The New Oreleans Saints set franchise records for points scored and victory margin as they trounced the Indianapolis Colts 62-7.
Indy give up 62 points in thrashing at the Superdome
The New Oreleans Saints set franchise records for points scored and victory margin as they trounced the winless Indianapolis Colts 62-7.
Saints head coach Sean Payton called plays from the coaches booth at the Superdome after being injured on the sideline last weekend but will have liked what he saw from his new vantage point.
Brees completed 31 of 35 passes for 325 yards and five touchdowns, with Marques Colston and Jimmy Graham snaring two each and Darren Sproles also catching one.
The Saints (5-2) also rushed for 236 yards against a hapless Colts defence and Brees wasn't intercepted before he was replaced by Chase Daniel late in the third quarter.
Mark Ingram rushed for 91 yards on 18 carries but limped to the locker room early in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury. Sproles carried 12 times for 88 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown on the ground.
And while the Saints had 557 total yards and a team-record 36 first downs, Colts quarterback Curtis Painter was only 9 of 17 for 67 yards and had an interception returned 42 yards for a touchdown by Leigh Torrence.
Indianapolis (0-7) fumbled twice in the opening quarter, giving the Saints a relatively short field both times and the Saints capitalised to take the lead.
Points
The hosts then went 81 yards in six plays, including Pierre Thomas's 57-yard gain on a screen pass, and took a 14-0 lead when Brees hit Colston again with a quick four-yard throw over the middle.
The Saints then took over on their 48 when defensive tackle Tom Johnson stripped rookie running back Delone Carter, and Cam Jordan recovered.
Sproles started the drive with a 16-yard run and finished it with a six-yard touchdown catch before Brees' 26-yard completion to Lance Moore ignited yet another touchdown drive.
This time it covered 69 yards in seven plays and ended with fullback Jed Collins' one-yard score on a second-effort plunge through a pile of players.
John Kasay added field goals of 23 and 47 yards. The second came as time expired in the half and was set up by Colston's 39-yard reception.
Indianapolis trailed 31-0 before scoring on Carter's two-yard run, capping a seven-play, 80-yard drive that was highlighted by Carter's 42-yard scamper on the opening play.
But the Saints found the end zone four more times in the second half to make the scoreline truly embarrassing.
