12. 1996 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at 5. 2018 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
5. 2018 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 11-5
Off: 3rd
Def: 14th
1st NFC South
d. Eagles Div Rnd 20-14
lost NFC Title Rams 26-23
HC: Sean Payton OC: Pete Carmichael DC: Dennis Allen
Superdome
Zach Strief/Deuce McAllister
Offense
QB Drew Brees (39 Purdue)
RB Alvin Kamara (23 Tenn)
FB Zach Line (28 SMU)
WR Tre'Quan Smith (22-R C Florida)
WR Michael Thomas (25 All Pro Ohio St)
TE Josh Hill (28 Idaho St)
LT Terron Armstead (27 Ark PB)
LG Andrus Peat (25 Stanford)
C Max Unger (32 Oregon)
RG Larry Warford (27 Kentucky)
RT Ryan Ramczyk (24 Wisc)
Defense
LDE Cameron Jordan (29 Cal)
LDT Sheldon Rankins (24 Louisville)
RDT Tyeler Davison (26 Fresno St)
RDE Alex Okafor (27 Texas)
LLB Demario Davis (29 Ark St)
MLB PJ Williams (25 Florida St)
RLB AJ Klein (27 Iowa St)
LCB Eli Apple (23 Ohio St)
RCB Marshon Lattimore (22 Ohio St)
SS Kurt Coleman (30 Ohio St)
FS Marcus Williams (22 Uta)
K Will Lutz (24 Georgia St)
P Thomas Morstead (32 SMU)
KR Taysom Hill (28 BYU)
PR Alvin Kamara (23 Tenn)
Another Payton/Brees saints squad; the 5th seeds in Region 7 are the 2018 Saints. The '19 and '20 teams have both already advanced to Round 2. This group has a better seed than both. The offense is third in football. Brees is 39 and what that means in ultra modern NFL numbers is 36 total scores and 5 picks. The jump in passing offense in the concussion era is remarkable. Alvin Kamara is 23 and had 18 scores. The team's All Pro is Michael Thomas, 25, caught 125 balls for 1400 yards. 4 members of the OL made the Pro Bowl. The defense is not providing a lot, 29 year old Cameron Jordan had a dozen sacks.
12. 1996 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Record: 12-5
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 3rd
Def: 4th
2nd NFC West
d. Eagles WC 14-0
lost Packers Div Rnd 35-14
HC George Seifert OC Marc Trestman DC Pete Carroll
Offense
QB Steve Young (35 BYU)
RB Terry Kirby (26 UVA)
FB William Floyd (24 Florida St)
WR Terrell Owens (23-R UT Chat)
WR Jerry Rice (34 All Pro Miss Vall St)
TE Brent Jones (33 S Clara)
LT Steve Wallace (32 Auburn)
LG Ray Brown (34 Ark St)
C Jesse Sapolu (35 Hawaii)
RG Chris Dalman (26 Stanford)
RT Harris Barton (32 UNC)
Defense
LDE Roy Barker (27 UNC)
LDT Bryant Young (24 All Pro N Dame)
RDT Dana Stubblefield (26 Kansas)
RDE Chris Doleman (35 Pitt)
LLB Lee Woodall (27 W Chester)
MLB Ken Norton (30 UCLA)
RLB Gary Plummer (36 Cal)
LCB Tyronne Drakeford (25 Va Tech)
RCB Marquez Pope (26 Fresno St)
SS Tim McDonald (31 USC)
FS Merton Hanks (28 Iowa)
K Jeff Wilkins (24 Youngstown St)
P Tommy Thompson (24 Oregon)
KR/PR Dexter Carter (29 Florida St)
Possible upset alert; the Niners are the 12th seeds in the region, but were top 4 in both offense and defense in 1996. Steve Young's 35, 18 scores and 6 picks, the All Pro on offense is, of course, Jerry Rice, 34, 108 catches, 1250 yards. The defense is led by 24 year old All Pro Bryant Young - he, 35 year old Chris Doleman - 27 year old Roy Barker combined for 35 sacks.
We should have a good one from the Superdome - let's go out for the kick.
1st Qtr
Niners start at the 36.
3 and out.
