NFL Recap (St Louis-New Orleans)
Posted: Sun November 15, 1998 at 7:19 p.m. EST
NEW ORLEANS 24, ST LOUIS 3
NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- Kerry Collins won in his
first start for the New
Orleans Saints, but cornerback Tyronne Drakeford and
defensive tackle Austin
Robbins made it an easy victory.
Drakeford scored on a 32-yard interception return and Robbins
recovered a fumble in the end zone in the first half to give the Saints a
24-3 victory over the St.
Louis Rams and a sweep of the season series. The Saints beat the Rams,
24-17, in the season opener at St. Louis.
"We tried to take advantage of the opportunities we had," Drakeford
said. "I think we took advantage of them today and if we continue to do
that we expect to win some more games. Any time we step on the field we
expect the defense to win games."
Collins was claimed on waivers by the Saints (5-5) from the Carolina Panthers a
month ago, but had not played for New Orleans until today. He hit rookie
tight end Cameron
Cleeland with a 10-yard touchdown six minutes into the game to give New
Orleans a 7-0 lead. Collins finished 13-of-26 for 150 yards.
"I was excited about playing," Collins said. "I think I lost some of
the excitement when I was at Carolina and I had some time off and some time
to think it and I was anxious to get out there and just have some fun
again."
Two plays after Cleeland's touchdown, Drakeford intercepted Tony Banks to give the
Saints a 14-0 lead with 7:17 remaining in the first quarter. New Orleans
pressured Banks heavily, totaling seven sacks, and limited the Rams to 55
yards rushing. La'Roi
Glover had three sacks and Joe Johnson and Jared Tomich each had two.
"We're just coming out, we're just working hard," Glover said. "The
offense helped us a whole lot today. Our defense played our butts off.
It's going to take that if we want to be successful, guys stepping up,
making plays. That's all it's about."
Banks completed 24-of-37 passes for 246 yards and was intercepted
twice. Running back Amp
Lee had seven receptions for 99 yards. The Rams cut the deficit to
14-3 when Jeff Wilkins
kicked a 33-yard field goal with 2:52 to go in the first quarter. St.
Louis had a 3rd-and-4 from the New Orleans 5, but Johnson sacked Banks at
the 15, forcing the field goal attempt.
"I don't think we stunk it up that bad on offense in a long time,'
Banks said. "We can't point any fingers, it is a team loss."
Doug Brien kicked
a 26-yard field goal to give the Saints a 17-3 advantage with 2:08 left in
the second quarter. On the next play from scrimmage, Tomich sacked Banks,
causing him to fumble, and Robbins returned it 10 yards for a 24-3 cushion
with 1:55 left in the second.
The Rams (3-7) did not advance past midfield in the third quarter but
Banks completed a 15-yard pass to June Henley to the New Orleans 37 early
in the fourth. St. Louis came no closer to scoring though as Alex Molden intercepted
Banks' next pass.
"Last year when I came here I was able to talk about how we came back
in the fourth quarter," said St. Louis coach Dick Vermeil. "We find
ourselves down to the Saints every time we play them. I expected us to play
a lot better than we did today. We really felt we wouldn't have to score
that many points to win."
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