Rams at Saints
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans, La.
Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000
AT A GLANCE: Coming off a strong effort in their must win
at this same site last Sunday, the defending Super Bowl champion Rams will be aiming for
two in a row over a Saints team looking for its first-ever playoff victory.
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| OVERVIEW: Are you ready for Round Three? After
being held to a season-low 28 yards on the ground in the Saints’ 31-24 victory over
the Rams in Week 13, St. Louis did a number on the Saints’ vaunted run defense in
last Sunday’s rematch, stampeding for a season-high 246 yards rushing in an
impressive 26-21 victory.
Now, the Saints, who lost for the fifth time in eight home games, will be looking to
recapture the momentum in what promises to be a spirited slugfest of the highest order.
Needing a victory to stay in the playoff hunt, the Rams were better prepared than the
Saints last Sunday on both sides of the ball. St. Louis was much more aggressive and
controlled the game from the first series.
The Saints, who lost out on a first-round bye, looked flat. In the first three
quarters, they had five first downs and never put as many as two together on a possession.
For one of the few times this season, second-year QB Aaron Brooks looked inexperienced
and shaky. He was intercepted by Dre’ Bly on the Saints’ first possession,
leading to a St. Louis TD that put the Rams on top for good. Brooks also fumbled twice on
two of his first three possessions.
On defense, as was the case vs. Mike Anderson in their Week 14 loss to Denver, the
Saints couldn’t stop RB Marshall Faulk (career-high 220 yards on 32 carries last
week) and were forced to stay on the field too long.
WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL:
QB Kurt Warner, who missed all but one series in the second half last Sunday with a
slight concussion, has been given a thumbs-up by team doctors to start the playoff opener.
Look for the Saints’ pass rush, which led the league in sacks, to attack Warner from
every conceivable angle — if given the opportunity. |
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| Louisiana Superdome |
| New Orleans, La. |
| Date: Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000 |
| 4:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time |
| Type Of Turf: Artificial |
| Meeting Of The Year: Third |
| Season Record: |
| |
St. Louis |
10-6-0 |
| |
New Orleans |
10-6-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
St. Louis |
6-9-1 |
| |
New Orleans |
9-7-0 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
St. Louis (R) |
5-3-0 |
| |
New Orleans (H) |
3-5-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
St. Louis (R) |
4-4-0 |
| |
New Orleans (H) |
3-5-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf: |
| |
St. Louis |
8-3-0 |
| |
New Orleans |
5-6-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
St. Louis |
4-6-1 |
| |
New Orleans |
4-7-0 |
|
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| That could be a pretty big "if," though, if the Rams storm out of the gate
and establish their ground game the way they did last Sunday. Unlike the first matchup
this season, in which the Saints dominated up front with six sacks, the Rams’
offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and opened several nice holes on stretch
plays to both sides. Rams receivers pitched in by cut-blocking Saints defensive backs in
run support — a familiar tactic used by the New Orleans WR corps. The key matchup
up front pits the Rams’ interior line vs. massive Saints DT Norman Hand. Hand will be
looking to take on double teams and free up fellow DT La’Roi Glover, who had his
first sack in three games last Sunday, as well as LBs Darrin Smith (41-yard interception
return for a TD) and Keith Mitchell to make big plays.
While another heavy dose of Faulk will probably be the order of the day, the Rams still
will continue to mix things up through the air. Last Sunday’s game was only the
second time in two seasons under a Mike Martz-directed offense that the Rams had more
rushing yards than passing yards.
Saints CBs Alex Molden and Kevin Mathis better keep a close eye on WR Isaac Bruce, who
hasn’t scored a TD in six games and could be ready to explode.
WHEN THE SAINTS HAVE THE BALL:
Make no mistake. If the Saints can’t revive their ground game, they’ve got
big problems. Forced to focus on the airways after falling behind early last week, the
Saints attempted only 15 runs, their second-lowest total of the season. Aside from Jerald
Moore’s 40-yard run, they were held to 33 yards on 14 carries vs. a defense that
yielded 205 yards rushing to Tampa Bay six days earlier.
New Orleans’ nasty offensive line must overpower the Rams’ undersized
defensive front and enable the Saints’ backfield-by-committee to get by St.
Louis’ first line of defense, The Saints must then must take advantage of the Rams LB
corps’ tendency to overpursue.
