Saints Surge Past Cardinals : NFC: Hebert passes for career-high 355 yards as New Orleans rolls to a 30-21 victory.

By Saints’ standards, it qualified as an offensive explosion.

The Saints, who managed two offensive touchdowns in only one game this season, made several big plays Sunday in a come-from-behind 30-21 victory over the Phoenix Cardinals.

Quarterback Bobby Hebert completed 19 of 26 passes for a career-high 355 yards and three touchdowns in the best performance of his career.

Hebert’s previous high 320 yards during a 27-0 victory over the Raiders last December.

“They came at me with a pretty good rush,” said Hebert, who was sacked once and had one pass intercepted. “But I was usually able to get away and find somebody.”

Hebert found Eric Martin for an 11-yard touchdown, Dalton Hilliard for a 15-yarder and Quinn Early for a 59-yarder.

“Some of the biggest passing plays weren’t conventional,” Hebert said. “They were ad-libbed.”

The Saints (5-2) trailed until Hebert connected with Hilliard to give New Orleans a 16-14 lead. On the Saints’ next possession, Hebert connected with Early to make it 23-14.

Craig Heyward closed the scoring for New Orleans with a six-yard run in the fourth quarter. Heyward was the Saints’ leading rusher with 30 yards on six carries.

“We weren’t flat,” Saint Coach Jim Mora said. “But we did not play well, did not have the intensity I’m used to.”

The Cardinals (1-5), ranked 27th against the run, held the Saints to 52 yards rushing.

Chris Chandler completed 19 of 30 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals. Randal Hill caught four passes for 60 yards.

The Cardinals led, 14-10, at halftime on the strength of some big plays by Chandler and two pass interference calls against the Saints.

On third and two at the Saints’ 21 in the first quarter, Chandler’s long pass to Randal Hill was incomplete, but Jimmy Spencer was called for interference. On the next play, Johnny Bailey dove over the middle for a one-yard touchdown.

In the second quarter, a 50-yard interference call on Reginald Jones gave the Cardinals a first down at New Orleans’ nine. Two plays later, Chandler connected with Ernie Jones in a seven-yard scoring play.

“I thought there were some areas of improvement,” Cardinal Coach Joe Bugel said. “The young kids played good. On defense, we stopped the rush. I thought we got some very good protection against a good pass rush. I saw some better things out there today.”

The Saints scored on Morten Andersen’s 52-yard field goal--his 19th career kick over 50 yards--which was set up by a 13-yard pass interference call on Aeneas Williams.