Orchard Park, NY (My Sportsbook) - Pierre Thomas rushed for 126 yards and a pair of late scores on 14 carries as New Orleans shut down Buffalo, 27-7, at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Drew Brees finished 16-of-29 for 172 yards for the Saints (3-0), who also opened the 2006 campaign with three straight wins. Reggie Bush added 64 rushing yards on 13 touches while Marques Colston caught four balls for 67 yards.
Trent Edwards threw for 156 yards and one interception on 20-of-35 passing for the Bills (1-2), who were coming off a 33-20 victory over Tampa Bay. Buffalo's lone score of the contest came on a fake field-goal try in the second quarter.
Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens failed to record a catch despite being thrown to on five occasions, breaking a 185-game streak with at least one reception.
"When we moved the ball, we just couldn't finish," said Bills head coach Dick Jauron. "We didn't finish enough times to win the game clearly."
Thomas broke several tackles en route to a 34-yard touch down run with 9:45 left in the contest and the Saints took a 17-7 advantage.
A defensive stop and punt set the visitors up at their own 34, and John Carney capped the drive nine plays later for a 20-7 game with 3:21 to play.
Pinned deep in their own territory, the Bills went down meekly on the ensuing drive after two Edwards sacks and failing to convert a 4th-and-23 from the 14- yard-line. New Orleans took over at Buffalo's 25 and Thomas added his second touchdown of the quarter two plays later, a 19-yard scamper, with 2:03 left.
Buffalo once again failed to move the ball on the following series and Brees took a knee on the final three plays to end the game.
The Saints struck on the first drive of the afternoon, going 82 yards in 10 plays ending on Lynell Hamilton's one-yard run. The Bills countered on the second play of the second quarter when Brian Moorman connected with Ryan Denney on a 25-yard TD pass on a fake field-goal attempt.
Saints cornerback Malcolm Jenkins stripped the ball from Bills returner Roscoe Parrish, and the turnover set up Carney's 27-yard field goal with 4:17 left before halftime to put New Orleans ahead, and both offenses sputtered through the rest of the half and the third quarter.
"This was a quality opponent. You can't take anything away from Buffalo. We knew we would have our work cut out for us," said Saints offensive lineman Jon Stinchcomb.
Game Notes
The Saints have won four of the last six meetings, and have taken five of nine in the all-time series...Both teams are in action next Sunday as New Orleans hosts the Jets and Buffalo travels to Miami.
