Houston Texans vs. New Orleans Saints: 2003 Week 2 Recap

Game story

In Week 2 of the 2003 NFL season on 2003-09-14, the New Orleans Saints took care of business against the Houston Texans, pulling away with a 31–10 final that controlled the game from start to finish.

The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

D. Carr (Houston Texans) paced the passing game, with -16.88 total EPA.

On the individual side, J. Horn (New Orleans Saints) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +7.94 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (+16.1% win probability) landed in the third quarter when New Orleans Saints changed the game: (10:57) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 83-D.Stallworth for 35 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 26, Run 9

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.

1. 1 J. Horn · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +7.94 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.79 EPA/play
2. 2 D. Stallworth · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +5.55 total EPA · 2 snaps · +2.78 EPA/play
3. 3 C. Bradford · Houston Texans · Receiving · +4.53 total EPA · 2 snaps · +2.26 EPA/play
4. 4 A. Johnson · Houston Texans · Receiving · +4.47 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.89 EPA/play
5. 5 J. Gaffney · Houston Texans · Receiving · +3.85 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.77 EPA/play
6. 6 J. Simmons · Houston Texans · Rushing · +3.16 total EPA · 1 snaps · +3.16 EPA/play
7. 7 D. Carr · Houston Texans · Rushing · +2.75 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.69 EPA/play
8. 8 A. Brooks · New Orleans Saints · Passing · +2.12 total EPA · 32 snaps · +0.07 EPA/play

Player of the game

FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

• New Orleans Saints — D. McAllister (Q1 46:32)
• Houston Texans — D. Carr (Q2 40:24)
• New Orleans Saints — D. Stallworth (A. Brooks pass) (Q3 25:57)
• New Orleans Saints — E. Conwell (A. Brooks pass) (Q4 9:00)
• New Orleans Saints — D. Rodgers (Q4 2:53)

Field goals

• Houston Texans — K. Brown (Q2 30:06)
• New Orleans Saints — J. Carney (Q3 15:27)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.

The opening quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 7–0. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the HOU 24 (Q1 46:32) — (1:32) 26-D.McAllister right end for 24 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q1 46:24) — 3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger. PENALTY on HOU, Leverage, 15 yards, enforced between downs..

The second quarter: Houston Texans won the period 10–0. Houston Texans found the end zone from the NO 2 (Q2 40:24) — (10:24) 8-D.Carr left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Play Challenged by NO and Upheld. (Timeout #3 by NO at 10:17.); Houston Texans added 1 points from the NO 2 (Q2 40:17) — 3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.Pittman, Holder-7-C.Stanley.; Houston Texans connected on a field goal from the NO 12 (Q2 30:06) — (:06) 3-K.Brown 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.Pittman, Holder-7-C.Stanley..

The third quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 10–0. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the HOU 35 (Q3 25:57) — (10:57) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 83-D.Stallworth for 35 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 26, Run 9; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q3 25:50) — 3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger.; New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the HOU 21 (Q3 15:27) — (:27) 3-J.Carney 39 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger..

The fourth quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 14–0. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the HOU 2 (Q4 9:00) — (9:00) 2-A.Brooks pass to 85-E.Conwell for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 2, Run 0; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q4 8:56) — 3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the NO 64 (Q4 2:53) — (2:53) 8-D.Carr pass intended for 82-B.Miller INTERCEPTED by 59-D.Rodgers (33-A.Ambrose) at HOU 40. 59-D.Rodgers for 40 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the HOU 2 (Q4 2:43) — 3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.

• New Orleans Saints (Q3 25:57) — (10:57) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 83-D.Stallworth for 35 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 26, Run 9 [WPA +16.1% · EPA +4.36]
• Houston Texans (Q2 30:48) — (:48) (Shotgun) 8-D.Carr pass to 85-C.Bradford ran ob at NO 13 for 31 yards (20-J.Bellamy). Pass 31, Run 0 [WPA +14.6% · EPA +2.77]
• Houston Texans (Q2 40:24) — (10:24) 8-D.Carr left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Play Challenged by NO and Upheld. (Timeout #3 by NO at 10:17.) [WPA +10.9% · EPA +3.23]
• New Orleans Saints (Q3 19:41) — (4:41) 2-A.Brooks pass to 87-J.Horn ran ob at HOU 34 for 38 yards (24-E.Brown). Pass 11, Run 27 [WPA +8.6% · EPA +2.97]
• Houston Texans (Q1 56:55) — (11:55) (Punt formation) 30-J.Simmons left guard to NO 45 for 7 yards (22-F.Thomas). [WPA +7.5% · EPA +3.16]

Impact plays

Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.

