SEATTLE — Sean Payton got his first New Orleans Saints win ever without Drew Brees on Sunday. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater got his first win since the 2015 season. And New Orleans proved their playoff hopes aren’t sunk while their star quarterback recovers from thumb surgery.
The Saints (2-1) showed impressive resilience with a 33-27 victory at Seattle — their first since Brees was sidelined during last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Making the win all the more impressive, it was the Seahawks’ first home loss in September during the Pete Carroll era. They were previously 15-0.
The Saints won with a total team effort. Their first touchdown was a 53-yard punt return by undrafted rookie Deonte Harris just three minutes into the game. And their second touchdown was a 33-yard fumble return by safety Vonn Bell after cornerback Eli Apple forced a fumble in the second quarter.
New Orleans also leaned heavily on dynamic running back Alvin Kamara, who touched the ball on 25 of their 50 offensive snaps — finishing with 16 carries for 69 yards, nine catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
But Bridgewater was solid in the victory, especially during the third quarter, while playing almost every snap at quarterback. Bridgewater finished 19-of-27 passing for 177 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions — including one 5-yard completion to fellow QB Taysom Hill on a third-down conversion in the fourth quarter.
Bridgewater’s last victory came during his second NFL season, when he led the Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs in 2015. He then suffered a devastating knee injury the following summer and missed nearly two full seasons.
Brees is expected to miss about six games, although no specific timetable has been determined. The Saints’ next game is another showdown of top NFC contenders, with the 3-0 Dallas Cowboys coming into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday Night Football.