Jay Bellamy 20
RCB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...	Fred Thomas Fred Thomas (American football) Frederick L. Thomas is former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft... 22	Jason Craft Jason Craft Jason Donell Andre Craft is a free agent American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Colorado State.-Early years:... 21

Special teams

LS Long snapper In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....	Kevin Houser Kevin Houser Kevin J. Houser is an American football long snapper for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2000 NFL Draft... 47
P Punter (football position) A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...	Steve Weatherford Steve Weatherford Steven "Steve" Thomas Weatherford is an American football punter for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006... 7
H Holder (American football) In American football the holder is the player who receives the snap during field goal and extra point attempts made by place kick. The holder is usually positioned between seven and eight yards behind the line of scrimmage. The holder kneels down and places the hand farthest from the line of...	Jamie Martin 10
K Placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...	John Carney 3
KO Placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...	Billy Cundiff
PR Punt returner Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while...	Michael Lewis Michael Lewis (NFL receiver) Michael Kendall Lewis is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist who is currently the team ambassador of the New Orleans Saints. He was signed by the Louisiana Bayou Beast in 1998... 84	Reggie Bush Reggie Bush Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft... 25
KR Kick returner In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...	Michael Lewis 84	Terrance Copper Terrance Copper Terrance Terrel Copper is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent... 18	Aaron Stecker Aaron Stecker Aaron Stecker is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Western Illinois.... 27

Preseason (1-3)

Date	Opponent	Result	Venue
August 12, 2006	Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...	W 19-16	LP Field LP Field LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County....
August 21, 2006	Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...	L 30-7	Independence Stadium
August 26, 2006	Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....	L 27-14	Veterans Memorial Stadium Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Jackson, Mississippi, USA. Veterans Memorial Stadium is the home field of the Jackson State University Tigers. In July 2011, Jackson State University will own and operate the stadium...
August 31, 2006	Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...	L 10-9	Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....

Regular season (10-6)

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue
1	September 10, 2006	@Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 19-14	Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity...
2	September 17, 2006	@Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...	W 34-27	Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...
3	September 25, 2006	Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 23-3	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
4	October 1, 2006	@Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...	L 21-18	Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...
5	October 8, 2006	Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...	W 24-21	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
6	October 15, 2006	Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 27-24	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
7	Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
8	October 29, 2006	Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...	L 22-35	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
9	November 5, 2006	@Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...	W 31-14	Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...
10	November 12, 2006	@Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...	L 31-38	Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
11	November 19, 2006	Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...	L 31-16	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
12	November 26, 2006	@Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 31-13	Georgia Dome Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
13	December 3, 2006	San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...	W 34-10	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
14	December 10, 2006	@Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...	W 42-17	Texas Stadium Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
15	December 17, 2006	Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...	L 16-10	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
16	December 24, 2006	@New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 30-7	Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
17	December 31, 2006	Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...	L 21-31	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...

Postseason (1-1)

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue
Wildcard Round	Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
Divisional Round	January 13, 2007	Philadelphia Eagles	W 27-24	Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
NFC Championship	January 21, 2007	@Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 39-14	Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...

Week 1: at Cleveland Browns

The Saints opened the regular season on the road against the Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

on September 10. In the first half, kicker John Carney provided all of the Saints' first 9 points. He put up a 43-yarder in the first, along with a 25 and a 21-yarder in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Browns offense finally got going as Cleveland QB Charlie Frye

Charlie Frye

Charles Frye, , is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Akron.-Early years:...

hooked up with TE Kellen Winslow

Kellen Winslow II

Kellen Boswell Winslow, II is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...

on an 18-yard TD pass. Fortunately, the Saints would respond with a 12-yard TD pass from QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

to WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

. In the fourth quarter, the Browns came close with Frye getting a 1-yard TD run. However, the Saints put the game away with Carney kicking a 20-yard FG to give the Saints the win.

Despite not scoring a TD, RB Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

had a sound NFL debut, as he ran 14 times for 61 yards, caught 8 passes for 58 yards, and returned three punts for 22 Yards. In total, he piled up 141 all-purpose yards.

