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Fleur de listless: At home in the Dome, Saints fall to 0-3

(Sports Network) - There are two words printed on the side of a very large banner currently hanging off the front of the Louisiana Superdome. Two words that fully characterized a team which made an improbable run to the NFC title game in 2006.

"Attitude matters." Or, at least it did last year.

This season's squad, which limped back to the Big Easy for a Monday night match-up with Tennessee, was certainly in need of a little home improvement. But this time there was no spark for a team that rallied this dilapidated city a year ago. This time the opposition cleaned house, and a sea of 70,002 black-and-gold supporters suddenly showered boos that came in spatters, then in waves.

Because the scoreboard will tell a tale of two halves. It will reveal, for instance, that New Orleans battled back from an early 10-point deficit, using a darting touchdown run by Reggie Bush with 1:00 left and Olindo Mare's extra point to make it a 10-7 game at intermission.

It will also show that the Saints took over at the start of the second half and marched 62 yards in nine plays in just under five minutes, capped off by Bush's second one-yard scoring run of the night to give the team a 14-10 advantage.

But it won't tell you that quarterback Drew Brees had another dismal game, and in committing five turnovers, sealed New Orleans' fate long before a critical fourth-quarter fumble in which Brees was stripped of the ball on a blind side hit by Titans' defensive end Travis LaBoy.

Tennessee's Randy Starks recovered. The game clock continued to run. And 10 plays and 55 yards later, a three-yard TD pass from Vince Young to tight end Bo Scaife gave the Titans a 24-14 lead with 8:55 left in the game.

The fleeting momentum was gone. So were the fans, who headed for the exits denied of any raucous celebrations.

Vincent Fuller's 61-yard interception return then closed the book on any trace of what was once a feel-good story not only for the city of New Orleans, but for the entire NFL.

The final score was 31-14. The Saints fell to 0-3 for the first time since 1997, when they went on to finish 6-10 under head coach Mike Ditka.

"Obviously this was a disappointing loss for us," head coach Sean Payton said after the game. "When we scored the (go-ahead) touchdown in the third quarter I thought that we captured some momentum, but it wasn't meant to be. It's frustrating."

FROM BAD TO WORSE

The Saints also lost much more than a game on Monday night when running back Deuce McAllister tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial meniscus in his left knee. He will miss the remainder of the season.

McAllister limped off after catching a one-yard pass and landing awkwardly with about eight minutes left in the first half. He was treated on the sideline, then headed off to the locker room. He didn't return to the game.

McAllister finished the night with just five yards on four carries, and Bush managed only 15 yards the entire game. The Saints finished with just 34 yards on the ground.

Last season McAllister rushed for 1,057 yards and 10 touchdowns. He'll finish this season with 87 yards on 20 carries and three receptions for 14 yards.

"You feel helpless because it's about making plays," McAllister said Tuesday. "Guys respect you when you can go out and make plays on the field. That's what it's about, not only on this team, but any team. A lot of times it may come down to not being good in the locker room that it breaks the chemistry, but it's about making plays. I can't do that right now."

The team also learned starting cornerback Jason David will be sidelined for an indefinite period of time with a fractured forearm.

BREES & COMPANY GIVE IT AWAY

The Saints desperately need to improve on just about every facet of the game, but nobody needs to work harder than the fizzling and frustrated Brees, who just can't seem to do anything right.

Against the Titans he connected on 29-of-45 passes for 225 yards, but also threw a career-worst four interceptions -- three of them picked off by Keith Bulluck. Moments before Bullick's third INT, Fuller returned his first career pick for a touchdown.

Brees now has seven interception, against one touchdown pass. There is, however, plenty of blame to go around.

The left side of the offensive line -- namely tackle Jammal Brown and guard Jamar Nesbit -- got manhandled the entire night. The apathetic performance not only knocked Brees off his game, it sent the signal-caller scrambling to make something out of nothing.

DISPIRITING DEFENSE

New Orleans, playing in a zone scheme on defense for most of the night, failed to stop Tennessee's tandem of LenDale White and Chris Brown.

White covered 50 yards on 17 carries and ended a third-quarter drive with a one-yard TD run to put the Titans ahead for good. Brown also added another 38 yards on the ground

Young, who shrugged off a minor wrist injury in the first half, then polished off another solid performance. He finished 14-of-22 for 164 yards and also ran three times for 23 yards.

It was same old story for a Saints defense that, once again, failed to dig deep. And by the end of the third quarter, all parties involved looked solidly anemic and downright exhausted.

ON THE SLATE

For most teams, it would be great to head into a bye week with a winning record. New Orleans, on the other hand, would have simply settled for a win.

In order to become the first team in nine seasons to reach the playoffs after an 0-3 start, the Saints need a major overhaul before hosting NFC South rival Carolina (currently 2-1) on October 7.

Even with the health of Panthers' starting quarterback Jake Delhomme in question, the team has a pair of solid weapons with the backfield tandem of DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams that could leave the Saints completely overmatched.

"The bye week, initially I thought it was too early, but now I think it comes at a good time," said Brees. "We're just trying to get the first win right now and we have 13 games left, but are just trying to get that first one right now. That's where our focus is and has to be.

"We will all take a step back and take a deep breath. I don't think we can feel any worse then we feel right now. So it can only go up from here."

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