Drew Brees, Saints Stun Deshaun Watson, Texans on Wil Lutz's Walk-Off FG

Deshaun Watson and Drew Brees put on a show on the Monday night stage, but Wil Lutz was the hero.

The New Orleans Saints kicker drilled a game-winning 58-yard field goal as time expired to propel his team to a 30-28 victory over the Houston Texans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. It was a career-long kick for Lutz and a stunning way for the Saints to begin their quest for a third straight NFC South title.

Brees was masterful on the final possession, starting from his own 25-yard line with 37 seconds remaining and finding Ted Ginn Jr. twice and Michael Thomas once to set up the field goal right after Watson had directed a two-play, 75-yard drive of his own that he capped with a 37-yard strike to Kenny Stills.

Brees finished 32-of-43 for 370 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, while Watson countered at 20-of-30 for 268 yards, three touchdowns, one interception and one rushing touchdown.

Brees Proves He Can Direct Super Bowl Run Even in Game-Managing Role

Put another incredible performance on Brees' resume.

There is no questioning his status as one of the game's all-time legends as a Super Bowl champion, 12-time Pro Bowler and the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards. He is a surefire Hall of Famer who is now just 17 touchdown passes behind Peyton Manning for the all-time lead in that category as well.

Still, he is 40 years old and will naturally take something of a backseat at times in the Saints' 2019 offense.

New Orleans scored just three points in the first half but transitioned Brees into the role of efficient game-manager as the focus shifted to Alvin Kamara for extended stretches in the second half. Rather than giving him straight handoffs, the Saints put him in space with pitch plays, read-option looks with Taysom Hill and opportunities as a pass-catcher against linebackers.

He is so shifty that most cornerbacks have trouble guarding him, let alone slow-footed defenders from the front seven.

While Kamara didn't find the end zone with 97 rushing yards and 72 receiving yards, he did set up multiple scores in the second half with a 41-yard catch facing man coverage against linebacker Zach Cunningham and a 28-yard run on a pitch play as he continued to bounce off tacklers down the stretch.

Brees' transition to a game-manager features more than just Kamara, as there may not be anyone better in the league at finding open spaces underneath a defense and coming down with contested catches than the sure-handed Thomas.

The Ohio State product set the record for the most receptions in the first three seasons of a career and picked up right where he left off Monday with 10 catches for 123 yards. The attention he draws on every play helped open up lanes for Ginn (101 yards) throughout the game and Hill and Tre'Quan Smith on their touchdown catches.

Even with Kamara and Thomas, the Saints aren't going to win the Super Bowl if Brees fails to deliver with other options when the tandem is swarmed in crunch time.

As if on cue, his first pass that traveled over 20 yards through the air (per ESPN's broadcast) came on the play before the two-minute warning when he found Ginn for 41 yards to set up a field goal. While Watson answered with a go-ahead touchdown, Brees bolstered his legendary status with a surgical six-play drive in the final 37 seconds to set up Lutz's heroic kick.

New Orleans can ride the talent of Thomas and Kamara as Brees shifts to a background role for much of the season, but the end goal of a Lombardi Trophy depends on him delivering in crunch time. He proved he can still succeed in that environment in thrilling fashion.

Texans' Disastrous O-Line Puts a Ceiling on Uber Talented Offense

It doesn't take Bill Belichick's football mind to see the potential in Houston.

Watson can seemingly fling the ball 60 yards downfield with the flick of a wrist while also electrifying as a runner, DeAndre Hopkins (eight catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns) is arguably the best wide receiver in the league, and Will Fuller V is a deep threat every time his quarterback drops back to throw.

Even journeyman Carlos Hyde looked dangerous with New Orleans unable to put too many defenders in the box because of Hopkins and Fuller, finishing with 83 yards on just 10 carries.

There shouldn't be a ceiling on this offense, especially in an AFC South that went a combined 1-3 in Week 1 and no longer features Andrew Luck after his retirement. Yet, there is a very clear ceiling for one glaring reason—the offensive line.

Watson can use his legs to escape pressure like few quarterbacks in NFL history, but he found himself throwing with Saints defenders in his face throughout the evening. As if that weren't enough, he was sacked six times and went into the medical tent multiple times during the game, per the ESPN broadcast.

There were times when he forced the issue after facing consistent pressure, especially in the third quarter when he threw a deep ball into traffic and was picked off by Marcus Williams. The interception snapped a streak of three straight touchdowns for the two offenses and gave the Saints the ball for what became a go-ahead score.

This is nothing new for the Texans.

Football Outsiders ranked their offensive line dead last in the league in pass protection last season. They traded for left tackle Laremy Tunsil this offseason, but even he couldn't stop New Orleans' defensive front from swarming Watson throughout the game.

A division championship should be the minimum expectation in Houston. It won the AFC South last year before Luck retired, and the Jacksonville Jaguars lost quarterback Nick Foles indefinitely to a broken clavicle, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

That division championship and a full season of health for Watson is only going to come if the offensive line makes significant strides from what was on display in New Orleans.

What's Next?

The Texans host the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC South showdown in Week 2, while the Saints hit the road to face the Los Angeles Rams in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game.