Play it again, Saints

By Staff
DOWN BUT NOT OUT New Orleans Saints guard Chris Naeole (65) scrambles for the ball with St. Louis Rams cornerback Todd Lyght after it was fumbled by Saints quarterback Aaron Brooks during first quarter NFL action in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. AP photo
By Richard Dark/The Meridian Star
Dec. 26, 2000
NEW ORLEANS Second verse same as the first.
For those that simply didn't get enough of the season-finale clash between the New Orleans Saints and the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams, then you're in luck. It's on again in the Superdome this Saturday at 3 p.m.
The Rams are still among the living after holding off the Saints in the Superdome 26-21 and getting a 54-yard field from Chicago Bears rookie Paul Edinger. The spectacular boot upset the Detroit Lions and allowed the Rams to squeeze through the closing playoff door.
Even though the team with the NFL's most formidable offense faces his bunch after only a six-day layoff, Saints head coach Jim Haslett was still upbeat afterward.
Maybe Haslett should have said stop him.
Marshall Faulk, a native of New Orleans, came home for Christmas with fists flying and legs pumping. All Faulk did was take over the game in the second half when Rams starting quarterback Kurt Warner was knocked out of the game on a sack by Saints defensive end Willie Whitehead.
Faulk's frenetic foray translated into a mind-boggling 220 yards on 36 carries. He also caught seven balls for a total of 41 yards. If the Saints are to have any hope of garnering that elusive first playoff win, they will no doubt have to ensure that a stinging performance such as that, doesn't happen again.
Several Saints players don't think it will. Wide receiver Joe Horn was one of them.
After being held down for three quarters, the Saints offense managed a pair of scores in the final frame, but were not able to get the ball back after pulling to within five.
At the start of the second half, Glover broke a recent sackless streak to increase his season total to 17, matching the club-record set by Pat Swilling in 1991. But it was the inability by the defense to harness Faulk on the Rams' final drive.
However, when asked what he thought the reason was for the breakdown during the game's last stand, Glover's response was terse.
The Saints second-year prodigy in Aaron Brooks might have finally come back down to earth. Although Brooks tallied a respectable 208 yards and a pair of TD passes, he completed only 16-of-31 attempts and threw an early interception which led to the Rams' first score.
The quarterback out of Virginia looked tentative in spots and due to a two-deep zone defense, was unable to get untracked scrambling with the football.
That certainly wasn't the case with the Rams' offense, as the champs torched the Saints for 474 yards.
According to Fred McAfee, the Saints will too.
McAfee likened the team's overall attitude to that of a prizefighter.
So far, the rounds up to this point are all even, and the decisive Round Three of this gutter war resumes Saturday.
Richard Dark is a sports writer for the Meridian Star. E-mail him at rdark@themeridianstar.com.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x