Saints at the 26.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Alvin Kamara busts a giant run -- 56 yards -- Kamara going around the right end for a home run -- Kamara cutting back over the middle -- Kamara the 40, the 30 - the 20 -- Kamara is Caught Fron Behind By Marquez Pope and Stripped -- Kamara is Stripped -- the 49ers recover! Alvin Kamara with the home run - 56 yards -- but Marquez Pope catches him from behind, strips him - and San Francisco recovers at their own 13 yard line.
1/10 - Steve Young to Jerry Rice, 4 yards.
2/6 - Young gets ripped to the turf by Cameron Jordan.
3/12 - Young finds Brent Jones over the middle, 21 yards and the first down.
1/10 - Terry Kirby for 1.
2/9 - Young gets sacked again - Sheldon Rankins just pounds Young into the turf and it is third down and a ton.
3/16 - Draw to Kirby -- and Kirby's into the secondary -- Terry Kirby blows into the secondary -- 48 yards all the way to the Saints 26 yard line.
That's it. 3 more plays net 5 yards -- Wilkins hits the 38 yard FG and it's 3-0.
Saints start at the 29.
1/10 - Kamara for 1.
2/9 - Zach Line, the FB, gets a carry. 2 yards.
3/7 - Drew Brees first pass is caught by the former 49er Ted Ginn, Ginn gets a dozen.
1/10 - Kamara gets 1.
2/9 - Line is Blown Up by Bryant Young -- Fumble -- Fumble -- the Niners have recovered their second fumble of the quarter! Two fumble recoveries in the first quarter.
Niners at the Saints 43.
1/10 - Young to Kirby out in the flat, 9 yards.
2/1- Terry Kirby picks it up.
1/10 - Kirby gets 6 more.
2/4 - Young crossing route to Rice -- Rice breaks a tackle - Rice open field -- Rice dragged down at the Saints 7 yard line. First and goal.
1/goal - Give to Tommy Vardell, he gets 2.
2/goal - Vardell again, he gets right to the goal line -- Vardell inches short, Niners will have third and goal as we flip ends.
2nd Qtr Niners 3 Saints 0
2 Fumble recoveries for San Francisco, they have third and goal as the qtr begins.
3/goal - Derek Lovill is stopped dead - right at the line - and the Niners have 4th and goal inside the Saints 1 yard line.
4/goal - Young attempts a sneak -- he is met head on by Sheldon Rankins -- he is....Short...Short...a Goal Line stand by the Saints and New Orleans takes over just inches from their own goal line.
3 and out.
Niners start at midfield
1/10 - Young to Kirby, 8 yards.
2/2 - William Floyd's first carry, he gets 5.
1/10 - Kirby for 2
2/8 - Vardell gets 2
3/6 - Young scrambling -- Young's across the line - Young's got the first down - Young is Hit by AJ Klein -- Fumble -- Fumble -- and now the Saints have recovered a fumble - turnover heavy first half here in New Orleans.
Saints at their own 26. They go back 5 on a false start.
1/15 - Kamara gets 2
2/13 - Brees finds Michael Thomas, his first catch, 6 yards
3/7 - Brees goes to Taysom Hill -- Hill has 9 and the first down.
1/10 - Mark Ingram's first carry is for 6.
2/4 - Brees goes back to Thomas - 8 yards and a first down across midfield.
That's all - 3 plays net 3 yards. Saints punt.
Niners at their own 17.
1/10 - Give to Vardell -- and he's Stripped by Rankins -- Sheldon Rankins forces the Fumble --the Saints recover - the Saints recover at the Niner 22 yard line.
Both teams have lost 2 fumbles, Niners still up 3-0.
1/10 - Brees to Tre'Quan Smith for 9.
2/1 - Incomplete
3/1 - Ingram gets 7 and it's a first and goal at the 6 yard line.
The next 3 plays lose 3 yards including a Bryant Young sack - Lutz with the short FG -- it is 3-3, the Niners will start at their own 19, just a tick ahead of the 2 minute warning.
1/10 - Young rolling out - he's been under fire all day -- he finds Rice downfield, 27 yards and the first down.
1/10 - Young - planned run -- Young cuts upfield -- Young's got 18 all the way to the Saints 36 yard line and out of bounds.
1/10 - Young in trouble, Young running again - Young's got 7 yards. Timeout.
