NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- Aaron Brooks upstaged Peyton Manning by completing 19 of 22 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns and ran for an electrifying seven-yard score Sunday to lead the New Orleans Saints to a 34-20 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Joe Horn caught eight passes for 148 yards while rookie tight end Eddie "Boo" Williams made a surprising contribution for New Orleans with a pair of touchdown catches. Williams had just three catches in three games.
Manning threw for 262 yards and a touchdown with an interception and nearly ran for another score.
In one of the wildest plays of the NFL season, Manning fooled the Saints when he faked a spike as time expired in the first half, and raced for what appeared to be a 35-yard touchdown. However, the officials inadvertently blew the whistle while anticipating the spike and some of the Saints defenders froze.
The officials ruled the whistle stopped the play and the clock at one second and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 52-yard field for Indianapolis (4-5), tying the game at 17-17.
The Saints (5-4) took the lead for good when Brooks hit Williams with a 12-yard touchdown 3:25 into the third quarter.
Ricky Williams, who rushed for 120 yards on 28 carries, scored on a 14-yard run with 4:35 left in the fourth quarter to give New Orleans a 34-20 lead.
Colts coach Jim Mora returned to New Orleans for the first time since he stepped down as Saints coach midway through the 1996 season. Mora was the only winning coach in New Orleans history, before Jim Haslett succeeded Ditka in 2000.
Mora led the Saints to three playoff appearances and a 93-78 record in 10 1/2 years. They won 10 or more games on four occasions, but failed to win a playoff game in four postseason trips under Mora.
