Saints Winning Streak Ends at Eight as they Fall to the Rams 20-26

Fresh off an impossible comeback win against the Washington Redskins last week, the New Orleans Saints (8-3) were trying to keep their winning streak alive by prevailing in the ninth consecutive game against the Los Angeles Rams (8-3) at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this afternoon. More importantly, the Saints needed the win to keep pace with the NFC leaders Philadelphia Eagles (10-1) and Minnesota Vikings (9-2) as well as maintain their one-game lead over the Carolina Panthers (8-3) in the NFC South.

In the first half, the Rams showed why on paper, they have one of the best pass rushing front four in the NFL: Los Angeles sacked Drew Brees twice and limited the Saints to only 10 points. On a positive note, this was the Alvin Kamara half, as the young Saints running back had over a 100 total yards in the first two quarters, more than the entire rest of the offense.

Defensively, the Saints limited the damage by giving up only 17 points, but the secondary allowed big play after big play, highlighted by the absolutely putrid play of cornerback De’Vante Harris. The Saints either haven’t figured out that Harris simply isn’t ready for this stage, or maybe it is simply the damning admission that there is no other cornerback on the roster worthy of the second starting spot when Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley are out. Can we chalk up “cornerback” as a very high position of need during this upcoming offseason?

In the second half, the Saints offense couldn’t get going, scoring no points in the third quarter, while the defense stepped up, holding the Rams to only 3 points. As the fourth quarter started, the Saints found themselves down by 10 and had to resort to the same recipe that got them a win last week against Washington: Brees passing and passing again. Unfortunately for New Orleans, the Saints offense could never do enough to help its defense as the Rams dominated the time of possession, even when electing to throw the ball well over 40 times in the game. In the end, the Rams would seal the win by the score of 20-26.

The Saints eight-game winning streak comes to an end, but the team is still tied for the lead in the NFC South at 8-3 and have a rendez-vous with their co-leaders, the Carolina Panthers next Sunday afternoon in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome to decide who will take the division’s reins going into the final quarter of the season.

The Saints goals are all still in from of them, but they have to hope that Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley can quickly bounce back from their injuries and that the defense can go back to limiting offenses better than they did today. Needless to say that Brees and the offense have to play much better than they did today as well.

Here’s a quarter by quarter recap of the game

1st HALF

1st Quarter

• Saints win the toss and defer to the second half
• Rams return the kickoff for 40 yards to their own 41-yard line
• Rams get into Saints territory in a blink on a Goff pass to Sammy Watkins
• Sammy Watkins catches a touchdown pass from Jared Goff
• NO: 0 - LAR: 7
• De’Vante Harris was guarding Watkins on the play
• The absence of corners Marshon Lattimore and Ken Crawley is quite apparent
• Saints start with Drew Brees finding Michael Thomas for a 24-yard pass
• Brees gets sacked by Aaron Donald after holding on to the ball too long
• Brees gets sacked again on 3rd and 4, fumbles but Terron Armstead recovers
• Saints started the game with four straight passes and punt
• Rams take over at their 18-yard line
• A 15-yard penalty on Kenny Vaccaro gets the Rams into Saints territory
• Rams stall and Greg Zuerlein makes a 50-yard field goal
• NO: 0 - LAR: 10
• Saints take over at their 25-yard line
• Alvin Kamara runs to the right for a 74-yard touchdown! Wow!!!
• NO: 7 - LAR: 10
• Rams take over near their 30-yard line and go three-and-out
• Saints take over at their 19-yard line and face a 3rd and 3 as the quarter ends

2nd Quarter

• Saints stall and have to punt, Morstead pins the Rams to their 12-yard line
• Rams get out of trouble on a horrendous missed tackle by De’Vante Harris
• Rams stall and have to punt, Saints take over at their 11-yard line
• Saints stall near their 30-yard line and punt yet again
• Rams take the ball at their 14-yard line
• Rams move into the Saints red zone on a long to Cooper Kupp
• Jared Goff finds Josh Reynolds for a touchdown
• NO: 7 - LAR: 17
• This Saints defense is definitely hitting a wall
• Saints take over at their 25-yard line
• Brees finds Michael Thomas for a big third down conversion
• Alvin Kamara takes the ball into Rams territory at the 2-minute warning
• ALERT: Alvin Kamara is insanely AWESOME!!!
• Saints stall on 3rd and 8 and Wil Lutz makes a 50-yard field goal
• NO: 10 - LAR: 17
• Rams take over at their 18-yard line with 54 seconds to go in the half
• Rams get into Saints territory on another terrible covering effort by Harris
• De’Vante Harris does not belong on an NFL field, yet he’s starting
• Cam Jordan smokes Jared Goff for his second sack of the game
• Greg Zuerlein is short on a 63-yard field goal attempt
• At the half, Saints trail the Rams 10-17

2nd HALF

3rd Quarter

• Saints start with the ball at their 25-yard line
• Saints stall on 3rd and 8 and punt
• Rams return the punt for 40 yards to the Rams 49-yard line
• Rams stall and punt and pin the Saints to their 9-yard line
• On 3rd and 14 from their 15-yard line, Saints stall and punt
• Morstead pins the Rams deep
• Rams start at their 13-yard line
• A DPI penalty on P.J. Williams gives the Rams 48 yards into Saints territory
• Saints defense holds and forces the Rams into a field goal try
• Greg Zuerlein makes a 46-yard field goal
• NO: 10 - LAR: 20
• Saints take over at their 25-yard line
• Terron Armstead leaves the game injured, Brees promptly gets sacked
• On 3rd and 13, and Saints stall. Morstead is getting a workout today
• Rams get into the Saints red zone on two pass plays
• The Rams face a 3rd and 23 for the Saints 34-yard line as the quarter ends

4th Quarter

• Rams stall and Greg Zuerlein makes a 49-yard field goal
• NO: 10 - LAR: 23
• Saints take over at their 25-yard line
• Saints get into Rams territory, all on passing plays
• On 4th and 5 from the Rams 38, Brees finds Kamara for a 23-yard gain
• Saints stall in the red zone, Wil Lutz makes a 21-yard field goal
• NO: 13 - LAR: 23
• Rams take over at their 20-yard line
• On a deep throw, P.J. Williams picks off Jared Goff. A lucky pick to be honest
• But a pick is a pick and the Saints take over at their 19-yard line
• Brees is almost picked twice and Saints go three-and-out
• Rams take over at their 25-yard line
• Rams get into Saints territory on a DPI on Sterling Moore
• Rams bleed the clock down into the red zone
• Rams stall and Greg Zuerlein makes a chip shot field goal
• NO: 13 - LAR: 26
• Saints take over at their 25-yard line, hoping for another miracle
• Saints get deep into Rams territory on sideline throws
• Brees finds Alvin Kamara for a touchdown, his second of the game
• NO: 20 - LAR: 26
• Saints try an onside kick and Sammy Watkins recovers for the Rams
• Rams kneel on the ball and win the game
• Final Score: NO: 20 - LAR: 26