Saints frustrate Vikings in NFL's season opener

NEW ORLEANS - Drew Brees and the Saints extended New Orleans' post-Super Bowl euphoria for at least another week and handed Brett Favre a second straight loss in the Louisiana Superdome.

Brees completed 27 of 36 passes for 237 yards and one touchdown as the Saints survived a hard-fought season opener for a 14-9 victory last night.

It wasn't the most spectacular way to open a title defense, considering it was a rematch of the riveting NFC Championship Game last January, in which the Saints won in overtime to advance to their first Super Bowl.

It was the lowest-scoring victory of the Sean Payton era, which began in 2006. Still, the Saints will take it, considering their defense limited Favre to 171 yards passing and one score.

Unlike the NFC title game, the Vikings didn't fumble and turned the ball over only once. Jonathan Vilma intercepted Favre, who made an ill-advised throw as Roman Harper hit him on a safety blitz.

Also unlike their previous meeting, the Saints had most of the statistical advantages, outgaining Minnesota 308 yards to 253 and controlling the ball for 33:43, compared to 26:17 for Minnesota.

New Orleans would have won more easily if not for two missed field goals by Garrett Hartley, who made the dramatic winning field goal the last time.

Still, New Orleans was able to kneel to run out most of the last two minutes after Pierre Thomas capped a 71-yard, one-TD game with a 10-yard run on first down right after the two-minute warning.

Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, who ran for 122 yards and three TDs in the last meeting, rushed for 87 yards.

Although the game was competitive until the final minutes, it hardly lived up to its hype. Favre's comeback from ankle surgery, marking the start of his 20th season, was largely unspectacular. Despite being sacked only once and hit not nearly as often, or as hard, as in the NFC title game, he looked out of sync or inaccurate at times.