Pats Beat Saints 27-24
The Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints are leaving New England after losing their punter, a running back and their exhibition opener.
The team that won its first NFL title last season on the strength of big plays couldn't stop them Thursday night. Stephen Gostkowski's 28-yard field goal with 53 seconds left in regulation gave the Patriots a 27-24 win.
A 52-yard passing play from seventh-round draft pick Zac Robinson to sophomore receiver Darnell Jenkins set up Gostkowski's game-winning kick. First-round pick Devin McCourty also burned the Saints with kickoff returns of 52 and 50 yards.
On his first series since being chosen Super Bowl MVP, Drew Brees threw an incomplete pass and was sacked for a 10-yard loss. But on his third and final series, he led a 20-play, 86-yard march that lasted 10:01. It ended with a 2-yard scoring run by Reggie Bush.
Brees completed 9 of 13 passes for 55 yards.
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