Texans vs. Saints results: Drew Brees, Wil Lutz stun Houston with last-second field goal

Edward Sutelan

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Texans vs. Saints results: Drew Brees, Wil Lutz stun Houston with last-second field goal image

The game appeared all over. The Texans only needed two plays to march down the field with less than a minute left and score a go-ahead touchdown.

But Drew Brees still had time, and he made the most of it. The 40-year-old quarterback marched the Saints 35 yards in 37 seconds and gave his kicker, Wil Lutz, a chance to win the game and set a career-long with a 58-yard field goal.

Lutz drilled it, sending the Saints’ fans home happy with a 30-28 win.

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Minutes earlier, Deshaun Watson appeared to have delivered the Texans an incredible come-from-behind victory. The former championship-winning quarterback out of Clemson showed he has ice water in his veins, taking just two plays to give the Texans the lead: a 38-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins and a 37-yard touchdown pass to new Texans’ receiver Kenny Stills.

Then, after kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn initially missed the PAT, a roughing the kicker penalty gave him a second chance, which he did not miss as the Texans took a 28-27 lead.

In the first half, nothing got going for New Orleans, as the offense only mustered three points while surrendering 14 to the visiting Texans. In the second half, however, it became all New Orleans. Running back Latavius Murray took off for a 30-yard score on the opening drive of the half, and after Deandre Hopkins’ second touchdown of the game, Brees found fellow quarterback Taysom Hill in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown.

A momentum-shifting pick by Saints safety Marcus Williams was followed by a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tre’Quan Smith and the Saints took a 24-21 lead. The Saints added another field goal with 55 seconds left in the game to go up, 27-21.

Watson finished the game 20 for 30 with 268 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed four times for 40 yards and a score. Watson connected with Hopkins eight times for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

Brees completed 32 of 43 passes for 370 yards and two touchdowns. He had one interception. He went to his favorite target, Michael Thomas, 10 times for a game-high 123 receiving yards. Running back Alvin Kamara also shined, taking 13 carries 97 yards while making seven catches for 72 yards.

This was the first of two Monday night games, with the Broncos and Raiders starting at 10:20 p.m., also on ESPN.

Texans vs. Saints: Results and highlights from 'Monday Night Football'

FINAL: Saints 30, Texans 28

10:24 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, SAINTS.  Lutz connects on the 58-yard field goal to send the Mercedes-Benz Superdome into a frenzy.  Saints 30, Texans 28

10:23 p.m.:  Brees marches the Saints to the 40-yard line and the Saints call a timeout with two seconds left. Lutz can win it with a field goal.

10:17 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS.  Kenny Stills, in his first game with the Texans, just caught a touchdown with 37 seconds left to tie the game. And after a missed PAT, a penalty gives Ka'imi Faibairn a second chance and doesn't miss. Texans lead.  Texans 28, Saints 27

10:16 p.m.:  Watson finds Hopkins for a 38-yard touchdown to put the Texans in New Orleans' territory. 

10:14 p.m.: FIELD GOAL, SAINTS.  Lutz drills a 47-yard field goal to extend the Saints' lead to six points with 50 seconds remaining.  Saints 27, Texans 21

10:12 p.m.:  The Texans use their final timeout. The Saints need 11 yards to get a first down. 

10:05 p.m.:  Brees connects with Ted Ginn for a 41-yard pass to bring the game to the two-minute warning. The Saints have the ball at the Houston 44-yard line. 

10:01 p.m.:  Harris tries to take off after calling for a fair catch and is penalized 5 yards. The Saints will start on their own 7-yard line with 3:29 remaining in the game.

10:00 p.m.:  Watson is sacked for the sixth time and the Texans will be forced to punt the ball from their own 45. 

9:57 p.m.:  After a 21-yard pass to Hopkins, Johnson rushes for 32 yards to the New Orleans' 43-yard line. 

9:51 p.m.: The Saints punt the ball away and the Texans will take over on their own 4-yard line. 

9:50 p.m.:  Mercilus gets to Brees for the first sack of the day allowed by the Saints. 3rd-and-19 now for New Orleans.

9:49 p.m.:  Kamara escapes multiple tackles and just refuses to go down, rushing for 28 yards to the New Orleans' 46.

9:45 p.m.:  The ball takes a New Orleans bounce and travels only 34 yards. The Saints will start at the 28-yard line. 

9:41 p.m.:  Just as quickly as the Texans cross into Saints' territory, they're pushed back. Watson gets sacked twice and completes a pass for minus-1 yard and Houston is forced to punt. 

9:39 p.m.:  Watson trying to retake the lead finds Jordan Akins for a 17-yard pass to drive up to Houston's 38-yard line. Carlos Hyde follows that up with a carry for 18 yards to move out to New Orleans' 44-yard line.

