AP:Saints 24, Redskins 20

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/30/sports1936EST0692.DTL

Saints 24, Redskins 20

JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer

Sunday, November 30, 2003

©2003 Associated Press

(11-30) 16:36 PST LANDOVER, Md. (AP) --

All Deuce, all the time.

Except for the touchdowns.

Deuce McAllister did everything but score for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. He had his ninth consecutive 100-yard rushing game, running for 165 yards on 30 carries and catching four passes for 31 more in a 24-20 victory over the Washington Redskins.

The victory moved the Saints (6-6) back to .500 and kept their playoff hopes realistic for at least another week. The Redskins (4-8) have lost three straight and seven of eight, and the defense failed to hold a lead by giving up the winning drive in the fourth quarter for the third straight week.

Aaron Brooks ran for two scores and passed for another, but McAllister handled the ball on 35 of New Orleans' 67 offensive plays. His ninth consecutive 100-yard game ties him for third all-time with Walter Payton and Fred Taylor. Barry Sanders holds the record with 14.

The winning score was Brooks' 15-yard pass to Boo Williams with 9:38 to play, a drive set up by Keyuo Craver's 52-yard kickoff return. Craver's was a rare big play after a day of gaffes by the Saints' special teams.

McAllister handled the ball four times on the six-play drive: three carries for 18 yards and a pass reception for 5 yards.

The game marred Tim Hasselbeck's first NFL start. With Patrick Ramsey out with a foot injury, Hasselbeck completed 22 of 42 passes for 232 yards with one interception, one lost fumble and a crucial third-down overthrow when Laveranues Coles was wide open late in the fourth quarter.

Ten of Washington's 12 games have been decided by seven points or fewer.

The Redskins were hurt by eight penalties for 120 yards, including two pass interference calls on Champ Bailey against receiver Joe Horn on the Saints' first two touchdown drives.

The Redskins did have two firsts: Chad Morton's 94-yard kickoff return was the first touchdown scored by Washington's defense or special teams all season, and Trung Canidate (115 yards) became the first Redskins back to have a 100-yard game this season.

The first three New Orleans drives ended in Washington territory, but the only score was Brooks' 7-yard quarterback draw on the first play of the second quarter. The drive began with a 40-yard pass interference call on Bailey.

The Redskins tied it on Rock Cartwright's 2-yard run, but McAllister broke the 100-yard mark in the second quarter with a 52-yard run that set up a field goal.

The Redskins were leading 17-10 in the third quarter, but they gave the Saints loads of help to tie it. Regan Upshaw's late hit on the quarterback and Bailey's second interference penalty accounted for 29 yards of a 77-yard drive. Brooks made Jessie Armstead whiff on 2-yard scramble for the touchdown.

John Hall's 49-yard field goal gave the Redskins their final lead, but the defense failed to hold the edge once again.

©2003 Associated Press