Saints 16
Browns 21
Ricky Williams did a lot to help the Saints (179 yds on a franchise-record
40 carries) and hurt the Saints (3 lost fumbles), but ultimately it was a
last-play Hail Mary that gave the new incarnation of the Browns its first win.
I didn't get to watch this game, as on Sunday I was part of a vanpool
driving back to Austin from a convention in Atlanta. However, I shrewdly
volunteered to take control of the wheel (and thus the radio as well)
during the Jackson, MS to Longview, TX leg, which happened to commence at
noon. Thus, by hopping among affiliates of the Saints Radio Network, I
was able to listen to the game while travelling west along I-20.
The Saints came out determined to give the ball to Ricky. In the first
quarter-and-a-half, he logged 17 carries, thus enabling the Saints to
dominate the Browns statistically (the visitors managed only two 1sts
during that span). On the whole, however, the Saints' yds weren't useful
ones, as the team needed a muffed punt to get inside the Cleveland 20.
The turnover led to a 7-0 lead via a 5 yd Billy Joe Hobert TD throw to
Keith Poole.
Cleveland likewise relied upon a turnover in enemy territory to set up
a TD- Hobert was intercepted at the NO 36; on the next play Couch hit
Edwards for a 27 yd score.
Because Hobert reinjured his stinger while tackling the interceptor,
Billy Joe Tolliver came in once again. His first drive ended with an
INT, but he did lead the team to a 49 yd Doug Brien FG with 8 seconds
left before halftime.
To start the second half, the Browns made it to 3rd & 4 at the NO 44,
but Wayne Martin's sack ended the threat. The Saints gave the ball back
shortly thereafter when Williams dropped an on-the-money pitchout; the
turnover led to a 24 yd Kevin Johnson TD catch.
The Saints drove back down the field and had a 1st & goal at the 5, but
had to settle for a 22 yd FG. Following a Browns punt, Ricky coughed
up the ball at the NO 36, but former fellow-Longhorn Phil Dawson failed to
convert the miscue into points (his 46 yd FG attempt was no good).
The team drove deep into Browns territory, but again Ricky fumbled, this
time at the 12 yardline, with 5:27 remaining. The D got the ball back for
the O by forcing a 3 & punt. With :32 left on the clock, the Saints faced
3rd & 11 from the Browns' 36. Lamar Smith ran up the middle for 8, and
(curiously) Tolliver called time-out immediately, instead of letting the
clock run down or forcing the Browns to use one of their own time-outs.
Brien's 46 yarder was good, but the visitors still had 21 seconds to work
with.
After a kickoff return to the 25 and an incompletion, there were 10 ticks
left. A sideline throw to Shepherd put Cleveland at its 44 with :02 left.
Couch evaded pressure and put up a high-flying throw along the right
sideline. For the second week in a row, the secondary failed to properly
dispose of a desperation throw, as the ball was deflected to Johnson for
the stunning game-winning score.
stats (view with a fixed-width font, like Courier)
^^^^^
runnin'........../..........passin' & catchin'
1- 9 B.J. Hobert
4- 24 B.J. Tolliver
40-179 Ricky Williams 1- 4 2- 4
4- 17 Lamar Smith 1- 11
1- 2 Aaron Craver 2- 32
Keith Poole 1- 5-1 2- 18
Eddie Kennison 2- 27
Lawrence Dawsey 1- 11
Cameron Cleeland 1- 8
50-231 TOTAL 4- 28-1 9- 92
inc 4 10
INT 1 1
runnin'........../..........passin' & catchin'
1- 6 T. Couch
13- 39 Karim Abdul-Jabbar
6- 18 Terry Kirby 1- 8
Marc Edwards 2- 37-1
Kevin Johnson 4- 96-2
Leslie Shepherd 4- 52
20- 63 TOTAL 11-193-3
inc 8
INT 0
notes
^^^^^
* bulging discs kept Mark Fields (lower back) and Wally Williams (neck)
out of action
* that Ricky would have fumblitis was my number-one fear regarding his
NFL success- he's a well-above-average back with average hold-onto-the-ball
ability (the hurt elbow can't be helping matters either)
* between this season's agonizing losses and the death of Walter Payton,
Ditka's Job complex must be going full-blast right now
*******************************************************************************
Frank Serpas III serpas@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu