Sheldon Mickles for Oct. 7, 2008

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Oct 7, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:20 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — In a wild and emotional rollercoaster of a game Monday night, the New Orleans Saints needed a spark in the worst way as the final two minutes of the third quarter ticked off the clock.

But not even Reggie Bush, despite two of the more dramatic plays of his NFL career, could save the day in a 30-27 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Struggling and scuffling for more than two quarters, the Saints trailed the Vikings, 20-10, when Bush gave them what they so desperately needed — a jolt of energy.

Not once. Not twice. Three times.

This time, it was Reggie Bush, the return man — not the running back/receiver — who breathed life into an entire team and a Superdome crowd of 70,015.

Bush tied an NFL record when he became the 12th player in league history to return two punts for touchdowns in a game, the first on an electric 71-yard burst down the right sideline with 1:46 left in the third quarter.

That pulled the turnover- and mistake-plagued Saints to within three points of the Vikings and gave the fans hope as they prepared for a frantic final quarter.

Bush, however, wasn’t near done. As he dropped back to field the next punt, Bush waved his arms and looked into the stands as the crowd chanted “Reg-gie, Reg-gie, Reg-gie.”

Then, on what was the final play of the fourth quarter, Bush reversed his field and headed to open field and perhaps a second score when he fell down. Still, the 29-yard return set up a 53-yard field goal by Martin Gramatica that tied the game at 20 with 13:20 left.

The Saints suddenly were back in it after some of the worst football you could imagine considering they committed three turnovers in the second quarter and eight penalties in the first half.

Then, astonishingly enough, Bush gave them the lead with a 64-yard TD on his next return — zipping down the left sideline. His 164 yards on those three punt returns alone (he had a club-record 176 yards in all) accounted for 17 points, finally giving the Saints the momentum.

“The momentum shifted on that first one,” said Sean Payton, whose team had four turnovers, 11 penalties and had a field goal blocked and returned for a score. “Clearly, the second one was a great effort and he had a lot of guys blocking. It gave us the advantage, but we weren’t able to keep it.”

Bush’s efforts went for naught when the Vikings tied it with 7:10 left and hit the game-winning field goal with 13 seconds to play after Gramatica hooked a 46-yarder with 1:58 remaining.