Whether it was the Rally Squirrel walking a few blocks north on Broadway, a New Orleans Saints team perhaps a bit too convinced of their upcoming dominance or a St. Louis Rams team deciding that it had finally had enough. Whatever the cause a Rams team anticipated by so many showed up at the Ed on Sunday.
Coach Spagnoulo sure had enough game film to analyze what doesn’t work and put together a plan for Sunday that would shock the NFL…especially the Saints. The Rams defense set the tempo making big plays out of the gate. With James Laurinaitis starting the sack party on the Saints second possession.
The Rams still showed plenty of their old ways, amassing 9 penalties on the day but for once they were good enough to overcome their mistakes. More importantly the Rams made the big play when the opportunity presented itself. See Darian Stewart’s interception of Drew Brees in the 4th quarter.
Capping it all of St. Louis scored more points than in their previous four games combined. Leading the way was Steven Jackson appearing as the 2006 version. Breaking through the line and gaining chunks of yards at a time.
Aside from a brief relapse in the 4th the Rams controlled the ball and the game from the onset. Here are the plays the brought joy to a fan base and relief to a franchise.
Before the Game:
Resting Sam Bradford for one more game.
1st Quarter
Rams came out firing. With the first to offensive plays of the game downfield strikes to Brandon Lloyd. While both feel incomplete it was good to see Coach Spags and Josh McDaniels not afraid to air it out even with AJ Feeley behind center.
1-10-RAMS 46 AJ Feeley pass incomplete deep left to Brandon Lloyd. 2-10-RAMS Feeley pass incomplete deep middle to Lloyd. 3-10-RAMS Feeley pass incomplete short left to Brandon Gibson .
1-10-SAINTS Ivory left end to SAINTS 43 for 2 yards. 2-8-SAINTS Drew Brees pass incomplete short middle to Lance Moore. 3-8-SAINTS Brees pass incomplete short middle to Colston. James Laurinaitis was in on all three defensive plays.
1-10-RAMS Feeley sacked at the 11 for -9 yards. 2-19-RAMS Steven Jackson off left tackle for -4 yards. 3-23-RAMS Jackson right end to RAMS 16 for 9 yards
3-7- Brees pass short middle to Sproles to the 36 for 19 yards. 1-10-RAMS Brees sacked at RAMS 44 for -8 yards by James Laurinaitis. 2-18-RAMS Brees pass short right to P.Thomas to the 48 for -4 yards. 3-22- Brees pass short left to L.Moore to RAMS 31 for 17 yards.
0-0
2nd Quarter
1-10-RAMS Feeley sacked at RAMS 3 for -9 yards. 2-19- Jackson right end pushed ob at RAMS 13 for 10 yards. 3-9-RAMS Feeley pass short left to B.Gibson to 26 for 13 yards. 1-10-RAMS Feeley pass short left to B.Lloyd to RAMS 37 for 11 yards.
1-10-SAINTS Feeley sacked at RAMS 45 for -7 yards. 2-17-RAMS Feeley pass short right to G.Salas to SAINTS 47 for 8 yards. 3-9-Feeley pass short right to Jackson to SAINTS 40 for 7 yards. 4-2-from SAINTS 40 Feeley pass short left to G.Salas to SAINTS 7 for 33 yards. Play Challenged by SAINTS and REVERSED. Feeley pass short left to G.Salas to SAINTS 23 for 17 yards.
1-10 Feeley pass incomplete short right to B.Gibson. 2-10 Jackson right end to SAINTS 20 for 3 yards. 3-7-SAINTS Feeley pass incomplete short left to L.Kendricks . 4-7 Josh.Brown 38 yard field goal is GOOD.
3-0
3-4 New Orleans Saints moving the ball well. Brees sacked at the 48 for -9 yards by Robert Quinn. 4-13 T.Morstead punts 37 yards to the 15 yard line. PENALTY on RAMS-J.Butler, Unnecessary Roughness, 7 yards, enforced at RAMS 15.
1-10-RAMS PENALTY on RAMS-Harvey Dahl, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at RAMS 18. 3-20- PENALTY on RAMS-Feeley, Delay of Game, 4 yards, enforced at RAMS 8. Penalties kill a drive before it can begin.
