'Two Hall of Fame quarterbacks just battling it out': A mini-oral history of 2015 Superdome Duel

METAIRIE, La. -- Six pb changes, 13 violative touchdowns and a combined 101 points. Drew Brees and Eli Manning battled to the past second, combining for 855 full passing yards connected Nov. 1, 2015, astatine the Caesars Superdome.

The 2 quarterbacks, some modern-era candidates for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame, scored connected astir each possession successful a chaotic crippled that ended with the Saints winning 52-49 connected a 50-yard tract extremity arsenic clip expired.

As the 10th day of the crippled approaches, it remains tied for the fifth-highest scoring crippled successful NFL history.

"It was an violative player's dream," erstwhile Saints choky extremity Benjamin Watson told ESPN this week erstwhile asked astir the game.

Only 2 players from that crippled stay progressive -- New Orleans antiaircraft extremity Cameron Jordan and wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who returned to the Saints this twelvemonth aft an eight-season absence. Then-Giants manager Tom Coughlin is retired, portion Sean Payton is coaching the Denver Broncos.

For antiaircraft players specified arsenic Jordan and erstwhile Giants linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who besides played for the Saints aboriginal successful his career, it's a crippled they'd alternatively forget.

"That was 10 years ago. Geez Louise," Jordan said this week. "In my mind, it was a adjacent game, but we won. I decidedly callback a shootout."

Casillas said helium remembers astir thing from that time -- connected purpose.

"Tried to artifact everything from my brain. It was 7-on-7 wherever the shot doesn't interaction the ground," Casillas told ESPN this week. "Defensively, you don't ever privation to beryllium a portion of that connected either broadside -- 101 full points, 13 TD passes, 1,200 yards, immoderate it was. It was insane."

But for the violative players involved, each item inactive resonates.

"Drew Brees, helium could astir apt archer you the nonstop gait enactment that they were connected with the enactment that helium called to enactment america up for the win," Jordan said. "I can't springiness you that."

ESPN spoke to existent and erstwhile Saints (0-4) and Giants (1-3) players this week, starring up to the existent teams' matchup astatine the Superdome connected Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

"Pretty chaotic however that full crippled unfolded," Brees told ESPN this week. "I tin retrieve each touchdown successful the crippled and the concern astir it, but ... it was conscionable high-level discourtesy connected some sides."

Here's however those progressive remembered 1 of the craziest violative shootouts successful modern NFL history.

The Giants (4-3) and the Saints (3-4) needed wins to support their playoff hopes alive. Players connected some sides said they envisioned a high-scoring game. Brees knew helium would person to relationship for 2 things. He wanted to counteract the emotion of Louisiana natives Odell Beckham Jr. and Eli Manning returning to play successful the Superdome, but Brees also knew helium would person to outmatch Giants antiaircraft coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who spent 1 play with the Saints successful 2012.

Brees: It conscionable created this situation wherever it was literally, don't look astatine the scoreboard, conscionable beryllium determination and effort to people each clip you interaction the shot and hold unti...