Your New Orleans Saints have won seven straight games after an O.K. Corral-like shootout win over the LA Rams! Life’s Good!
Facing the last undefeated team in this 2018 NFL season, the New Orleans Saints (7-1) had a chance to not only gain a crucial tie breaker over the Los Angeles Rams (8-1) in the NFC playoffs race, they could creep a bit closer to the potential of a first round bye in the playoffs.
To the Saints’ advantage, the game was being played in the friendly confines of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. However, the Rams were an opponent capable of winning at home as much as away, as their flawless record indicated entering the game.
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Here is how the game unfolded
1st HALF
The Rams deferred the toss to the second half, and the Saints took the opening drive down 75 yards the field for a touchdown. The drive including a 4th down conversion (what’s new?) by Taysom Hill and an Alvin Kamara run into the end zone. Trailing 7-0, the Rams would waste no time driving down the field, punctuating their first drive with a touchdown run by Todd Gurley to tie the game at 7.
Not the be deterred, the Saints then took their second possession of the game for another 75 yards right down the field, ending the drive with a touchdown pass this time, to Alvin Kamara once again. With the first quarter winding down, the Saints led 14-7, in what had all the makings of a Shootout at the Mercedes-Benz Corral.
On their second possession, the Rams would need only three plays to get into the Saints’ red zone, the third play a deep pass to former Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks. In the red zone, Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff would find Cooks again for a touchdown, tying the game at 14.
On the Saints third possession of the game, Mark Ingram would fumble on the very first play, giving the Rams the ball at the Saints’ 22-yard line and the break they needed to pull in front of the Saints on the scoreboard. However, on fourth down inside the Saints’ red zone, the Rams call a fake, and punter Johnny Hekker is stopped short by linebacker Demario Davis, giving the Saints the ball back at their own 12-yard line. New Orleans would then go 88 yards to score the go-ahead touchdown, a pass from Brees to rookie wideout Tre’Quan Smith, putting the Saints back in front 21-14.
The next Rams’ drive would get fairly deep into Saints territory, but for the second time of the evening, the Saints’ defense would stiffen and force the Rams into a field goal try, which kicker Greg Zuerlein would miss from 51 yards out.
With great field position at their own 41-yard line, it would take New Orleans three plays to get at the Rams’ 24-yard line on a pass to Michael Thomas and runs by Kamara and Ingram. After a crucial 3rd and 6 conversion to Alvin Kamara taking the Saints into the red zone. Brees would then find his tight end Ben Watson for a touchdown, putting the Saints ahead 28-14.
On the very next Rams possession, with about one minute left in the half and two timeouts, Los Angeles was determined to try and narrow their deficit. But Jared Goff would be picked off by Saints linebacker Alez Anzalone, the second-year defender recording his first career interception, which put the Saints at the Rams’ 34-yard line. Not wasting the opportunity, the Saints would capitalize with a touchdown run by Alvin Kamara to put New Orleans ahead 35-14. The drive was marked by a gritty 10-yard run by Drew Brees on 3rd and 10 from the Rams’ 34.
With only 26 seconds left, the Rams would still drive down into Saints’ territory and reach New Orleans’ 39-yard line. Greg Zuerlein would make a 56-yard field goal, narrowing the Rams’ deficit to 18 points, as the Saints still led 35-17.
2nd HALF
Receiving the ball to start the second half, the Rams once again wasted little time to drive down into the Saints’ red zone. On third down at the 18-yard line, Jared Goff would find running Malcolm Brown for an acrobatic touchdown, giving the Rams a touchdown and narrowing the Saints’ lead to 11 points at 35-24.
Trying the answer, the Saints would stall and punt for the first time of the evening (also the first punt of the game for both teams) around Los Angeles’ 40-yard line.
The Rams would take the ball at their 16-yard line and drive to the Saints’ 17-yard line before stalling and kicking another field goal, trimming the Saints’ lead to just 8 points. After the Saints had scored 21 straight points, the Rams answer with 13 straight points of their own.
The next Saints’ possession would not yield better result than the previous one, with New Orleans driving the ball near midfield but stalling yet again. After compiling 35 points in the first half, the Saints were had now been shutdown in the second half with about 14 minutes left in the game.
The Rams would take over at their 17-yard line after the second punt of the night by Thomas Morstead, and drive 83 yards for a touchdown from Jared Goff to Cooper Kupp. Goof would then find tight end Gerald Everett for a two-point try conversion, tying the game at 35. Incredibly, after leading by 21, the Saints were now in a fight to stay in the game.
On their third possession of the game, the Saints would finally get reacquainted with the scoreboard, driving into Rams’ territory but settling for a Wil Lutz 54-yard field goal to retake the lead, at 38-35.
On the next possession for Los Angeles, the Saints’ defense would finally force a punt by limiting the Rams to the first three-and-out of the game. The Saints would say “thank you,” and find the end zone once again, with Drew Brees connecting with Michael Thomas for a 72-yard touchdown, giving the Saints a 45-35 lead.
On the next Rams possession, Los Angeles would start at their own 42-yard line, following an unsportsmanlike penalty on Michael Thomas for using a cell phone prop after his touchdown, as the ghost of Joe Horn floated above the Superdome. The Rams would drive to midfield, but the Saints defense once again would rise up when it mattered and the much-maligned P.J. Williams would breakup a pass intended for former Saints receiver Brandin Cooks, giving the Saints the ball at midfield with a 10-point lead.