Week 2: at Green Bay Packers

For Week 2, the Saints traveled to Lambeau Field

Lambeau Field

Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field...

in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...

to take on the Packers

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

. The Saints trailed in the first quarter, as a 22-yard TD pass to opposing WR Greg Jennings

Greg Jennings

Gregory Jennings, Jr. is a professional American football wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League...

and two Dave Rayner

Dave Rayner

David Michael "Dave" Rayner is an American football placekicker who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...

field goals (a 24-yarder and a 36-yarder). The Saints began their scoring in the second quarter, as RB Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

got a 3-yard TD run and QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

threw a 26-yard TD strike to WR Devery Henderson

Devery Henderson

-New Orleans Saints:On November 5, 2006, Devery had his best day as a professional in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he caught 3 passes for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns. Henderson had 158 receiving yards on 5 catches, including a 76 yard touchdown, against the Atlanta Falcons on November...

. In the third quarter, the punishing continued, as kicker John Carney kicked a 45 and a 47-yard field goal to further New Orleans' lead. In the fourth quarter, Green Bay tried to come back with QB Brett Favre

Brett Favre

Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...

throwing a 4-yard pass to WR Robert Ferguson. The Saints managed to put the game away with a 25-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

and a 23-yard run by McAllister. The Packers would get one more score, in the form of a 6-yard TD pass to RB Noah Herron

Noah Herron

Noah Scott Herron is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...

, but the damage had already been done.

Week 3: vs. Atlanta Falcons

Riding high from their two-straight road wins, the Saints returned home to the Louisiana Superdome

Louisiana Superdome

for the first time since December 26, 2004 for a special Monday Night game against their fellow NFC South division rival, the Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

, in front of a sell-out crowd of 70,003 and ESPN

ESPN

's largest-ever audience, with about 10.8 million households viewing, the second-largest cable audience in history (behind the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement

North American Free Trade Agreement

The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...

(NAFTA) debate between Al Gore

Al Gore

Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....

and Ross Perot

Ross Perot

Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...

on CNN

CNN

Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...

).On just the fourth overall play of the game, Safety Steve Gleason

Steve Gleason

Stephen Michael Gleason is a former American football safety of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Washington State.As a free agent in 2008, Gleason retired from the NFL after eight...

blocked a punt and DB Curtis Deloatch

Curtis Deloatch

Curtis Lee Deloatch is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2004...

managed to land on the ball in the end zone for the Saints first score of the game. Former Saints kicker Morten Andersen

Morten Andersen

Morten Andersen , nicknamed "The Great Dane", is a former National Football League kicker. He holds the distinction of being the all-time leading scorer in NFL history, as well as being the all-time leading scorer for two different teams; the New Orleans Saints, with whom he spent 13 seasons, and...

helped Atlanta get its only score of the game, from a 26-yard field goal. From there, the Saints dominated the rest of the game. For the final score of the first quarter, WR Devery Henderson

Devery Henderson

ran 11 yards for a touchdown on a reverse. Kicker John Carney would provide the scoring for the rest of the game, as he kicked two second quarter field goals (a 37-yarder and a 51-yarder), and one third quarter field goal (a 20-yarder) to essentially wrap up the game. From there, the Saints defense continued to put pressure on Falcons QB Michael Vick

Michael Vick

Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...

, as they sacked him five times, while limiting the running duo of Vick and Dunn

Warrick Dunn

Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...

to just a combined total of 101 rushing yards. With their dominating performance, the Saints would take the lead in the NFC South with a surprising 3-0 record.

Green Day

Green Day

Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...

and U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

performed jointly on the field before the game, while the Goo Goo Dolls

Goo Goo Dolls

The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...

held a concert outside the Dome earlier in the evening.

Week 4: at Carolina Panthers

Following their dominant home game at the Louisiana Superdome, the Saints traveled to Bank of America Stadium

Bank of America Stadium

Bank of America Stadium is a 73,778-seat football stadium located on of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise. It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big East...

for an NFC South battle with the Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...

