Vikings Escape New Orleans With Victory

New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush (25) fumbles the ball as Minnesota Viking linebacker...

New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush (25) fumbles the ball as Minnesota Viking linebacker Chad Greenway (52) makes the stop in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. Minnesota recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Brian Lawdermilk)

(AP)

The New Orleans Saints committed so many blunders, not even Reggie Bush's record-tying two punt returns for touchdowns could make up for them in a 30-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.

Gus Frerotte passed for 222 yards and a game-tying touchdown to Bernard Berrian with 7:10 to play, and Ryan Longwell's 30-yard field goal with 13 seconds left gave the Vikings the comeback win.

"This is as good a win as it gets," Vikings coach Brad Childress said. "I don't know if I've ever been involved in one that went that way."

Longwell's game-winning kick was set up by a pass interference call on a long throw to Berrian, who was run into before the ball came down despite being double-covered. That was only the latest gaffe by New Orleans.

Martin Gramatica, who had a field goal blocked and returned 59 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, missed a 46-yarder that could have given the Saints (2-3) a lead with two minutes to go.

Soon after, Minnesota (2-3) was celebrating Longwell's winning kick.

New Orleans committed four turnovers, dropped several passes and was called for 11 penalties for 102 yards. New Orleans also tried to catch the Vikings off guard with an onside kick, but Minnesota recovered, setting up Longwell's 53-yard field goal, which tied his season long.

"It's probably one of the weirdest games I've ever been involved in," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. "Just the way this thing kind of went back and forth. I'm trying to digest it all right now and in the end it's a loss. That's extremely disappointing, especially when once again we have a chance to win it at the end."

The loss was reminiscent to a 34-32 setback at Denver in Week 3, when Gramatica missed a 43-yard field goal that could have put the Saints ahead with about two minutes to go.

With the Saints trailing 20-10 late in the third quarter, Bush had his first touchdown return for 71 yards, slipping a tackle early and accelerating past a bone-jarring block at midfield by Jo-Lonn Dunbar.