New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams meet 22 years later
Let’s take a minute to rewind…the last time the New Orleans Saints faced off with the Los Angeles Rams, quarterback Drew Brees was making a name for himself at Westlake high school. Head coach Sean Payton had just made his move to Miami of Ohio (1994-95), where he was the quarterbacks coach and later co-offensive coordinator. All while, four-year old Mark Ingram (running back) admired and cheered on his father who played for the Miami Dolphins.
They all probably sat and watched as that game played out on Oct. 23, 1994 or maybe not. Whether they did or not, the New Orleans’ special teams was the victor of that game. Tyrone Hughes returned two kicks for touchdowns in the Superdome, leading the Saints to a 37-34 victory. New Orleans finished the regular season with a 7-9 record, and that would be the last time they played one another until now.
What Will It Take?
In the last 22 years, these three men have lived and conquered their own success stories. And come Sunday, they will all play a big part in the Saints’ future playoff hopes.
The Saints don’t have a dangerous return man so they’ll need to a little bit more. They have the heart and what it takes, now they have to put them together.
Being at home is going to help out a lot for the Saints. They’ll have their home crowd behind them and noise on their side.
QB: Still going strong at age 37, Brees leads the NFL with 328 passing yards per game and 26 touchdown passes. He has two home games this year with at least 423 yards and four touchdowns. Despite throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble over the past two games (both losses), he is playing arguably his best football since 2011. However, that isn’t the case right now. Brees biggest priority is avoiding turnovers.
WR: Any receiver always seem to play better at home. That’s the case for Brandon Cooks, a dynamic third-year receiver. He has five touchdowns that have come in the Superdome, where he thrives on the fast track.
RBs: If healthy, Mark Ingram will start the game hands down. He is still slowly on pace for 1,283 yards and eight touchdowns, despite a very inconsistent season. If needed, Hightower is capable of taking on a full load. Both veteran backs are pretty similar, so the Saints’ offense won’t change that much.
Defense: Its No. 1 goal is to play a solid game. Don’t cause penalties, but create turnovers!
The Saints are sitting at 4-6 and third in the NFC south. On the other side of the map, the Rams are also 4-6 and third in their division. Yes, this is going to be an interesting battle!
Sunday’s game is a must-win for both teams but only one can make that happen.