The New Orleans Saints finally got their chance to take revenge against the Los Angeles Rams. The build-up was monumental as Saints fans remember the “No Call” like it was yesterday. Both teams came into Sunday 1-0, but the Los Angeles Rams had more at stake early. The San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks were tied atop the NFC West at 2-0. On the other hand, the only team in the NFC South that’s won a game is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs sat at 1-1 before the Saints even kicked off. The Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons currently sit winless. The Falcons would eventually defeat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football.
Drew Brees Suffers Injury as New Orleans Saints Get Pounded by Rams
Drew Brees Injures Thumb
And this game had so many twists and turns in just the first half. First of all, Drew Brees injured his thumb early on and was replaced by Teddy Bridgewater. Ironically, defensive tackle Aaron Donald’s arm contacted Brees’ hand. Donald also injured his back not too much later. The disclosure of the injury is still up in the air at this point. But it does look as if Bridgewater may be the starter for at least some time. Bridgewater played most of the game in place of Brees.
Defense Played Well For One Half
Nevertheless, the Saints defense kept the game close. The Saints held the Rams to only six first-half points. Neither team could find the end zone on the score sheet. That being said, there was a second blown call in the first half that cost the Saints a touchdown. Cam Jordan picked up a fumble and a ran in a supposed touchdown. Unfortunately, the referees blew the play dead. And they blew another call. This latest screw up seems almost too unbelievable after the missed call in the NFC Championship game earlier in the year. But it happened AGAIN!
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To say it affected the game is the understatement of the century. With Bridgewater at the helm, the Saints couldn’t too much. The Rams took a 6-3 lead into the half. Everything went downhill in the second half. The Saints tried to get the running game going but ended up with only 57 yards rushing on 20 rushing attempts. The Rams really didn’t look all that impressive either.
Jared Goff finished 19 of 28 for 283 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Todd Gurley chipped in with 63 yards on 16 carries. Ultimately, the Saints looked worn down especially in the third quarter. The Rams went on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to make it 13-6. Then, after another Saints drive stalled, the Rams took a short field to score again. Goff hit Brandin Cooks on a two-yard slant for a two-yard touchdown to make it 20-6.
Rams Controlled Everything in the Second Half
The Saints added a field goal but never really got close. The Rams won 27-9. The biggest question mark is how long will Drew Brees be out. The Saints play the Seattle Seahawks on the road in Week Three. No matter who’s playing quarterback, the Seahawks are going to be a tough road game.
Hopefully, the Saints can rally around Teddy Bridgewater to win some games if called upon. Right now, the focus is on fixing all the other errors that came with this drubbing. Penalties, poor tackling, and lackluster offensive line play made for a deadly combination.
