Alvin Kamara scored three touchdowns and the host New Orleans Saints overcame the loss of Drew Brees to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 27-13 on Sunday.
Kamara rushed for two touchdowns and caught Brees' final pass of the game for a second-quarter touchdown as the Saints (7-2) won their sixth consecutive game.
Brees did not play in the second half because of a rib injury and Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill played in his place. Brees completed 8 of 13 for 76 yards and Winston completed 6 of 10 for 63 yards. Hill did not throw a pass, but rushed eight times for 45 yards.
The injury to Brees apparently occurred when 49ers defensive lineman Kentavius Street was called for roughing the passer in the second quarter.
Nick Mullens made his fifth start in place of injured Jimmy Garropolo (ankle) for the 49ers (4-6) and completed 24 of 38 for 247 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
New Orleans led 17-10 at halftime and neither team scored in the third quarter.
Wil Lutz's 23-yard field goal gave the Saints a 20-10 lead with 12:15 remaining.
After the Niners fumbled a punt, Kamara ran 1 yard for a touchdown with 7:29 remaining.
Robbie Gould's 40-yard field goal cut the lead to 27-13 with 5:54 remaining.
San Francisco drove to the New Orleans 18, but Patrick Robinson intercepted Mullens in the end zone with 2:25 left.
The Niners took a 7-0 lead on the first possession of the game as Mullens' 4-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk completed a 13-play, 75-yard drive that produced the only first-quarter points.
San Francisco recovered a fumble by Deonte Harris on a punt return at the New Orleans 49-yard line. That led to Gould's 32-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead.
The Niners then lost the ball on a punt return, leading to Lutz's 49-yard field goal that cut their lead to 10-3.
Kamara ran 2 yards for a touchdown and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Brees to give the Saints a 17-10 halftime lead.
--Field Level Media
San Francisco | New Orleans | |
Jerick McKinnon | Player | Latavius Murray |
18 | Attempts | 9 |
33 | Yards | 57 |
1.8 | Avg Yards | 6.3 |
0 | Touchdowns | 0 |
9 | Long | 18 |
San Francisco | New Orleans | |
Brandon Aiyuk | Player | Alvin Kamara |
7 | Receptions | 7 |
75 | Yards | 83 |
10.7 | Avg Yards | 11.9 |
1 | Touchdowns | 1 |
22 | Long | 34 |
Yards | Scoring | Defense | ||||||
Team | Tot | Rus | Pas | TD | FG | INT | Sck | FF |
San Francisco | 281 | 49 | 232 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | 2 |
New Orleans | 237 | 114 | 123 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 |