The New Orleans Saints offense had their best opening drive of the year, if not longer. Drew Brees and company strung together a series of big gains through the air before running back Latavius Murray was given a huge block by new tight end Jason Vander Laan, recently called up from the practice squad. Vander Laan’s block cleared out a running lane that Murray took deep into the Carolina Panthers defense, adjusting his angle to sprint into the end zone and set the Panthers defenders up to where they couldn’t catch him.
Murray scored from 26 yards out to give the Saints an early lead over their NFC South division rival. See it for yourself in the video embedded below, or by following this link:
HOT SOUP COMIN' THROUGH! pic.twitter.com/M0fMPFuUCE
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) November 24, 2019
It’s the first opening-drive touchdown scored by the Saints offense since last year’s game with the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving, ending a 17-game drought; since then, the offense has ended those scripted drives with nine punts, four field goal tries (making three of them), and four interceptions, including the playoffs.
The long scoring run was the second such play for Murray this year. He scored New Orleans’ first touchdown of the year back in Week 1, sprinting 30 yards through the Houston Texans defense to reach the end zone. Murray proved he can make plays in the Saints offense during a two-week stint in the starting job while Alvin Kamara rehabbed knee and ankle injuries, and now Murray almost looks too good at times to take off the field.
[vertical-gallery id=22891]