Saints at Rams
Dome at America’s Center
St. Louis, Mo.
Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001
AT A GLANCE: After getting ambushed by Atlanta, the 3-2
Saints will be trying to bounce back against the team they knocked out of the playoffs
last season with a 31-28 wild-card victory. The Rams are 6-0 for the third straight
season.
|
| OVERVIEW: After starting 6-0 last season, the Rams went
on to lose six of their final 10 regular-season games to barely squeak into the playoffs.
They were quickly eliminated by the Saints, who also defeated the Rams 31-24 in St. Louis
last season in Week 13. In both those victories, Saints QB Aaron Brooks played at a high
level, rushing for a pair of TDs and passing for another in the first win while throwing
for four TDs in the second one.
In the teams’ other meeting last season, in Week 17, the Rams prevailed 26-21 on
the strength of 220 rushing yards and three total TDs by RB Marshall Faulk, whose status
for this game (knee bruise) is expected to be in question right up to game day.
It’s important to remember that RB Ricky Williams, the Saints’ offensive
centerpiece, was sidelined in all three games last season because of a knee injury that
prematurely ended what started off as a brilliant campaign.
Also worth noting is the fact the Rams’ defense has improved significantly since
last season, allowing only 81 points through six games. Over the same span in 2000, it
already had given up 174 points. St. Louis’ defense has yet to allow a single point
this season in the third quarter.
Even without Faulk in the lineup, the Rams showed no mercy on the Jets last Sunday,
with Trung Canidate coming through with a breakout performance.
When the Saints have the ball:
Starting with the first game against Buffalo, Brooks’ completion percentage had
decreased every game until last Sunday, when he completed 23-of-39 passes in the loss to
the Falcons. One week earlier against Carolina, he completed only 14-of-40 passes but made
amends when he drove his team down the field with one timeout left, picking up five first
downs to set up Williams’ winning TD run as time expired. |
|
|
| Dome at America's Center |
| St. Louis, Mo. |
| Date: Sunday, October 28, 2001 |
| 12:00 p.m. Central Time |
| Type Of Turf: Artificial |
| Meeting Of The Year: First |
| Season Record: |
| |
New Orleans |
3-2-0 |
| |
St. Louis |
6-0-0 |
| Season Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
New Orleans |
2-3-0 |
| |
St. Louis |
3-2-1 |
| Home/Road Record: |
| |
New Orleans (R) |
2-1-0 |
| |
St. Louis (H) |
2-0-0 |
| Home/Road Record Vs. Spread: |
| |
New Orleans (R) |
1-2-0 |
| |
St. Louis (H) |
1-1-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf: |
| |
New Orleans |
2-1-0 |
| |
St. Louis |
4-0-0 |
| Record On Artificial Turf Vs. Spread: |
| |
New Orleans |
2-1-0 |
| |
St. Louis |
2-1-1 |
|
| Look for the Rams’ defense to try to apply steady pressure on Brooks, perhaps
employing a spy. The Rams also will use stunts to stop the run and disrupt an offense
predicated on rhythm and timing. The Saints’ normally reliable offensive line, which
was operating without OLG Wally Williams (hamstring; check status), enabled the
Falcons’ normally ordinary pass rush to sack Brooks five times last Sunday. Opposing
defenses also have managed to shut down Williams for the most part in crunch time the last
few weeks. Heading into the Carolina game, Williams led the NFL with a 6.9-yard average in
the fourth quarter, but the Panthers held him to four yards on five carries in the final
15 minutes before his dramatic game-winning score. Against the Falcons, while he was the
Saints’ leading receiver with nine catches for 65 yards, Williams gained only 51
yards on 21 carries — including eight carries for five yards in the second half.
A key factor for the Saints will be TE Cam Cleeland, who has come on strong as of late.
Cleeland has caught three TD passes in the last two games.
When the Rams have the ball:
There was reason to believe the Rams might opt for a more conventional attack without
Faulk in the lineup. That was hardly the case, though, as they threw everything but the
kitchen sink at a befuddled Jets defense.
Included in the mix was a reverse option play for a TD by Canidate, who grabbed a
textbook pitch from WR Az-Zahir Hakim on the fly to complete the score. Canidate also
scored on a 12-yard run after he took a direct snap in the shotgun formation.
