Brees passes Favre with 3 TDs, Saints crush Bengals 51-14

Updated: Nov 11, 2018, 09:30 pm

CINCINNATI -- Drew Brees threw three touchdown passes in the first half, moving ahead of Brett Favre for second place on the career list, and the New Orleans Saints rolled to their eighth straight victory Sunday, 51-14 over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Brees led the Saints to touchdowns on all five first-half possessions with a nearly perfect performance -- only two incompletions. His 17-yard TD to Michael Thomas with 2 seconds left in the half gave him 509 career touchdown passes, one more than Favre.

Up next: Peyton Manning's record 539.

Brees had his way with the Bengals' historically bad defense , even diving over the pile to score a 1-yard touchdown. Cincinnati (5-4) became the first team in the Super Bowl era to give up 500 yards in three consecutive games; New Orleans finished with 509.

The Bengals matched the most lopsided defeat in franchise history and gave up the second-most points in club history. In the first half alone, the Saints piled up 311 yards and had 21 first downs on 40 plays. Brees was 18 of 20 for 214 yards with three touchdowns.

Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara recognized Dez Bryant by crossing their arms after scoring touchdowns. The former Cowboys receiver signed with the Saints on Wednesday but tore an Achilles tendon in his second practice.

The Saints sent the Rams to their first loss last week, 45-35, and kept the momentum with their highest-scoring game of the season. Ingram had 13 catches for 104 yards and Kamara had 12 for 56. Brees finished 22 of 25 for 265 yards and a passer rating of 150.4.

Another encouraging sign for the Saints: Their struggling defense held in check a Bengals offense missing A.J. Green, out indefinitely with an injured toe on his right foot. Andy Dalton went 12 of 20 for 153 yards with two interceptions, including one that Marcus Williams returned 78 yards to set up Brees' third touchdown throw.

BAD HISTORY

It's the fourth time the Bengals have lost a game by 37 points in their history. The club record for points allowed was 52 against Carolina in 2002.

INJURIES

Saints: LT Terron Armstead suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter.

Bengals: CB Dre Kirkpatrick suffered a concussion in the second quarter and didn't return.

UP NEXT

Saints: host the Eagles on Sunday.

Bengals: play at Baltimore on Sunday. The beat the Ravens earlier this year.

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