The Rams would not see the ball again, as the Saints would run out the clock with runs by Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara to close the deal. Saints win 45-35.
The Saints have now won seven games in a row, at 7-1 they sit atop the NFC South and have a crucial tiebreaker over the Los Angeles Rams.
Laissez les bons temps rouler, y’all!
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Here is a quarter by quarter timeline of the game
1st Quarter
- Rams win the toss and defer
- Saints start at their 25-yard line
- Saints run Alvin Kamara in the first two plays
- Saints get into Rams territory on a pass to Michael Thomas
- Saints go for it on 4th down at the Rams 37 yard line, Taysom Hill converts
- Saints get into the red zone
- Alvin Kamara runs into the end zone for a touchdown
- NO: 7 - LAR: 0
- Rams take over at their 30-yard line
- Jared Goff finds his tight end Tyler Higbee into Saints territory
- Rams get into the end zone
- Todd Gurley II runs into the end zone for a touchdown
- NO: 7 - LAR: 7
- Saints start at their 25-yard line
- Saints get into Rams territory on a pass to Michael Thomas
- Saints get into the red zone on a pass to Benjamin Watson
- Brees finds Alvin Kamara for a touchdown pass
- NO: 14 - LAR: 7
- Rams take over at their 25-yard line
- Rams get into the Saints red zone in three plays as the quarter ends
2nd Quarter
- Rams have a first and goal inside the Saints’ 5-yard line
- Jared Goff finds Brandin Cooks for a touchdown
- NO: 14 - LAR: 14
- Saints take over at their 25-yard line
- Mark Ingram fumbles the ball, Aaron Donald recovers at the Saints’ 22-yard line
- Saints hold the Rams on third down
- Rams run a fake from their field goal formation with punter Johnny Hekker
- Rams fail to pick up the first down, Saints take over at their 12-yard line
- Saints get into Rams territory on a fabulous catch by tight end Ben Watson
- Saints get into the red zone
- Drew Brees finds Tre’Quan Smith for a touchdown
- NO: 21 - LAR: 14
- Rams take over at their 25-yard line
- Rams get into Saints territory in a hurry
- Saints stop the Rams on third down, forcing a field goal try
- Greg Zuerlein misses a 51-yard field goal
- Saints take over at their 41-yard line
- On one pass, Michael Thomas gets into Rams territory
- Saints get near the red zone on runs by Alvin Kamara a Mark Ingram
- Drew Brees finds Benjamin Watson for a touchdown
- NO: 28 - LAR: 14
- Rams take over at their 25-yard line
- Alez Anzalone intercepts Jared Goff
- Saints take over at the Rams’ 34-yard line
- On 3rd and 10, Brees runs for a first down
- Saints get into the red zone on a pass to Michael Thomas
- Alvin Kamara runs into the end zone for a touchdown
- NO: 35 - LAR: 14
- Rams take over at their 25-yard line
- In two pass plays, the Rams get into Saints territory
- Rams get to the Saints’ 39-yard line and attempt a field goal
- Greg Zuerlein makes a 56 yard field goal as the quarter ends
- NO: 35 - LAR: 17
3rd Quarter
- Rams start with the ball at their 23-yard line
- Rams get into Saints territory
- Los Angeles get into the red zone
- Jared Goff finds Malcolm Brown for a touchdown
- NO: 35 - LAR: 24
- Saints take over at their 25-yard line
- Saints get into Rams’ territory on a pass to Michael Thomas
- Rams force the Saints’ first punt of the game, and the first punt of the day
- Rams take over at their own 16-yard line
- Rams get into Saints territory in a heartbeat
- Saints force the Rams into a field goal try, Zuerlein makes a 34-yard field goal
- NO: 35 - LAR: 27
- Saints take over at their 25-yard line
- Saints get a first down to Michael Thomas as the quarter ends
4th Quarter
- Saints stall and are forced to punt again
- Rams take over at their 17-yard line
- Los Angeles gets into Saints territory
- Jared Goff finds Cooper Kupp for a 41-yard touchdown
- Rams convert the two-point conversion to tie the game
- NO: 35 - LAR: 35
- Saints take over at their 25-yard line
- Saints get into Rams territory on a pass to Michael Thomas
- Saints stall and Wil Lutz makes a 54-yard field goal
- NO: 38 - LAR: 35
- Rams start at their 25-yard line
- Saints stop the Rams on 3rd down and force the Rams’ first punt
- Saints take over at their 25-yard line with 4:50 left in the game
- Brees finds Michael Thomas for a 72-yard touchdown
- NO: 45 - LAR: 35
- Michael Thomas uses a cell phone to celebrate and is penalized for 15 yards on the kickoff
- Rams take over at their 42-yard line
- Rams go for it on 4th and 2 from midfield
- P.J. Williams defends the pass and it’s incomplete, Saints take over
- Saints take over at midfield
- Saints go for it on 4th and 1 in Rams’ territory after the two-minute warning
- Alvin Kamara converts, ending the game.
- Saints Win Saints Win!!!
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