Saints by the Numbers: Thomas breaks 40-year-old receptions record and other Week 1 superlatives

NEW ORLEANS – Monday would have marked the 40-year anniversary of one of the oldest marks in the Saints record book.

The record, for most receptions in a regular-season game, fell one day short of making it 40 full years in the books.

On Sept. 10, 1978, running back Tony Galbreath caught 14 passes against the Green Bay Packers. That mark was finally eclipsed Sunday when Michael Thomas had 16 receptions in the Saints’ 48-40 opening-day loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Interestingly, Galbreath’s record was only the most in a regular-season game. Darren Sproles caught 15 passes in the Saints’ divisional round loss at San Francisco in January 2012.

Thomas also had the most Week 1 receptions in NFL history. Keenan Allen had 15 catches on opening day of the 2015 season for the Chargers against Detroit.

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The combined 88 points by the Saints and Buccaneers are the most in a Week 1 game in NFL history.

The previous high was 87, when Philadelphia defeated Washington 45-42 on opening day of the 1947 season.

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Before Sunday, the Saints were 38-0 in games in which they scored 40 or more points; in other words, Sunday was the most points New Orleans has ever scored in a loss.

Exactly two-thirds of the Saints’ all-time 40-point games – 26 of 39 – have come since Sean Payton and Drew Brees’ arrival in 2006.

If you’re looking for something positive to take away from Sunday, the only other time the Saints eclipsed the 40-point mark in Week 1 was in 2009 against Detroit, a year which, of course, ended with a Super Bowl victory.

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As for allowing 40 points on Opening Day, it’s a script Saints fans have seen far too many times.

Sunday marked the ninth time in the 52-year history of the franchise it has allowed 40 or more points in an opener. The franchise record for points allowed – 62 – came in a Week 1 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in 1973.

SInce the Saints began play in 1967, no other NFL team has allowed 40 or more points more than four times in Week 1.

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While Brees extended his own NFL record with his 16th career 400-yard game, he also set another mark.

His 439-yard performance on Sunday was his third career 400-yard game on opening day, the most in NFL history. His other 400-yard opening day performances also came in losses – in 2011 at Green Bay on the opening Thursday night of the season, and in 2016 at home against Oakland.

Brees’ teams are now 8-8 in games in which he passes for 400 or more yards.

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While the Saints were a stop of a Ryan Fitzpatrick scramble away from getting one more offensive possession in the final two minutes with a chance to tie the game, history showed that this game was decided in the first half.

The Bucs became the 18th opponent in franchise history to score 30 or more points in the first half. The Saints are 0-18 in those games.

Research data provided by Pro Football Reference.