Saints defeated by Pats, 27-24
It's way too early to mention a Super Bowl hangover for the New Orleans Saints.
If they keep playing the way they did at New England in their preseason opener Thursday night, that phrase will begin to be thrown around.
The Saints gave up big plays and a decisive 28-yard field goal in the final minute of a 27-24 loss.
"Mistakes and some mental errors, substitution issues and missed assignments. I think all those are normal for a first preseason game," Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees said. "We probably had more than we would have liked and we need to get those things corrected.
"Every one of us should be held accountable. I need to improve just like everybody else does."
For the Patriots, it was a successful return to the field where their last game was a rout, a 33-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs.
The Saints punted four times on their five first-half possessions and managed just a field goal on their last four of the game. Their final series ended with an interception. And there were plenty of missed tackles.
"Too many sloppy things we've got to get corrected," Payton said. "I know it's the first week of preseason; still, a lot of things are disturbing. ... I think we'll put the tape in and we'll see it wasn't just young players."
Tom Brady played New England's first two series and went 5 for 8 for 67 yards. In last year's exhibition opener, he played for the first time since the 2008 regular-season opener, when a knee injury ended his season.
Raiders 17, Cowboys 9At Arlington, Texas, the Cowboys were within 16 yards of the end zone on four drives, yet managed only three field goals. It came back to bite them when the Raiders got two touchdowns and a field goal in the final 4:58 to win.Dallas had snaps from Oakland's 16, 13, 9 and 10 without getting into the end zone. One of those drives was stopped on downs, and the others were settled by David Buehler making kicks of 42, 27 and 28 yards.
Ravens 17, Panthers 12At Baltimore, Joe Flacco guided Baltimore's retooled offense to a pair of scores, and the Ravens held Carolina without a touchdown.Flacco went 8 for 12 for 120 yards and a touchdown. He produced a field goal in his first series.