9:35 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, SAINTS.  Brees finds Tre'Quan Smith in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass to kick off the fourth quarter. The Saints take the lead.  Saints 24, Texans 21

Third Quarter: Texans 21, Saints 17

9:24 p.m.:  Marcus Williams picks off Watson at the New Orleans 36-yard line. Hopkins up an unnecessary roughness penalty on the slam tackle after the pick for a 15-yard penalty. The Saints will begin their drive from the Texans' 49.

9:22 p.m.:  Carter is stopped at just the 16-yard line on the kickoff return for the Texans.

9:17 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, SAINTS.  Brees finds fellow Saints quarterback Taysom Hill — acting as a receiver — in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown pass.  Texans 21, Saints 17

9:06 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS.  Hopkins with his second touchdown reception of the evening, this time for 16 yards.  Texans 21, Saints 10

9:05 p.m.:  Marshon Lattimore picks off Watson, but an offsides penalty negates the pick. 

9:03 p.m.: Watson again dazzling on third down, scrambling 18 yards for the first down at the New Orleans' 27. The Texans' quarterback also making history with that rush.

8:55 p.m.:  TOUCHDOWN, SAINTS.  Latavius Murray takes the handoff 30 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. Texans 14, Saints 10

8:53 p.m.:  Alvin Kamara catches a pass and races 41 yards to the Houston 30-yard line.

8:52 p.m.:  Deonte Harris retursn the kickoff 15 yards to the 17-yard line to start off New Orleans' drive.

Second Quarter: Texans 14, Saints 3

8:37 p.m.:  Lutz's 56-yard field goal is no good. Saints will receive the second-half kickoff trailing by 11 at home.

8:34 p.m.:  The ruling of a catch by Thomas stands and New Orleans has a first down at its 47-yard line with 16 seconds left in the half. 

8:28 p.m.:  The Saints take the touchback and will start their drive from the 25-yard line. There is 1:47 remaining in the second half.

8:24 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS.  Watson finds Hopkins in the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.  Texans 14, Saints 3

8:18 p.m.:  Duke Johnson takes a catch 13 yards for a Texans' first down just before the two-minute warning.

8:15 p.m.:  The Texans made it into the red zone, but a holding penalty pulls them back to the 25-yard line. Now 2nd-and-16 with less than three minutes left in the half.

8:06 p.m.:  Watson is back out on the field at quarterback for the Saints after heading into the tent. He will begin the drive from the Texans' 25-yard line.

8:02 p.m.:  FIELD GOAL, SAINTS.  Brees moves the Saints 65 yards down field, but the drive ends at Houston's 14-yard line. Wil Lutz makes the 32-yarder though to put New Orleans on the board.  Texans 7, Saints 3

7:56 p.m.:  Fresh off allowing a 94-yard touchdown drive by the Texans, the Saints will begin their next drive from the 21-yard line.

7:55 p.m.:  Watson walks into the tent after the touchdown. He was slow to get up after landing in the end zone.

7:52 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN, TEXANS.  Watson carries the ball 21 yards on 4th-and-1 into the end zone to give Houston the early lead.  Texans 7, Saints 0

First Quarter: Texans 0, Saints 0

7:40 p.m.:  Will Fuller makes an over-the-head grab over Eli Apple for a 54-yard reception to put the Texans on the New Orleans' 40-yard line.

7:36 p.m.:  Whitney Mercilus picks off Brees at the Houston 4-yard line. He returns it two yards to give Watson the ball at his own 6. 

7:28 p.m.:  The Texans are again forced to punt. The Saints will start their drive from the Houston 49-yard line.

7:22 p.m.:  The Saints drive stalls at the Houston 45-yard line. The punt from Thomas Morstead starts the Texans at their own 9-yard line.

7:20 p.m.:  Michael Thomas with the first big play of the game, taking a pass 24 yards for a Saints first down. They're now at their own 47.

7:19 p.m.:  Illegal block in the back called on the Saints' return and New Orleans will start from its own 14.

7:17 p.m.:  After the Saints win a challenge of a completed pass by Deshaun Watson, Cameron Jordan is able to get to the Texans' quarterback for a sack. Houston is forced to punt.

7:10 p.m.:  The Texans receive the opening kickoff and take the touchback. They'll start their drive from their own 25-yard line.

Edward Sutelan

Edward Sutelan Photo

Edward Sutelan joined The Sporting News in 2021 after covering high school sports for PennLive. Edward graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019, where he gained experience covering the baseball, football and basketball teams. Edward also spent time working for The Columbus Dispatch and Cape Cod Times.