. From the get-go, the Saints trailed early, as QB Jake Delhomme

Jake Delhomme

Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Delhomme played college football at Louisiana-Lafayette before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...

completed a 9-yard TD pass to WR Steve Smith for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints managed to get a field goal, as kicker John Carney nailed one from 31 yards out. After a scoreless third quarter, RB Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

managed to help New Orleans take the lead, as he got a 3-yard TD run. Unfortunately, that would be the only time in the game that the Saints saw the lead, as the Panthers slashed away, with Delhomme completing a 4-yard pass to WR Drew Carter

Drew Carter

Christopher Drew Carter is a retired American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...

and RB DeShaun Foster

DeShaun Foster

DeShaun Xavier Foster is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.-Early years:...

running 43 yards for a touchdown. New Orleans would try to come back, as QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completed an 86-yard touchdown pass to WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

, but that would be as close as they would get, as Carolina held on to win, while the Saints got their first loss of the year dropping to 3-1.

Week 5: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The second game back in the Superdome was not marked by the media attention of the Saints' home opener, but fans in attendance were not disappointed. The sold-out crowd was treated to a dramatic contest between the Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...

. Though Tampa Bay proved to be a formidable opponent despite their season-long losing streak, the Saints won 24-21. The win was capped off by a fourth quarter punt return by Saints rookie Reggie Bush. Prior to the play, Bush roused the notoriously raucous New Orleans audience to their feet; by the time the ball was snapped, the cheers had reached a tremendous level. The noise only increased as Bush raced past the Bucs' special teams for 65 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown, his first as an NFL player. After the game, the traditional "Who Dat?" cheer was punctuated by spontaneous chants of "Reggie, Reggie" as the Saints claimed their fourth win of the season while improving to 4-1.

Week 6: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Hoping to build on their win over Tampa Bay, the Saints stayed at home for a Week 6 fight with the Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

. In the first quarter, New Orleans jumped out to an early lead with kicker John Carney kicking a 39-yard field goal and QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completing a 14-yard TD pass to WR Joe Horn

Joe Horn

Joseph Horn is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and also played for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...

. In the second quarter, Philadelphia would get on the board with kicker David Akers

David Akers

David Roy Akers is a left footed American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. He played college football at Louisville....

kicking a 47-yard field goal. Fortunately, the Saints managed to further themselves, as Brees completed a 7-yard TD pass to WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

. However, in the third quarter, the Eagles started to get back into the game, as QB Donovan McNabb

Donovan McNabb

Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...

completed two touchdown passes (a 60-yarder to WR Reggie Brown and a 4-yard to TE L.J. Smith

L.J. Smith

John Smith III , commonly known as L.J., which stands for "Little John", is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft...

). In the fourth quarter, Philadelphia took the lead on a 15-yard TD run by Brown. Fortunately, after Brees completed a 48-yard TD pass to Horn, Carney helped give New Orleans the win as he kicked a 31-yard field goal as time ran out on the game. With the win, the Saints maintained their lead in the NFC South with a 5-1 record going into their bye week.

Week 8: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Coming off their bye week, the Saints stayed at home for their Week 8 fight with the visiting Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

. From the get-go, New Orleans trailed as QB Steve McNair

Steve McNair

Stephen LaTreal McNair was an American football quarterback who spent the majority of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans....

got a 5-yard TD run for the only score of the quarter. In the second quarter, things only got worse for the Saints, as McNair completed a 4-yard TD pass to WR Clarence Moore

Clarence Moore

Clarence Kelly Moore is an American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League, he is currently a free agent...

, while rookie DB Ronnie Prude

Ronnie Prude

Ronnie Edward Prude, Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2006...

returned an interception 12 yards for a touchdown. New Orleans would get on the board, as QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completed a 32-yard TD pass to WR Joe Horn

Joe Horn

, yet Baltimore would increase their lead with McNair completing a 6-yard TD pass to TE Todd Heap

Todd Heap

Todd Benjamin Heap is an American football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona State-Early years:At Mountain View High School, in Mesa, Arizona,...

