CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Rookie Donte' Stallworth caught a go-ahead, 29-yard touchdown pass with 1:11 remaining and safety Sammy Knight intercepted Jim Miller just short of the end zone in the final seconds Sunday to give the New Orleans Saints a 29-23 victory over the Chicago Bears.
"We always seem to win these type of games, but unfortunately they deserved it today," Bears coach Dick Jauron said. "We helped them, they helped us. But when you turn the ball over, you can't expect to win a lot of games."
Chicago (2-1) had won its last 12 games decided by seven points or less dating back to the 2000 season, including its opening two victories this year.
Miller hit David Terrell with a nine-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left in a season-opening 27-23 win over Minnesota and Jay Feeley missed a 45-yard field goal with 61 seconds remaining last week, allowing the Bears to escape Atlanta with a 14-13 triumph.
On Sunday, however, the Bears squandered a 20-0 lead and watched the Saints (3-0) make the key plays in the fourth quarter.
The first came when Stallworth caught a pass at the Chicago 15, broke a tackle and raced into the end zone to give New Orleans a 27-23 lead. Quarterback Aaron Brooks ran in for the two-point conversion.
"I kind of knew he (Austin) was going to miss the tackle," Stallworth said. "Once I got past him, I knew there was no one around to help him and that I would reach the end zone."
That set up the Bears for another fourth-quarter rally and they reached the New Orleans 18 with 10 seconds remaining. But Miller threw a pass over the middle into double coverage and Knight picked it off to seal the win.
"Our guys have great character," said Saints coach Jim Haslett. "I don't think we deserved to win the game, to be honest with you, after all the mistakes we made in the first half. But we fought back and overcame the adversity."
Brooks passed for three touchdowns and ran for another for the Saints, who are 3-0 for the first time since 1998.
"This says something about the character of this football team," said Brooks, who was 22 of 34 for 233 yards. "We beat a team that won 13 games last year and had us 20-0. We weathered the storm. This was exciting for us."
Brooks engineered a game-winning seven-play, 73-yard drive in two minutes to give New Orleans the lead with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter. Brooks scrambled 14 yards to the Chicago 41 and then hit Joe Horn with an 11-yard pass to the 30.
Two plays later, Stallworth turned a short pass into a 29-yard score for his third touchdown in as many weeks.
The Bears had time to drive down the field and reached the 18, but Miller threw an ill-advised pass over the middle intended for Dez White that was picked off by Knight.
"It was a play we always work with Dez White, but it did not work today," said Miller, who was 26 of 40 for 236 yards with an interception.
Anthony Thomas had 111 yards on 27 carries for the Bears.
After committing three turnovers that led to 13 points by Chicago and falling behind, 20-0, the Saints put together a long scoring drive in the second quarter and then capitalized on a Bears' fumble to pull within 20-14.
Deuce McAllister was held to 45 yards on 17 carries by the Bears, but turned a short pass into a 30-yard play on New Orleans' first scoring drive which resulted in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Brooks to Jerome Pathon with 7:21 left in the half.
On the ensuing kickoff, Chicago's Leon Johnson fumbled and Jerry Wilson recovered for the Saints at the Chicago 8. Two plays later, Brooks scored on a seven-yard run with 6:23 remaining.
"I certainly believe in Leon Johnson," Jauron said. "The sun was a huge factor on the kickoff and those things are going to happen."
The Saints started the third quarter with a 12-play, 65-yard drive and took their first lead of the game, 21-20 on a five-yard touchdown pass from Brooks to Joe Horn. The longest play in the drive was a 24-yard pass from Brooks to Pathon.
The Bears reclaimed the lead, 23-21, when Paul Edinger kicked a 25-yard field goal 6:17 into the fourth quarter.
Edinger kicked a 31-yard field and Miller connected with White on a 10-yard touchdown in the first quarter. The touchdown was set up by an interception by Austin at the Chicago 48.
Miller hit Marty Booker with a 22-yard touchdown pass 1:25 into the second quarter to increase the lead to 17-0.
Linebacker Marcus Knight recovered a fumble by Brooks at the New Orleans 13 to set up a 25-yard field goal by Edinger less than two minutes later.
