1995 review

Offense

Starting QB Jim Everett had an OK year. He set a few Saints passing records, but some ugly interceptions were mixed among his TD throws. Backup Tom Hodson saw little on-field action, and emergency QB Doug Nussmeier didn't play at all. Timm Rosenbach missed the whole year with a non-football-related back injury.

Mario Bates came up a little shy of a 1000-yd season, while Derek Brown has took on the role of the 3rd down back. Second-round draft choice Ray Zellars showed some promise but missed most of the start of the season due to an ankle injury. Lorenzo Neal was seldom called upon to gain yards, and Derrick Ned saw even less action. Ralph Dawkins spent the whole year on injured reserve, and Anthony Sherman was a member of the practice squad.

Wide receiver Quinn Early had a great year, doubling the yards gained by higher-paid receivers Torrance Small and Michael Haynes combined. Apparently now recovered from his collegiate leg injury, sixth-round draft choice Lee DeRamus made a few catches late in the season. Steve Rhem provided depth.

Wesley Walls and Irv Smith teamed up to make the TE position very productive, but third-stringer Kirk Botkin saw little action.

Jim Dombrowski and Pro Bowler William Roaf did a good job on the left side of the offensive line. Craig Novitsky and Andy McCollum got some playing time in the second half of the season while subbing for starters Chris Port, Jeff Uhlenhake, and Richard Cooper. Backup offensive linemen Alan Kline, Ed King, Donald Willis, and third-round draft choice Mike Verstegen rode the pine.

Defense

Wayne Martin had another great year along the defensive line, and the move from LB to DE seems to have benefited Renaldo Turnbull. Willie Broughton replaced Robert Goff as a starter, while Joe Johnson was somewhat quiet. Israel Stanley provided some help as a backup, but Tory Epps and fourth-round draft choice Dameian Jeffries mostly sat on the bench. Ernest Jones and Dunstan Anderson hung out on the practice squad, and Toddrick McIntosh was a late-season roster addition.

Linebacker Richard Harvey was joined by backups Ernest Dixon and first-round draft pick Mark Fields for much of the early part of the season due to injuries to starters. Rufus Porter eventually got healthy and became a good contributor, but Winfred Tubbs was plagued by injuries all year, thus allowing Brian Jones to see more action than expected. Ron Childs played sparingly.

Eric Allen's reputation caused other teams to throw away from him (and got him a spot in the Pro Bowl). Teams preferred to pick on fellow CB Jimmy Spencer. Sean Lumpkin played the whole year at strong safety, but late-season injuries to Vince Buck and Shane Pahukoa led to on-field time for backups Anthony Newman and J.J. McCleskey and the signing of John Covington. Tyrone Hughes and Tyrone Legette gave additional help in the secondary, but Israel Byrd and fifth-round draft choice William Strong weren't out there as much.

Special Teams

Ex-49ers Doug Brien and Klaus Wilmsmeyer did an adequate job of kicking and punting, respectively.

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