2-10 Brees sacked at SAINTS 30 for -9 yards by Chris Long. 3-19- Brees pass incomplete short right to Jimmy Graham. 4-19-SAINTS T.Morstead punt is BLOCKED by Robert Quinn Center- ball out of bounds at SAINTS 15.
1-10 Feeley pass short middle to G.Salas to SAINTS 2 for 13 yards. FUMBLES but recovered by Jackson at the 3. Jackson to SAINTS 3 for Saints gain. 1-3 Jackson right guard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
10-0
1-10- Brees pass deep right intended for D.Henderson INTERCEPTED by J.Gordy at SAINTS 38 returned for no gain.
3-10 Feeley pass short middle to B.Gibson to SAINTS 24 for 14 yards. Penalty on SAINTS-J.Galette, Illegal Use of Hands, declined.
1-10 Feeley pass incomplete deep left to B.Lloyd. PENALTY on SAINTS, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at the 24. 1-10 Feeley pass short left to B.Lloyd to SAINTS 11 for 8 yards. 2-2-
Feeley scrambles left tackle to the 5 for 6 yards. PENALTY on SAINTS, Illegal Use of Hands, 2 yards, enforced at SAINTS 5.
2-8- Feeley pass short left to B.Lloyd for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. False start did not stall the drive
17-0
Half Time
By far and away the Rams best half of the season. Knowing Sean Payton would be making adjustments the question would be how would Spagnuolo respond. Would Spag continue to hand the ball to his workhorse or would he change things up as a result out smarting himself. Luckily for fans…and Spags, he stuck to the game plan.
3rd Quarter
2-11 Brees sacked at SAINTS 18 for -8 yards by Long). 3-19- PENALTY on SAINTS, False Start, 5 yards. 3-24- Brees pass short middle to M.Colston to the 27 for 14 yards. Punt
3-3- G.Salas left end to SAINTS 43 for 8 yards.
3-6- Feeley pass short left to Jackson to the 35 for 4 yards. 4-2- Jackson left tackle to SAINTS 3 for 32 yards and a game changing play. 2-3- Jackson right guard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
24-0
3-1 C.Ivory right end to SAINTS 36 for -1 yards Josh Gordy with the stop. 4-2 Morstead punts 58 yards to RAMS 6.
2-10- PENALTY on RAMS-J.Bell, False Start, 3 yards, enforced at RAMS 6. 2-13 Feeley pass short right to Billy Bajema to the 10 for 7 yards. 3-6- Feeley sacked at RAMS 1 for -9 yards by Jenkins. FUMBLES RECOVERED by SAINTS-Jonathan Vilma at for a TOUCHDOWN.
24-7
4th Quarter
3 and out to begin the quarter for St. Louis
3-7- PENALTY on SAINTS-R.Meachem, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at RAMS 39. 3-12-RAMS Brees pass deep left to M.Colston to the 19 for 25 yards.
1-3-Pierre Thomas off right guard for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
24-14
After this score it had the makings of a scaring finish.
2-4-RAMS Jackson right end pushed out at RAMS 46 for 20 yards.
Then…
1-10-Jackson rushes to the RAMS 46 for Saints gain. PENALTY on RAMS-B.Lloyd, Chop Block, 15 yards, enforced at RAMS 46. 1-25- Feeley pass incomplete short left to B.Lloyd. 2-25-RAMS Feeley pass short right to B.Lloyd to RAMS 35 for 4 yards. 3-21-RAMS PENALTY on RAMS-Roger Saffold, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at RAMS 35. Punt
Oh no….
But the Defense stepped up once again forcing a 3 and out. Of course on the Rams possession they were Saintst able to get anything going either with a 3 and out of their own.
But…
1-10-Brees pass short right intended for Graham INTERCEPTED by Darian Stewart at SAINTS 27. Stewart for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Hands down the biggest play by the Rams through 7 games.
31-14
The Saints were able to march down the field and add one more score but this put the game away for good.
3-1- Brees sacked at SAINTS 35 for -8 yards Chris Long.
2-4-Brees sacked at RAMS 29 for 0 yards by Fred Robbins.
Final 31-21
