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          Saints' Drew Brees tosses a 'pop-a-shot' touchdown pass to Latavius Murray

          Chris Graythen/Getty Images
          • Mike Triplett, ESPN Staff WriterJan 10, 2021, 10:00 PM
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            • Covered Saints for eight years at New Orleans Times-Picayune
            • Previously covered LSU football, San Francisco 49ers
            • Iowa native and University of Iowa graduate
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          NEW ORLEANS -- Nothing has come easy for the New Orleans Saints' offense against a feisty Chicago Bears defensive front. That was especially true on Drew Brees' improvised 6-yard touchdown pass to running back Latavius Murray late in the third quarter Sunday.

          Brees barely got rid of a dump-off pass to Murray after escaping the pocket under heavy pressure when his first couple of reads weren't open. And Murray did an excellent job of turning to look for the ball after delivering a block on the play.

          Murray then did the rest of the work for the touchdown and a 14-3 lead with 4:08 remaining in the third quarter. The Saints also benefited from a gift from the Bears' defense two plays earlier, when the Bears jumped offside on fourth-and-3 to give New Orleans a fresh set of downs.