Redskins win home opener over Saints, 29-24

Jason Campbell’s 67-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss and rookie safety Chris Horton’s second interception of the game capped a nine-point comeback for the Washington Redskins today, giving Jim Zorn his first victory as an NFL head coach with a 29-24 win over the New Orleans Saints.

The Moss-Campbell play came with 3:29 remaining. Horton’s interception — off a Demetric Evans tip — came with 2:59 left.

The Redskins ran out the clock after converting a key third down.

• Trust in his quarterback gives Zorn initial win with Redskins

• Click here for a photo gallery of the game

Campbell completed 29 of 36 passes for 321 yards, Moss caught seven passes for 164 yards, and Clinton Portis scored two rushing touchdowns.

The win prevented the Redskins’ second 0-2 start in three years.

The Saints (1-1), which deferred until the second half, capitalized on that decision to make it 17-9 on the first drive of the third quarter.

New Orleans marched 80 yards on 11 plays before Robert Meachem’s 19-yard touchdown pass from Drew Brees.

Earlier on the drive, New Orleans converted a third-and-7 (18-yard pass to Pierre Thomas) and a third-and-5 (12-yard pass to David Patten).

The Redskins answered with a 10-play, 83-yard drive to make it 17-15. The big plays were a 27-yard Santana Moss catch and a defensive holding play on a third down snap that saw Campbell sacked. Portis capped the drive by following lead blocker Mike Sellers around the left side for a 9-yard touchdown run with 4:56 left in the third quarter.

New Orleans stretched the lead to 24-15 entering the fourth quarter, when Bush returned a punt 55 yards — untouched — for the score.

The Redskins made it 24-22 with 5:59 remaining when Portis scored on an 8-yard run to cap an 82-yard drive that included Campbell completions of 23, 17, 6, 25 and 11 yards.

The Redskins dominated the first quarter statistically, much as they were pounded last week by the New York Giants. Washington held the advantage in first downs (7-1), yards (113-21, including 54-0 in rushing) and time of possession (11:12-3:48). But Washington held only a 3-0 lead.

The Redskins’ opening drive stalled at the 31, and Suisham kicked wide left from 49 yards.

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