It was a far cry from the offense’s performance the previous week in an ugly 15-14
victory over the Giants at home, when New York’s solid front four, led by DLE Michael
Strahan, pelted the Rams’ offensive line for six sacks and flustered Warner to no
end.
Look for the Saints’ highly regarded pass rush, featuring DEs Joe Johnson and
Darren Howard, DRT La’Roi Glover and MLB Charlie Clemons, to go all out vs. a Rams
offensive line that enabled the Jets to get to register four sacks. After collecting a
whopping 16 sacks in their first three games, the Saints have managed three the last two
weeks.
A key matchup pits Howard, considered the Saints’ most naturally talented pass
rusher, vs. either Ryan Tucker (shoulder and hand injuries; check status) or Rod Jones at
right tackle.
The Saints’ pass defense, which was burned badly for a pair of TDs by the Falcons
off play-action, will have to show major improvement against the Rams’ deep and
deadly receiving corps.
All game previews and depth charts were compiled as of Oct. 21. |
|
Offense |
| WR |
88 Jackson, 83 Connell, 84 Lewis |
| OLT |
77 Roaf, 78 Terrell |
| OLG |
63 W. Williams, 76 Reyes |
| C |
62 Fontenot, 69 Ackerman |
| ORG |
65 Naeole, 69 Ackerman |
| ORT |
68 Turley, 70 Price, 79 White* |
| TE |
85 Cleeland, 81 Hall, 89 Stachelski |
| WR |
87 Horn, 80 Wilson, 86 Ojo* |
| QB |
2 Brooks, 18 Blake, 12 Delhomme |
| RB |
34 R. Williams, 26 McAllister*, 25 McAfee |
| FB |
44 T. Smith, 33 Norris*, 47 Houser |
Defense |
| DLE |
93 Howard, 98 Whitehead |
| DLT |
99 Hand, 92 Chase |
| DRT |
97 Glover, 90 K. Smith* |
| DRE |
94 Johnson, 98 Whitehead |
| LOLB |
59 Mitchell, 51 B. Williams, 57 Holden |
| MLB |
56 Clemons, 50 Clarke |
| ROLB |
54 D. Smith, 52 Hodge* |
| LCB |
23 Mathis, 24 Weary, 21 Israel |
| RCB |
22 Thomas, 36 Hawthorne |
| SS |
29 Knight, 28 Oldham |
| FS |
20 Bellamy, 31 Newsome* |
Specialists |
| PK |
3 Carney |
| P |
4 Gowin |
| H |
4 Gowin, 12 Delhomme |
| PR |
26 McAllister*, 84 Lewis |
| KR |
84 Lewis, 25 McAfee |
| LS |
47 Houser |
* Rookie |
|
|
Offense |
| WR |
88 Holt, 81 Hakim, 89 Griffin |
| OLT |
76 Pace, 60 Jones |
| OLG |
61 Nütten, 71 Noa |
| C |
67 McCollum, 65 Garcia |
| ORG |
62 Timmerman, 73 Spikes |
| ORT |
50 Tucker, 60 Jones, 70 St. Clair |
| TE |
84 Conwell, 86 Manumaleuna*, 45 Robinson |
| WR |
80 Bruce, 87 Proehl, 83 Murphy |
| QB |
13 Warner, 12 Martin, 10 Bulger |
| RB |
28 Faulk, 24 Canidate, 25 Holcombe |
| FB |
42 Hodgins, 33 Watson |
Defense |
| DLE |
72 Ahanotu, 91 Little |
| DLT |
66 Young, 92 Lewis*, 97 Jackson |
| DRT |
90 Zgonina, 66 Young, 79 Pickett* |
| DRE |
98 Wistrom, 77 Moran |
| SLB |
58 Davis, 56 Cohen |
| MLB |
59 Fletcher, 51 Allen*, 54 Ayi* |
| WLB |
55 Fields, 52 Polley* |
| LCB |
35 Williams, 23 Butler* |
| RCB |
21 McCleon, 32 Bly |
| SS |
31 Archuleta*, 22 Shepherd |
| FS |
20 Herring, 38 Coady |
Specialists |
| PK |
14 Wilkins |
| P |
4 Baker |
| H |
87 Proehl, 4 Baker |
| KR |
24 Canidate, 83 Murphy, 32 Bly |
| PR |
81 Hakim, 32 Bly, 83 Murphy |
| LS |
45 Robinson, 90 Zgonina, 65 Garcia |
* Rookie |
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