• Houston Texans (Q4 2:53) — (2:53) 8-D.Carr pass intended for 82-B.Miller INTERCEPTED by 59-D.Rodgers (33-A.Ambrose) at HOU 40. 59-D.Rodgers for 40 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA -1.1% · EPA -7.95]
• New Orleans Saints (Q1 46:24) — 3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger. PENALTY on HOU, Leverage, 15 yards, enforced between downs. [WPA +1.1% · EPA -4.83]
• New Orleans Saints (Q3 25:57) — (10:57) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 83-D.Stallworth for 35 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 26, Run 9 [WPA +16.1% · EPA +4.36]
• Houston Texans (Q4 5:08) — (5:08) (Shotgun) 8-D.Carr pass intended for 85-C.Bradford INTERCEPTED by 54-D.Smith (33-A.Ambrose) at NO 49. 54-D.Smith to HOU 42 for 9 yards (82-B.Miller). [WPA -2.9% · EPA -4.30]

Quarterback report card

D.Carr led all passers in efficiency for Houston Texans, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• D.Carr (Houston Texans) · 44 dropbacks · 38.6% completion · -0.38 EPA/play · -16.88 total EPA
• A.Brooks (New Orleans Saints) · 32 dropbacks · 56.2% completion · +0.07 EPA/play · +2.12 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.

By the numbers

New Orleans Saints held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (-0.04 vs -0.20), even if the scoreboard told a different story.

• Houston Texans: 13 drives, -18.35 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
• New Orleans Saints: 14 drives, -3.02 total EPA, 4 scoring drives

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.

• New Orleans Saints leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
• J. Horn (New Orleans Saints) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.

1. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q1 46:32 · HOU 24 · Score 0-6
   (1:32) 26-D.McAllister right end for 24 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
2. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q1 46:24 · HOU 2 · Score 0-7
   3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger. PENALTY on HOU, Leverage, 15 yards, enforced between downs.
3. Houston Texans TD (+6) — Q2 40:24 · NO 2 · Score 6-7
   (10:24) 8-D.Carr left end for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Play Challenged by NO and Upheld. (Timeout #3 by NO at 10:17.)
4. Houston Texans XP (+1) — Q2 40:17 · NO 2 · Score 7-7
   3-K.Brown extra point is GOOD, Center-48-B.Pittman, Holder-7-C.Stanley.
5. Houston Texans FG (+3) — Q2 30:06 · NO 12 · Score 10-7
   (:06) 3-K.Brown 30 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-B.Pittman, Holder-7-C.Stanley.
6. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q3 25:57 · HOU 35 · Score 10-13
   (10:57) (Shotgun) 2-A.Brooks pass to 83-D.Stallworth for 35 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 26, Run 9
7. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q3 25:50 · HOU 2 · Score 10-14
   3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger.
8. New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q3 15:27 · HOU 21 · Score 10-17
   (:27) 3-J.Carney 39 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger.
9. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q4 9:00 · HOU 2 · Score 10-23
   (9:00) 2-A.Brooks pass to 85-E.Conwell for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Pass 2, Run 0
10. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q4 8:56 · HOU 2 · Score 10-24
    3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger.
11. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q4 2:53 · NO 64 · Score 10-30
    (2:53) 8-D.Carr pass intended for 82-B.Miller INTERCEPTED by 59-D.Rodgers (33-A.Ambrose) at HOU 40. 59-D.Rodgers for 40 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
12. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q4 2:43 · HOU 2 · Score 10-31
    3-J.Carney extra point is GOOD, Center-47-K.Houser, Holder-17-M.Berger.