. In the third quarter, the Ravens got another 12-yard TD interception return with rookie Strong Safety Dawan Landry

Dawan Landry

Dawan Frank Landry is an American football safety of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Landry was a successful college safety for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 2002 to 2005, and was drafted in the 5th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Ravens.-College:While at Georgia Tech, he majored in Management...

making the pick for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Saints tried to mount a comeback, as Brees completed a 47-yard TD pass and a 25-yard TD pass to rookie WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

. However, the Saints comeback drive would end there, as New Orleans fell to 5-2.

Week 9: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the Ravens, the Saints flew to Raymond James Stadium

Raymond James Stadium

Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events...

for an NFC South rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

. In the first quarter, QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completed a 15-yard TD pass to rookie WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

and a 52-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson

Devery Henderson

. In the second quarter, kicker John Carney would complete a 46-yard field goal to give New Orleans a 17-0 lead. Yet, the Bucs started to fight back, as QB Bruce Gradkowski

Bruce Gradkowski

Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa...

completed two touchdown passes to WR Joey Galloway

Joey Galloway

Joseph Scott Galloway is an American football wide receiver. He most recently played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks eighth overall in the 1995 NFL Draft...

(a 44-yarder and a 17-yarder). In the third quarter, the Saints would take over for the rest of the game, as RB Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

completed a 3-yard TD run, while Brees completed a 45-yard TD pass to Henderson. After a scoreless fourth quarter, New Orleans would get the sweep over Tampa Bay and improve to 6-2.

Week 10: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Coming off their sweeping win over the Bucs, the Saints flew to Heinz Field

Heinz Field

Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...

for a match-up with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

. In the first quarter, the Saints trailed early as QB Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger

Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...

completed a 37-yard TD pass to WR Hines Ward

Hines Ward

Hines E. Ward, Jr. is an American football player who currently plays the wide receiver position for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, where he is the longest-tenured current player on the team. He was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL. He played college football at the University of Georgia...

and a 2-yard TD pass to TE Heath Miller

Heath Miller

Earl Heath Miller, Jr. is an American football tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. He was selected as the 30th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft out of the University of Virginia.-Early years:...

. Afterwards, New Orleans got on the board with QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completing a 3-yard TD pass to WR Terrance Copper

Terrance Copper

Terrance Terrel Copper is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent...

. In the second quarter, the Saints started to take command as kicker John Carney completed a 20-yard field goal, while rookie RB Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

got a 15-yard TD run on a reverse. Pittsburgh would get kicker Jeff Reed

Jeff Reed (football)

Jeffrey "Jeff" Montgomery Reed is a National Football League placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2002...

to get a 32-yard field goal, yet New Orleans responded with RB Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

getting a 4-yard TD run. In the third quarter, the Steelers started to fight back as Roethlisberger completed a 38-yard TD pass to WR Cedrick Wilson

Cedrick Wilson

Cedrick Wilson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, RB Willie Parker

Willie Parker

"Fast" Willie Everette Parker Jr. is an American football running back for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at North Carolina...

followed up two 70+ yard runs with a 3-yard and a 4-yard TD run to give Pittsburgh the lead. The Saints tried to fight back with McAllister getting a 4-yard TD run, but Pittsburgh held on to win. With the loss, the Saints fell to 6-3.

