NEW ORLEANS -- A few thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 27-24 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:
What it means: Another crushing last-minute defeat for the Saints (4-5) has them back below .500. It was the fourth time they lost a game that they were leading in the final two minutes -- this time with a sack-fumble against Drew Brees setting up the game-winning field goal late in overtime.
The Saints rallied back from a 21-10 halftime deficit to take a 24-21 lead with less than two minutes remaining. But they let it slip away with a 51-yard pass from Colin Kaepernick to Michael Crabtree on a desperation fourth-and-10 play in the final minutes. Then the Saints had an apparent Hail Mary TD to Jimmy Graham called back for offensive pass interference (Graham pushed off cornerback Perrish Cox).
The Saints won't let this loss crush their spirits after what they've already been through -- especially not since they're still in first place in the woeful NFC South. But they know they can't afford to keep letting these games slip away.
Stock watch: Brees' stock surged in both directions during the course of this game. His two first-half interceptions continued a trend where he tried to force things -- his only real flaw this season, but one that has cost the Saints repeatedly. He was even showered with boos by the home fans before halftime.
Then Brees was outstanding in the second half, showing why he takes those risks with a dazzling TD pass to Graham after escaping a sack in the third quarter. Ultimately, though, he held on to the ball too long on the game-deciding play, allowing Ahmad Brooks to strip him from behind.
Controversial call: The most controversial play of the game was the call against Graham on the Hail Mary to end regulation. Graham definitely got a little push-off against Cox, but Cox may have also helped sell the play as he fell to the turf. Former NFL head of officials Mike Pereira called it a "great call" on Twitter.
Lewis plays hurt: Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis was initially ruled out of the game with a quad injury suffered before halftime. But he begged his way back onto the field in the second half. Though he was noticeably limping and played only part-time, he made one big third-down pass break-up.
Game ball: Running back Mark Ingram helped keep New Orleans in it with his third straight 100-yard game, including some impressive yards after contact in the third quarter. Ingram, who had just one career 100-yard game before this streak, has been extremely reliable while fellow backs Khiry Robinson and Pierre Thomas have been injured. He ran the ball 27 times for 120 yards.
Up next: The Saints' string of 11 straight home wins (and 20 with Sean Payton on the sideline) was snapped Sunday. But they'll get a chance to start up a new streak when they host the Cincinnati Bengals (5-3-1) next Sunday, followed by a Monday night home game against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12.
