Say Hey, Mayes Scores Three Times for Saints

Rueben Mayes, sidelined all of last season after Achilles’ tendon surgery, scored three of New Orleans’ first four touchdowns of the season Sunday as the Saints beat the Phoenix Cardinals, 28-7.

New Orleans (1-2) scored 15 points in two previous games, all on field goals by Morten Andersen.

Mayes’ touchdowns came on runs of 10 yards in the third quarter and four and 14 yards in the fourth period.

Mayes, who last scored a touchdown in the 12th game of the 1988 season, scored three touchdowns in a game for the first time. The former Washington State star scored two in the 12th week of the 1987 season, his second year in the NFL.

Saint quarterback John Fourcade, who entered the game with the NFL’s lowest quarterback efficiency rating (17.7), threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Eric Martin with 22 seconds left in the first half, breaking a scoreless tie.

“(It was a) relief,” Fourcade said. “We had finally scored that touchdown.”

Phoenix (1-2) tied it, 7-7, on a 37-yard pass from Timm Rosenbach to Al Proehl in the third quarter, the first passing touchdown for Phoenix this season.

The Cardinals took advantage of a mixup in the Saints’ secondary that left Proehl wide open at the 10-yard line with the closest Saint, Brett Maxie, 10 yards away.

The Cardinals missed two scoring opportunities in the first half. Al Del Greco was wide left on a 52-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, and Jim Wilks blocked a 37-yard attempt in the second period.

Mayes, who rushed for 99 yards in 16 carries, said: “I felt like I found another gear, the gear I had been looking for.”

Fourcade passed for 151 yards, completing 11 of 23 passes and throwing one interception.

Rosenbach, second-lowest quarterback in NFL rankings (35.4), completed 14 of 26 passes for 191 yards. He also ran six times for 39 yards, continuing to be the most prolific rusher among NFL quarterbacks.

“I refuse to be frustrated,” Rosenbach said. “I’m just going to go out every week and try to get better. That’s all I can do to help this team.”

Johnny Johnson led Phoenix in rushing with 68 yards in 22 carries.