Week 11: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Coming off a road loss to the Steelers, the Saints went home for an interconference fight with the Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

. In the first quarter, Cincinnati struck first with QB Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...

completing a 41-yard TD pass to WR Chad Johnson. Afterwards, New Orleans responded with QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completing a 72-yard TD pass to WR Joe Horn

Joe Horn

. In the second quarter, the Bengals took the lead with kicker Shayne Graham

Shayne Graham

Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...

getting a 21-yard field goal for the only score of the period. After a scoreless third quarter, kicker John Carney began the fourth quarter with 24-yard field goal. However, things went downhill with Cincinnati's most dominant part of the game. Palmer would complete a 60-yard TD pass and a 4-yard TD pass to Chad, while rookie DB Ethan Kilmer

Ethan Kilmer

Ethan Michael Kilmer is a former American football safety of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft...

returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, New Orleans could only muster a 27-yard TD pass from Brees to WR Terrance Copper

Terrance Copper

Terrance Terrel Copper is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent...

. With the loss, the Saints fell to 6-4.

Week 12: at Atlanta Falcons

Trying to snap a two-game skid, the Saints flew to the Georgia Dome

Georgia Dome

The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...

for an NFC South rematch with the Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

. In the first quarter, New Orleans started off strong with QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completing a 76-yard TD pass to WR Devery Henderson

Devery Henderson

, while RB Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

got a 1-yard TD run. Afterwards, Falcons kicker Morten Andersen

Morten Andersen

completed a 22-yard field goal for Atlanta. In the second quarter, Andersen would give the Falcons a 30-yard field goal, while on the final play of the half, Brees threw a spectacular 48-yard "Hail Mary" TD pass to WR Terrance Copper

Terrance Copper

Terrance Terrel Copper is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent...

. In the third quarter, Atlanta tried to fight back, as RB Warrick Dunn

Warrick Dunn

got a 1-yard TD run for the only score of the quarter. In the fourth quarter, New Orleans managed to put the game away with kicker John Carney completing a 25-yard field goal and McAllister getting a 9-yard TD run. With the season sweep over the Falcons, the Saints improved to 7-4.

Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers

Attempting to capitalize on their decisive victory at Atlanta, a revitalized Saints team entered the game with high hopes. In the first quarter, 49ers kicker Joe Nedney kicked a 29-yarder for the 49ers only score of the half. Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

exploded in the second quarter with a 1-yard run TD and, after an interception returned to the 7-yard line by Mike McKenzie, a sneak-around TD late in the quarter. Coming into the third quarter, Alex Smith completed a 48-yard TD pass to Antonio Bryant, but that was the final score for the 49ers. After a John Carney field goal, Reggie Bush took hold of a five-yard shovel pass from Drew Brees

Drew Brees

and scored his third TD of the night. In the fourth quarter, Bush ran down the sidelines and appeared to be heading for a fourth touchdown after a quick pass that he turned into a 74-yarder, but he fumbled the ball out of bounds. However, he scored on a ten-yard run a few plays later, and kicker John Carney sent the game away with a 33-yard field goal. With the win, the Saints improve to 8-4.

Week 14: at Dallas Cowboys

After a spectacular offensive performance all around by the Saints against the 49ers, they headed to Dallas to face off against their NFC rivals the Cowboys. The Cowboys started off strong with a 77-yard Julius Jones run, but they were silent for the rest of the quarter. In the second quarter, a shaky Saints team suddenly scored on all three of their drives: a 2-yard run from Mike Karney

Mike Karney

Michael John Mario Karney is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...

, a 3-yard pass from Drew Brees

Drew Brees

to Karney, and a 27-yard pass from Brees to WR Jamal Jones

Jamal Jones

Jamal Aman Jones is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at North Carolina A&T...

; and to cap it all off, Dallas kicker Martin Gramatica

Martin Gramatica

Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...

missed a field goal at the end of the half. A surprising Saints team stymied the Cowboys to a field goal by Gramatica, and Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

quickly answered with a 61-yard catch for a TD. Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens

Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...

answered with a 34-yard touchdown catch. Mike Karney struck again with a 6-yard catch, and after a challenge by Sean Payton

Sean Payton

it was ruled a TD. The Saints recovered an onside kick at the 40, and Devery Henderson

Devery Henderson

caught a 42-yard pass and crawled in for a touchdown

Touchdown

A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

. With the blowout against the Cowboys, the Saints improved to 9-4 and are one game away from clinching the NFC South. Mike Karney was called by Drew Brees 'Mr. Touchdown,' because he had three TD's.

