Saints Offense Rolls Past 49ers Defense In 41-23 Win

Drew Brees threw two touchdown passes to Michael Thomas and another to Mark Ingram, who also ran for a 75-yard score a week after being benched as the New Orleans Saints cruised to a 41-23 road victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Saints Offense Rolls Past 49ers Defense In 41-23 Win

Ingram, who was replaced by Tim Hightower during last Sunday’s 25-20 win against Seattle after fumbling for a second consecutive game, scored his second consecutive TD for New Orleans on a career-long run immediately after DuJuan Harris caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from Colin Kaepernick. Ingram’s run was also the second-longest in Saints history, and he finished with 158 yards rushing.

The Saints (4-4) have regained some momentum and returned to the race in the NFC South. They won for the fourth time in five games after an 0-3 start and eighth in the last 10 regular-season meetings with San Francisco. The 49ers, (1-7) meanwhile, couldn’t avoid suffering their seventh straight loss since shutting out the Los Angeles Rams in their season opener.

Brees impressed in his debut game at Levi’s Stadium. The QB finished 28 of 39 for 323 yards in the Saints’ first trip to San Francisco since a 36-32 loss in the divisional playoffs following the 2011 season.

Brees now has 449 career touchdown passes, leaving him one shy of becoming the third player to throw for 450 TDs. Peyton Manning (539) and Hall of Famer Brett Favre (508) are the others.

Kaepernick tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass to Vance McDonald just before halftime, when the Saints led 31-20. In Kaepernick’s third game back as starter, he delivered his strongest performance yet: He became the 15th player in franchise history to rush for 2,000 yards and went 24 of 39 for 398 yards passing – second most yards of his career.

Hightower ran for a four-yard TD in the first to put New Orleans up for good. Craig Robertson’s interception of a pass by Kaepernick and return of 29 yards just four plays later set up Brees’ 1-yard TD pass to Thomas.

Phil Dawson kicked field goals of 49, 48 and 46 yards for the Niners.

The Saints will next host the Denver Broncos on Sunday, while the 49ers will visit the Arizona Cardinals that day.

SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 6: Fullback John Kuhn #29 of the New Orleans Saints turns with a catch against defensive back Jimmie Ward #25 of the San Francisco 49ers in the second half on November, 6 2016 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The Saints won 41-23. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)