New Orleans, LA – Preston Parker caught a pair of touchdown passes and the New Orleans Saints greeted head coach Sean Payton back to the sideline with a 17-13 preseason victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Payton returned to the Saints following his year-long suspension for his role in the Bounty Gate scandal. New Orleans stumbled to a 7-9 record and a third place finish in the NFC South without him at the helm in 2012.
Drew Brees played two series and ended 7-of-10 for 65 yards. Before exiting, he led a 10-play, 74-yard march that set up a Garrett Hartley 24-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Luke McCown took the bulk of the snaps for New Orleans, completing 18-of-28 throws for 216 yards. He also tossed a pair of 2-yard third-quarter touchdowns to Parker, who had four catches for 43 yards and put the Saints ahead for good with his second score of the evening.
Andy Reid made his coaching debut for the Chiefs after spending 14 largely successful seasons in Philadelphia, and looks to improve on the team's abysmal 2-14 record in 2012.
Alex Smith, who came over in an offseason trade with San Francisco, was excellent on his only drive. He went 7-for-8 and threw for 68 yards, including a 13-yard throw on 3rd-and-6 that set up a 1-yard TD run for Jamaal Charles.
Charles finished with 13 yards on five carries and three catches for 27 yards.
The Chiefs went ahead 10-0 after Dexter McCluster returned a punt 55 yards to set up Ryan Succop for a 42-yard field goal. However, they would be shut out until the fourth, when Succop kicked a 32-yarder through.
The Chiefs got the ball three more times down 17-13, but were forced to punt each time.
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