Emotional homecoming ends well for 3-0 Saints

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The New Orleans Saints knew it would be a special night, but the point was really driven home when they pulled into the parking lot at the refurbished Superdome.

Several hours before kickoff, tens of thousands of fans already were milling about in the streets, ready for a party that was a horrific year in the making.

Even quarterback Drew Brees had a tough time finding his parking spot, resolving at one point to maroon his car on an island before someone showed him the way.

No problem. After all New Orleans has been through, that hardly qualified as a hassle.

The Saints made a triumphant return to the Big Easy on Monday night, romping to a 23-3 victory over the Atlanta Falcons that - for several hours, at least - helped this battered city feel good about itself again.

Instead of worrying about insurance payments or grieving for those died, the fans cheered on Reggie Bush is his first home game, reveled in a defense that battered Michael Vick, marveled at a special teams that blocked two kicks, and roared when the Saints pulled off a trick play known, appropriately enough, as "The Superdome Special." They even got a chance to

salute once-reviled owner Tom Benson, who broke out his parasol and bounced around the field, just like the good ol' days before Hurricane Katrina changed life forever.

"From the moment I signed with the Saints, I was looking forward to this," said Brees, who joined New Orleans during the offseason. "It was a great night. It's something we'll never forget."

This one couldn't have been scripted any better for a team that spent all of last season on the road, and it couldn't have come at a better time for a city that is still struggling to overcome the devastation of Katrina.

After a Super Bowl-like pregame show that included a performance by supergroups U2 and Green Day, the Saints wasted no time turning their welcome-home party into Mardi Gras: The Falcons' first drive went three-and-out, and special teams demon Steve Gleason sliced through the middle of the Atlanta line to smother Michael Koenen's punt.

The ball skidded across the goal line, where Curtis Deloatch fell on it for a touchdown - the first given up by the Falcons this season. Just like that, Saints sent an emphatic message to the NFLand the entire country.

New Orleans is open for business.

Deloatch ran over to the stands and pointed at the crowd of 70,003, as if to say, "Take that Katrina!"

"That set the tone," Brees said. "That's when we all knew. This was our day, our night."

The Saints dedicated a game ball to the entire city.

"It meant a lot to them when the Saints didn't leave in their time of need," rookie Reggie Bush said. "When the people of New Orleans needed something to look to for confidence and something to be proud of, they looked to the Saints."

The Saints (3-0) poured it on against the Falcons (2-1), who fell behind 14-3 in the first quarter and never recovered. Devery Henderson scored New Orleans' second TD on an 11yard double-reverse, taking a handoff from Bush and cutting inside the pylon with help from a block by Brees.

How could that play not work? When fine-tuning it in practice, the Saints dubbed

their bit of chicanery "The Superdome Special" - a tribute to the stadium that was the scene of misery and despair in the days after Katrina, but has come back to life with a $185 million renovation.

John Carney kicked two field goals in the second period, including a 51-yarder that cleared the crossbar as time ran out. The Saints trotted to the locker room with a 20-3 lead and a rousing ovation ringing in their ears. The Falcons straggled off in the opposite direction, as if they already knew this wasn't going to be their night.

"As tough as it is to lose a game, I'd be lying if I said there isn't a little, little, little piece of me that didn't appreciate what this game meant to this city," said Falcons coach Jim Mora, whose father is the winningest coach in Saints history. "It meant a lot."

After Bono left the stage and former President George Bush took care of the coin flip, the Saints made sure the party lasted all night.

They dominated on special teams, also blocking a short field goal attempt by 46-yearold Morten Andersen. They held the Falcons, coming off a franchise-record 306 yards on the ground against Tampa Bay, to just 117 rushing. And they contained Vick, who completed 12-of-31 for 137 yards.

"I never in my life heard a crowd roar so loud," Vick said. "They deserve it."

Any hopes of an Atlanta comeback were snuffed out on the first possession of the second half. New Orleans took the kickoff and drove 73 yards in 12 plays, burning more than 7 1/2 minutes off the clock before settling for Carney's third field goal from 20 yards.

"Who 'dat? Who 'dat? Who 'dat say dey gonna beat 'dem Saints?" the fans chanted.

Not the Falcons. Not on this night.