Don’t be surprised if Brooks makes a conscious effort to be more of a rushing
threat and is put in roll-out situations, where he can take advantage of his great
athleticism and escapability. After being confused and frustrated by a variety of blitzes
and zone coverages last week, Brooks will try to get featured WR Joe Horn back into the
mix in third-down situations (the Saints were just 3-of-11 in third-down conversions last
Sunday).
While Horn remains the primary receiving weapon, Willie Jackson, an emerging force in
the passing game, can’t be overlooked.
Expect a typically aggressive offensive game plan from the Saints, who must avoid the
costly penalties that stymied them last week.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Dec. 25, 2000 |
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
88 HOLT, 81 Hakim, 82 Horne (inj.) |
| OLT |
76 PACE, 70 St. Clair* |
| OLG |
61 NUTTEN, 68 Swanson |
| C |
67 McCOLLUM, 60 Everitt |
| ORG |
62 TIMMERMAN, 73 Spikes |
| ORT |
50 TUCKER, 73 Spikes |
| TE |
86 WILLIAMS, 84 Conwell, 45 Robinson |
| WR |
80 BRUCE, 87 Proehl, 89 Thomas, 83 Blevins |
| QB |
13 WARNER, 10 Green, 9 Germaine |
| FB |
25 HOLCOMBE, 42 Hodgins, 34 Dukes |
| RB |
28 FAULK, 25 Holcombe, 36 Watson |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
93 CARTER, 77 Moran |
| DLT |
99 AGNEW, 90 Zgonina |
| DRT |
90 ZGONINA, 75 Farr, 94 Hyder |
| DRE |
98 WISTROM, 57 Little, 66 Young* |
| LLB |
52 JONES, 51 Styles, 58 Cohen* |
| MLB |
59 FLETCHER, 51 Styles, 53 Miller* |
| RLB |
54 COLLINS, 51 Styles |
| RCB |
21 McCLEON , 22 Shepherd* |
| LCB |
41 LYGHT, 32 Bly, 20 Allen |
| SS |
23 BUSH, 27 Bowen* |
| FS |
35 LYLE, Smith |
SPECIALIST |
| PK |
14 WILKINS |
| P |
4 BAKER |
| H |
35 LYLE, 87 Proehl |
| KR |
82 HORNE, 83 Blevins, 28 Faulk, |
| PR |
81 HAKIM, 32 Bly, 82 Horne |
| KC |
45 ROBINSON, 90 Zgonina, 61 Nutten |
* Rookie |
|
|
OFFENSE |
| WR |
88 JACKSON, 80 Wilson, 86 Reed |
| OLT |
77 ROAF, 78 Terrell, 76 Reyes* |
| OLG |
63 W. WILLIAMS, 69 Ackerman |
| C |
62 FONTENOT, 69 Ackerman |
| ORG |
65 NAEOLE, 69 Ackerman |
| ORT |
68 TURLEY, 70 Price |
| TE |
82 A. GLOVER, 81 Hall, 89 Stachelski, 84 Wheatley* |
| WR |
87 HORN, 83 Poole |
| QB |
2 A. BROOKS, 12 Delhomme, 11 Tolliver |
| RB |
20 ALLEN, 30 Morton*, 32 Moore, 26 McAfee |
| FB |
44 T. SMITH*, 40 Milne, 47 Houser* |
DEFENSE |
| DLE |
93 HOWARD*, 98 Whitehead |
| DLT |
99 HAND, 92 Chase |
| DRT |
97 L. GLOVER, 90 Tomich |
| DRE |
94 J. JOHNSON, 98 Whitehead |
| LOLB |
59 MITCHELL, 53 D. Jones |
| MLB |
54 D. SMITH, 51 Clarke |
| ROLB |
55 FIELDS, 54 D. Smith |
| LCB |
25 MOLDEN, 36 Hawthorne*, 35 Canty |
| RCB |
23 MATHIS, 22 Thomas |
| SS |
29 KNIGHT, 28 Oldham, 37 Gleason |
| FS |
39 PERRY, 27 Kelly |
SPECIALIST |
| P |
4 GOWIN |
| PK |
10 BRIEN |
| H |
4 GOWIN, 12 Delhomme |
| KR |
26 McAFEE, 23 Mathis |
| PR |
35 CANTY, 23 Mathis |
| KC |
47 HOUSER*, 62 Fontenot |
* Rookie |
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