Week 15: vs. Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins

Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...

entered the game strongly, with a solid drive straight down the field, but blitz, a fumble, and a penalty all worked against the Redskins, and forced a 37-yard field goal. However, they stifled the Saints offense and scored a quick TD later. The Saints answered back with a touchdown from the goal line, and limit the Redskins to a field goal. The surprising Redskins offense was hindered in the second quarter, as were the Saints, but in the beginning of the fourth, the Saints opened up with a field goal, which the Redskins quickly answered. In a key play, the Saints converted a 4th-and-5 play late in the fourth quarter, down 16-10, which led to another key 16-yard throw on third down on the 2 minute warning. Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

made a dash to the twenty-yard line two plays later, and the Saints took their second time out with 1:01 left in the 4th quarter. On 4th and 8 with 53 seconds left, Carlos Rogers knocked the ball down and sealed the Saints' fate. With the loss, the Saints fell to 9-5, but because the Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers

fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers

(along with the Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

falling to the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys

), they clinched the NFC South

NFC South

The NFC South is a division in the National Football Conference of the National Football League. It was created prior to the 2002 NFL season, when the league realigned divisions after expanding to 32 teams. The NFC South currently has four members: the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New...

and a spot in the playoffs.

Week 16: at New York Giants

Despite the loss the previous week, the Saints could clinch a first-round bye with a win and help. They entered the Meadowlands against a New York Giants

New York Giants

The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

team trying to gain momentum that could lead them to a playoff spot. Hoping they could capitalize off the Saints loss, the Giants' first drive saw a 55-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning

Eli Manning

Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...

to Plaxico Burress

Plaxico Burress

Plaxico Antonio Burress is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...

. The Saints' offense opened with a three-and-out, but they successfully recovered their punt. A field goal narrowed the score to 7-3. A subsequent Saints drive ended with another field goal. With 10:30 left in the second quarter, the Saints directed a huge, time-eating drive that ended with a touchdown on fourth-down with just 1:56 left in the half. Seven minutes into the third quarter, Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

sped past the Giants' linebacker corps and scored on a one-yard TD, to lengthen the score to 20-7. In the middle of the third quarter, Reggie Bush returned a punt, fell onto his knees (but because nobody touched him he was not down by contact), and he then ran the ball in for a touchdown. However, a challenge revealed that the Giants' punter just barely nicked the leg of Bush, and he was ruled down by contact. Early in the fourth quarter, Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

ran it in for the final TD of the day, and John Carney sealed it with a 38-yard field goal. The Saints defense was stout throughout the game, shutting out the Giants after their opening touchdown, and never allowing the Giants to run a play in their territory. With the win, the Saints improved to 10-5. The following day, the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys

fell to the revitalized, Jeff Garcia

Jeff Garcia

Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....

-led Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

, and the Saints secured the #2 spot in the NFC, and a first-round bye.

Week 17: vs. Carolina Panthers

The New Orleans Saints hosted the final game in their regular season against their NFC South Rivals, the Carolina Panthers at 12:00 Central Time in the Superdome. On December 29, 2006, the Friday before the game, the Saints announced several roster moves. Players, such as RB Jamaal Branch

Jamaal Branch

Jamaal Branch is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Colgate University.-Early life and education:...

, were activated from the practice squad. It was widely speculated that this was to help give some of the full-time starters rest before the post-season. The Saints allowed the starters to play in the first drive on offense, which ended up in a quick touchdown, and for the first two plays of the second drive, before resting all of the starters. The head coach of the Saints, Sean Payton, did this to prevent injuries before the playoff game. The Carolina Panthers ended up scraping together a victory against the second and third stringers of the Saints 31-21.

