New Orleans Saints vs. Denver Broncos: 2020 Week 12 Recap

Game story

In Week 12 of the 2020 NFL season on 2020-11-29, the New Orleans Saints took care of business against the Denver Broncos, pulling away with a 31–3 final that controlled the game from start to finish.

The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 17 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

T. Hill (New Orleans Saints) paced the passing game, with -10.79 total EPA, and -3.3% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, L. Murray (New Orleans Saints) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +7.49 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (-18.4% win probability) landed in the second quarter when Denver Broncos changed the game: (2:31) (Shotgun) 30-P.Lindsay Aborted. 79-L.Cushenberry FUMBLES at DEN 40, touched at DEN 39, RECOVERED by NO-58-K.Alexander at DEN 33. 58-K.Alexander to DEN 13 for 20 yards (72-G.Bolles).

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 L. Murray · New Orleans Saints · Rushing · +7.49 total EPA · 19 snaps · +0.39 EPA/play
2. 2 T. Hill · New Orleans Saints · Rushing · +6.20 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.78 EPA/play
3. 3 A. Trautman · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +2.32 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.32 EPA/play
4. 4 A. Kamara · New Orleans Saints · Rushing · +1.28 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.12 EPA/play
5. 5 T. Smith · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · +1.13 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.13 EPA/play
6. 6 N. Fant · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +1.13 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.57 EPA/play
7. 7 E. Sanders · New Orleans Saints · Receiving · -0.05 total EPA · 1 snaps · -0.05 EPA/play
8. 8 R. Freeman · Denver Broncos · Rushing · -0.22 total EPA · 8 snaps · -0.03 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 — T. Hill (Q2 40:23)
• New Orleans Saints — T. Hill (Q2 31:06)
• New Orleans Saints — L. Murray (Q3 17:21)
• New Orleans Saints — L. Murray (Q4 6:07)

Field goals

• New Orleans Saints — W. Lutz (Q2 30:05)
• Denver Broncos — B. McManus (Q3 22:01)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

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

The second quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 17–0. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the DEN 1 (Q2 40:23) — (10:23) (Shotgun) 64-W.Clapp reported in as eligible. 7-T.Hill right end for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q2 40:19) — 3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the DEN 2 (Q2 31:06) — (1:06) (Shotgun) 7-T.Hill right tackle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q2 31:03) — 3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead.; New Orleans Saints connected on a field goal from the DEN 22 (Q2 30:05) — (:05) 3-W.Lutz 40 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead..

The third quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 7–3. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the NO 39 (Q3 22:01) — (7:01) 8-B.McManus 58 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Bobenmoyer, Holder-6-S.Martin.; New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the DEN 36 (Q3 17:21) — (2:21) 28-L.Murray up the middle for 36 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q3 17:14) — 3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead..

The fourth quarter: New Orleans Saints won the period 7–0. New Orleans Saints found the end zone from the DEN 8 (Q4 6:07) — (6:07) 28-L.Murray right tackle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New Orleans Saints added 1 points from the DEN 25 (Q4 6:03) — 3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead..

Turning points

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

• Denver Broncos (Q2 32:31) — (2:31) (Shotgun) 30-P.Lindsay Aborted. 79-L.Cushenberry FUMBLES at DEN 40, touched at DEN 39, RECOVERED by NO-58-K.Alexander at DEN 33. 58-K.Alexander to DEN 13 for 20 yards (72-G.Bolles). [WPA -18.4% · EPA -6.38]
• New Orleans Saints (Q1 45:25) — (:25) 41-A.Kamara right guard pushed ob at DEN 38 for 15 yards (21-A.Bouye). [WPA +7.5% · EPA +1.01]
• New Orleans Saints (Q2 40:23) — (10:23) (Shotgun) 64-W.Clapp reported in as eligible. 7-T.Hill right end for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +6.5% · EPA +1.43]
• Denver Broncos (Q1 57:21) — (12:21) (Shotgun) 2-K.Hinton pass incomplete short right [94-C.Jordan]. [WPA -5.5% · EPA -1.79]
• New Orleans Saints (Q1 51:23) — (6:23) (Shotgun) 7-T.Hill sacked at NO 28 for -5 yards (55-B.Chubb). [WPA -4.9% · EPA -1.90]

Impact plays

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

• Denver Broncos (Q2 32:31) — (2:31) (Shotgun) 30-P.Lindsay Aborted. 79-L.Cushenberry FUMBLES at DEN 40, touched at DEN 39, RECOVERED by NO-58-K.Alexander at DEN 33. 58-K.Alexander to DEN 13 for 20 yards (72-G.Bolles). [WPA -18.4% · EPA -6.38]
• Denver Broncos (Q3 25:12) — (10:12) (Shotgun) 2-K.Hinton pass short right intended for 84-T.Fumagalli INTERCEPTED by 22-C.Gardner-Johnson [92-M.Davenport] at NO 47. 22-C.Gardner-Johnson pushed ob at 50 for 3 yards (84-T.Fumagall [WPA -3.2% · EPA -4.70]
• New Orleans Saints (Q3 24:15) — (9:15) (Shotgun) 7-T.Hill pass deep right intended for 13-M.Thomas INTERCEPTED by 34-E.Bassey (21-A.Bouye) at DEN 34. 34-E.Bassey pushed ob at NO 40 for 26 yards (41-A.Kamara). [WPA -2.6% · EPA -4.28]
• New Orleans Saints (Q3 17:21) — (2:21) 28-L.Murray up the middle for 36 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +1.9% · EPA +3.53]

Quarterback report card

T.Hill led all passers in efficiency for New Orleans Saints, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• T.Hill (New Orleans Saints) · 22 dropbacks · 40.9% completion · -3.3% CPOE · -0.49 EPA/play · -10.79 total EPA
• K.Hinton (Denver Broncos) · 11 dropbacks · 9.1% completion · -36.2% CPOE · -1.17 EPA/play · -12.92 total EPA

Team stats comparison

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

By the numbers

Despite the final score, New Orleans Saints generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.05 vs -0.49), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.

• Denver Broncos: 12 drives, -28.25 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
• New Orleans Saints: 12 drives, +4.41 total EPA, 5 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.
• L. Murray (New Orleans Saints) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• T. Hill (NO) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
• K. Hinton (DEN) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.

Every scoring play

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

1. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q2 40:23 · DEN 1 · Score 6-0
   (10:23) (Shotgun) 64-W.Clapp reported in as eligible. 7-T.Hill right end for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
2. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q2 40:19 · DEN 15 · Score 7-0
   3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
3. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q2 31:06 · DEN 2 · Score 13-0
   (1:06) (Shotgun) 7-T.Hill right tackle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
4. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q2 31:03 · DEN 15 · Score 14-0
   3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
5. New Orleans Saints FG (+3) — Q2 30:05 · DEN 22 · Score 17-0
   (:05) 3-W.Lutz 40 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
6. Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q3 22:01 · NO 39 · Score 17-3
   (7:01) 8-B.McManus 58 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Bobenmoyer, Holder-6-S.Martin.
7. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q3 17:21 · DEN 36 · Score 23-3
   (2:21) 28-L.Murray up the middle for 36 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
8. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q3 17:14 · DEN 15 · Score 24-3
   3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead.
9. New Orleans Saints TD (+6) — Q4 6:07 · DEN 8 · Score 30-3
   (6:07) 28-L.Murray right tackle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
10. New Orleans Saints XP (+1) — Q4 6:03 · DEN 25 · Score 31-3
    3-W.Lutz extra point is GOOD, Center-49-Z.Wood, Holder-6-T.Morstead.