Pierre Thomas takes a Drew Brees screen pass for a 38-yard TD reception against the Vikings in the 2009 NFC Championship game! Pierre Thomas was so dam great on screen passes! @J_7TRE_E with 2 blocks! #Saints > #Skol pic.twitter.com/KB2Kz9CcW3
— New Orleans Saints History (@SaintsHistory) February 3, 2022
You could pick almost any play from the 2009 NFC championship game and argue that it deserves a spot in the highlight reel. Between all of the turnovers taken away, lead changes, touchdowns scored, dramatic field goals and yes, the big hits, it remains one of the hardest-fought games in NFL history.
And this 38-yard touchdown from Pierre Thomas stands as one of the best plays in a game full of standout individual efforts. He was always regarded as one of the best running backs on screen passes, and this scoring play was a great example of it. Thomas caught the ball cleanly out of the backfield from Drew Brees and turned up the field to follow his blockers for 38 yards into the end zone.
Of course he didn’t do it alone. Sean Payton designed a great play and called it at the perfect time, taking advantage of the Minnesota Vikings defense as they misread what was in front of them. Brees threw a great football. But the offensive line made this happen. Blockers got out in front to clear a path for Thomas, including all-star right guard Jahri Evans, who walled off two Vikings defenders during the play. Wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey cleared out the last ten yards with left guard Carl Nicks escorting Thomas to the end zone, untouched.
And the six points he scored proved to be pivotal. The Saints and Vikings traded body blows before going to overtime, where Garrett Hartley sent New Orleans to Super Bowl XLIV with a game-winning field goal. But they wouldn’t have gotten there in the first place if Thomas didn’t put their first points on the scoreboard.