NFC Divisional Round: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Being in the divisional round for only the second time in franchise history, the second-seeded Saints began their playoff run against the third-seeded Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles

. With both teams coming into the game with the NFL's best offenses, the outlook was a high-scoring shootout. In the first quarter, New Orleans drew first blood with kicker John Carney nailing a 33-yard field goal

Field goal (football)

A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...

for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints increased its lead with Carney kicking a 23-yard field goal. However, the Eagles took the lead with QB Jeff Garcia

Jeff Garcia

Jeffrey Jason "Jeff" Garcia is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at San Jose State University....

completing a 75-yard TD pass to former Saints wide receiver

Wide receiver

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

Donte' Stallworth

Donté Lamar Stallworth is an American football wide receiver is currently playing for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft...

. New Orleans retook the lead with rookie RB Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

ramming a 4-yard TD run; yet Philadelphia regained the lead with RB Brian Westbrook

Brian Westbrook

Brian Collins Westbrook is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football at Villanova...

diving for a 1-yard TD run to exit the second quarter with a 14-13 lead. In the third quarter, the Eagles jabbed at the Saints' once-stoic running defense with another Westbrook TD run, this one for 62 yards. The Saints countered with RB Deuce McAllister

Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft...

shoving his way in with a 5-yard TD run; and finally, the Saints scored their final touchdown for the lead with a knockout 11-yard TD pass from Drew Brees

Drew Brees

to McAllister. In the fourth quarter, the Eagles drove down to the red zone and threatened to strike, but the Saints' defense stepped up and forced kicker David Akers

David Akers

to kick his only score for the Eagles, a 24 yard field goal. Suddenly it looked grim for the Saints when, on the ensuing drive, a pitch-out from Brees to Bush bounced off the running back's hands and the Eagles recovered. However, the Saints defense forced a 4th-and-10, and an 18-yard pass that seemed keep the Eagles alive was called back on a false start penalty. The Eagles punted with 1:39 remaining, and the Saints converted a first down to end the game.

During the game, the Saints made a franchise playoff record with 435 total yards of offense. Deuce McAllister gained a franchise playoff record 143 yards on 21 carries with 1 touchdown, along with 4 catches for 20 yards and 1 touchdown.

With the win, New Orleans improved its overall record to 11-6 and advanced to its first NFC Championship Game

NFC Championship Game

The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...

appearance in the team's 40-year franchise history, where they took on the Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

NFC Championship Game: at Chicago Bears

Following their divisional win over the Eagles, the Saints flew to Soldier Field

Soldier Field

Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...

for their very first NFC Championship Game

NFC Championship Game

, where they would take on the top-seeded Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early with Bears kicker Robbie Gould

Robbie Gould

Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...

getting a 19-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Saints continued to trail as Gould gave Chicago a 43-yard and a 23-yard field goal, while RB Thomas Jones got a 2-yard TD run. New Orleans would manage to get some momentum for the second half as QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees

completed a 13-yard TD pass to rookie WR Marques Colston

Marques Colston

. In the third quarter, the Saints started to get more momentum as Brees completed an 88-yard TD pass to rookie RB Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush

. However, the Bears began to creep back, getting a safety when Brees was called for intentional grounding while in his own endzone. In the fourth quarter, New Orleans' struggles continued with Chicago QB Rex Grossman

Rex Grossman

Rex Daniel Grossman, III is an American football quarterback for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League . Grossman played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans and Washington Redskins of...

completing a 33-yard TD pass to WR Bernard Berrian

Bernard Berrian

Bernard Berrian is a free agent American football wide receiver who last played for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft...

. Also, Bears RB Cedric Benson

Cedric Benson

Cedric Myron Benson is an American football running back for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears fourth overall in the 2005 NFL Draft...

got a 12-yard TD run, while Jones wrapped up the game with a 15-yard TD run.

Pundits felt that the New Orleans' loss was the fact that they were a "dome" team and were forced to play in snowy conditions while committing five turnovers (three lost fumbles, an interception, and one on downs).

With the loss, the Saints season ended with an overall record of 11-7.

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