On This Date in Sports December 21, 2003: A Wasted Miracle
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
Trailing 20-13 with seven seconds left and the ball on their own 25-yard line, the New Orleans Saints use a series of laterals to score a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The play ended with Jerome Pathon going the final 24 yards helped by a block by quarterback Aaron Brooks. The miracle play would go to waste as John Carney missed the PAT, allowing the Jaguars to hold on to a 20-19 win.
At 7-7, the New Orleans Saints led by Jim Haslett were a playoff longshot entering a Week 16 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Alltel Stadium. The Jaguars were in a year of transition and entered the game with a record of 4-10 under first-year coach Jack Del Rio. The Jaguars began the game with a long drive that went to waste when Ashley Ambrose intercepted Byron Leftwich as the 23. The Saints would also drive deep into Jacksonville territory as John Carey hit a 33-yard field goal. The Jaguars answered right away as Seth Marler hit a 43-yard field goal at the start of the second quarter. The Saints also continued to move the ball well against the Jaguars defense but blew a chance to retake the lead on a fumble by Deuce McAllister. It would take just five plays for Jacksonville to go 62 yards to take the lead for the first time, as Leftwich connected with LaBrandon Toefield on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The Saints defense would step up to get the game tied later in the second quarter, as Fred Thomas returned an interception to the Jacksonville eight-yard line allowed Aaron Brooks to tie the game with a two-yard pass to Boo Williams. Byron Leftwich was able to shake off his second interception of the game and closed the first half with a steady seven-play 70-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Fred Taylor.
Leading 17-10, the Jaguars continued to move the ball against the Saints defense but turned the ball over on downs at the Saints 24 on their first possession of the third quarter. The teams would trade field goals the rest of the third quarter, with Carney hitting one from 38 yards, while Marler was good from 34 yards. As the fourth quarter began the Jaguars defense made a big play forcing a fumble by McAllister near midfield. However, they could not extend the lead as Seth Marler had a 21-yard field goal blocked by Fakhir Brown.
With two minutes left the Jaguars appeared to have the game all but won, leading 20-13 when Aaron Brooks fourth-down pass from the nine, fell incomplete in the end zone. The Jaguars were unable to run out the clock, as the Saints got the ball back at their own 25 with 11 seconds left. Brooks first attempt to win the game resulted in an incomplete pass. Now with seven seconds left, New Orleans had one last chance to tie the game. Aaron Brooks started the play by hitting Donte Stallworth on a pass at midfield. Stallworth slipped passed the tackle attempt by Fernando Bryant and ran down to the 30 where he pitched the ball back to Michael Lewis. Lewis went five yards and tossed it to Deuce McAllister who in heavy traffic made it to the 20, before tossing it back to Jerome Pathon, who had a clearing from the 24 and ran down and dove into the end zone to stun the Jaguars. The play would be called the “River City Relay.”
Instead of trying to roll the dice and win the game, Saints coach Jim Haslett decided to play it safe and go to overtime, with the reliable John Carney kicking the extra point. Carney a longtime NFL veteran was usually money on PATs, with a better than 98% success rate. In fact, other than two blocks one in 1995 and the other in 1999 he had not missed an extra point in a decade. However, this time with the Saints gleefully celebrating new life and the Jaguars stunned and trying to recoup for overtime. Overtime though would not be necessary as John Carney missed right, allowing the Jaguars to hold on for a 20-19 win.