The running of Jerome Bettis and Fred McAfee's Dexter Carter impersonation were
all the Rams needed to beat the sickly Saints.  After losing two games in a
row to teams they should have beaten, the Saints now have to play the Giants
and worry about being caught by the Falcons (a probability).  Next week's
game will mark my first trip to the Dome since last year's playoff loss.
I shudder to think about what I'm going to see.


The Saint defense scored first when James Williams helped Sam Mills strip
the ball from Bettis and run 32 yards for a TD.  A 3 & punt Ram series
and good plays by Eric Martin and Brad Muster gave the Saints the ball at
the LA 31 and a chance to open up an early big lead.  Unfortunately, McAfee
fumbled and gave the ball back to the Rams.

Bettis picked up 42 yards on 5 carries to help the Rams reach the NO two,
but a dropped pass in the endzone forced LA to kick a 22 yard FG.  After
the Saints went 3 & punt, Bettis ran 71 yards for a TD thanks to some 
missed tackles at the line of scrimmage.

Brad Muster picked up most of the yards on the ensuing drive as the Saints
made it inside the Ram ten.  Three unsuccessful runs killed the drive and
the Saints called upon Morten from 18 yards out.

Cleveland Gary came in for the winded Bettis and moved the Rams into
Saint territory with a series of runs.  Sam Mills ended the threat by sacking
T.J. Rubley at the NO 40 on third down. 

After Quinn Early and Irv Smith caught medium-length passes, the Saints again
called upon Muster five times in a row to move the ball to the LA 31.  
Torrance Small caught a pass to get the Saints to the 19, but once again
the Saints failed in the red zone and let Morten kick it through from 32
with less than a minute remaining in the half.

The Rams picked up McAfee's fumble of the second half kickoff and ran it
in for a TD.  The next possession saw the Saints reach the LA 48 before
punting.  Bettis got most of the work on the next drive while gaining
46 yards on 9 carries to set up an eleven yard TD pass.  A holding
penalty forced LA to re-kick the PAT.  Gene Atkins blocked it and kept 
the Saints within 10.

Consecutive catches by Eric Martin, Dalton Hilliard, and Floyd Turner
quickly moved the ball to the Ram 37, but Wilson's next pass bounced off
of Hilliard's hands and into those of a Ram defender.  After forcing
LA to go 3 & punt, a nice drive helped along by 3 catches by Martin for 42
yards set up a 2 yard Hilliard TD run on third down.

The defense again forced a 3 & punt Ram series to give the ball back to
the offense.  An unsuccessful pass to Early on 4th & 5 from the LA 41
ended the drive with about 5 and one half minutes to go.  Three runs
by Bettis put the ball at the Saint 33.  Zendejas kicked the ball through
from 50, but a holding call identical to the one in the Minnesota game
pushed the ball back ten yards and forced a punt, which was downed at the 7
with 4 minutes remaining.

A pass to Hilliard and three to Early (including one on 4th down) moved
the ball to the NO 36.  A catch by Martin and another by Early put the
ball at the LA 49.  After another Martin catch led to a 4th and 4 from
the LA 43, Mora decided not to give Morten a shot from 60 and instead went
for the first down.  Wilson's pass was incomplete, and the Rams ran the
last 1:21 off the clock.


injuries: Vaughn Johnson did not play.
          Renaldo Turnbull hurt his leg in the first half and did not return.
          Frank Warren was declared out for the season earlier this week.
          I didn't see Hoby Brenner play today.
          Derek Brown didn't play. 
          Jim Dombrowski played in place of Chris Port.

Turnbull's injury didn't appear to be serious.

None of these injuries can be used to excuse the Saints' performance.  They
should have beaten this team easily.


*******************************************************************************
Frank Serpas III