NEW ORLEANS — The Saints just kept marching Sunday in New Orleans, no matter how many times the Seattle Seahawks offense tried to get in their way.
And, finally, after a game that featured six lead changes, the Saints made themselves at home, beating the visiting Seahawks 39-32 at the Superdome Sunday.
They did so thanks mostly to three touchdown runs by Taysom Hill, the Saints complementary quarterback, including a 60-yarder with 5:22 left that put New Orleans ahead for good.
Hill came in often as a running quarterback in place of Andy Dalton, and finished with 112 yards on nine carries as the Seahawks never seemed to know where he was.
Seattle not only fell to 2-3 with the loss but also saw leading rusher Rashaad Penny (ankle) and defensive co-captain and nose tackle Al Woods (knee) leave with injuries.
Hill’s big day helped the Saints overcome another sterling performance from Seattle QB Geno Smith, who finished 16-for-25 for 268 yards and three touchdowns — two to Tyler Lockett on throws of 35 and 40 yards.
Seattle briefly appeared as it if might steal the game from the Saints, scoring 13 points in roughly seven minutes to begin the fourth quarter to overcome a 12-point deficit.
The Seahawks got the ball back at their own 22 with 7:40 to play after the Saints punted the Seattle 47. The Saints thought they had a first down on a third-and-2 play when rookie end Boye Mafe appeared to have jumped offsides. Instead, the Saints were called for a false start and then punted.
After a 9-yard completion on first down, rookie Kenneth Walker III — playing in place of the injured Penny — took a handoff. After initially going left, he cut through a big hole to the right and into wide-open territory and was gone for the first touchdown of his career.
Coupled with the extra point, Seattle had a 32-31 lead with 6:54 remaining.
But the lead didn’t last long as Hill ran 60 yards for a TD on a third-and-1 play on the Saints’ next possession. A Mark Ingram run on the two-point play gave the Saints a 39-32 lead with 5:22 left.
Seattle couldn’t move it on its next possession, and the Saints ran out the clock to end the game.
Penny was carted off the field with an ankle injury early in the third quarter.
Penny appeared to injure his left leg on Seattle’s first series of the third quarter.
Penny did not return after he was forced out of bounds after a 6-yard run with 11:31 left in the third quarter.
After Penny left the field, the team announced he was questionable to return and then listed as doubtful.
Penny had 346 yards on 57 carries this season before being injured.
The Seahawks led 19-17 at the end of a first half that featured some large swings in emotion and momentum for each team.
After the Saints scored first on a field goal, Seattle took the lead at 7-3 on a 50-yard pass from Smith to Metcalf. Smith was pressured on the play and then ran up into the pocket to find Metcalf open downfield. Metcalf then raced through a few defenders into the end zone.
Seattle led 10-3 at the end of the first quarter following a 56-yard field goal by Jason Myers.
But the Saints dominated most of the rest of the half with Hill scoring on TD runs of 8 and 9 yards to give New Orleans a 17-10 lead.
The second one came after Seattle punter Michael Dickson was tackled and the fumbled the ball away at his own 13.
Dickson took off running on what was a fourth-and-9 after the Seahawks had been penalized for a false start on the previous punt attempt, which also appeared as if it could have been a fake.
Seattle responded with another drive for a field goal to cut the lead to 17-13 with 1:42 left in the first half.
The Saints quickly moved into Seattle territory, appearing ready to at least try a field goal before the half ended.
But Seattle rookie cornerback Coby Bryant forced a fumble by Saints running back Alvin Kamara after a pass reception, and fellow rookie Tariq Woolen recovered it and returned it to midfield.
From the 35, the Seahawks saw the Saints in a three-man rush, and Smith — given time — fired a perfect strike to Lockett in the back of the end zone for a touchdown with 7 seconds left in the half, which left the Superdome crowd stunned.
Seattle had a 220-185 edge in yards at the end of the half.
The Saints regained the lead early in the third quarter on a 16-yard pass from Dalton to rookie Chris Olave.
The TD came after the Saints got the ball at the Seattle 31 after DK Metcalf fumbled the ball away after an eight-yard gain on what was Seattle’s first play of the second half. Olave suffered a concussion on the play and did not return.
The Saints needed just six plays to cash in.
Penny was hurt on the following series.
A 54-yard screen pass from Dalton to Kamara set up a 22-yard TD pass from Dalton to Adam Trautman with 36 seconds left in the third quarter to give the Saints a 31-19 lead.
Seattle cut the lead to 31-25 with a 40-yard pass from Smith to Lockett with 14:08 left to play — Lockett’s second TD reception of the day and Smith’s third TD.
But a two-point conversion attempt failed.
Seattle got the ball back, and Walker’s 69-yard run momentarily gave the Seahawks the lead.
But Hill’s final TD proved too much to overcome.
This story will be updated.