2/3 - Young, quick out to Rice -- Rice breaks a tackle - Rice out of bounds with the 13 yard gain and the Niners are at the 16 yard line.
But the drive ends there and with less than a minute left, Wilkins makes it 6-3.
Saints at the 32. 46 seconds left.
1/10 - Brees to Thomas for 9. Timeout.
2/1 - Incomplete
3/1 - Brees to Thomas at the sideline, gets the feet in and then is out of bounds across midfield, 29 seconds left.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Brees to Kamara, it's a bail out, 2 yards and out of bounds.
3/8 - Brees over the middle - Ginn - Ginn's got the first down at the Niner 33 - Saints stop the clock at 2 seconds left - Lutz hits the 50 yarder at the gun and we are tied at 6
3rd Qtr Niners 6 Saints 6
Evenly matched on every score - turnovers, defensive stops, old QB throwing to All Pro receivers - this is more of an 8/9 game than a 5/12 game. Nothing but FGs so far.
Taysom Hill terrific return and the Saints start at their own 41.
3 and out.
Niners at the 14.
1/10 - Floyd is stopped at the line, holding on the next play is half the distance, Niners way back at their own 7.
2/17 - Kirby for 2. Third and forver.
3/15 - Young to Brent Jones, 18 yards, Niners at the 27 - and there's a face mask 15 tacked on - that's a huge play, Niners at their own 42.
1/10 - Terry Kirby breaks his second big run -- 47 yards -- Kirby all the way to the NO 13 yard line -- Niners first down at the 13.
But again - the drive stalls. Again, a FG. 9-6.
Hill with another big return - Saints all the way out to their own 42.
1/10 - Ingram for 2
2/8 - Brees to Smith for 3.
3/5 - Ingram busts up the gut, 21 yards to the Niner 32 yard line.
But that's all - Bryant Young picks up his second sack -- Lutz hits a 51 yard FG and now it's 9-9.
Dexter Carter now matches Hill, he takes the kick back to the Saint 49 yard line - these two teams just mirror images of each other.
1/10 - Kirby gets 1.
2/9 - Young to Ri --- No -- Picked Off by Marshon Lattimore -- Lattimore steps in front of Rice -- he is down at the Saints 45 yard line - the Saints force a third Niner turnover.
3 and out. Nice stop by the Niner defense.
Niners at their own 11.
1/10 - Gadget play - a reverse for Jerry Rice - Rice runs for 18 yards and the first.
1/10 - Kirby gets a dozen.
1/10 - Young finds William Floyd for 10 -- that's 3 straight first downs on 3 plays and the Niners near midfield as we hit the 4th qtr.
4th Qtr: Niners 9 Saints 9
Battle of FG continue, Niners have a first down at their own 49.
1/10 Young to Popson for 11 - that's 4 plays, 4 first downs on the drive.
1/10 Young to Kirby for 10 -- 5 plays, 5 first downs. Niners at the 28.
And it ends there. Wilkins kicks another FG and it is 12-9.
Saints at the 28.
1/10 - Gadget play - mirror images -- Ted Ginn on the end around -- and he breaks it -- 67 huge huge yards -- Ginn will go all the way to the 49er 5 yard line -- Ted Ginn with the biggest play of the game, a 67 yard run - and the Saints have a first and goal at the 5 yard line.
But again...it ends here, Bryant Young with his third sack of the day. Again, Lutz with the FG and with a little more than 9 minutes left in regulation it is 12-12.
Niners at the 27.
1/10 - Kirby runs for 10.
1/10 - Floyd for 2.
2/8 - Loville for 1. Third down.
3/7 - Young looking downfield -- Young looking for the home run -- Big Shot -- Young Finding the rookie, Terrell Owens -- 51 yards downfield -- it's TO's first catch of the day at the very best possible time -- 51 yards and the Niners now have a first and goal with 6:27 to go in the game.
1/goal - Kirby stacked up
2/goal - It's a planned Young run -- Young gets to the Saint 5 yard line and it's third and goal.
3/goal - Give to Kirby - HE'S STRIPPPED BY CAMERON JORDAN -- FUMBLE -- AND THE SAINTS RECOVER!! The 4th Niner turnover is a crusher - Kirby fumbles at the Saint 4 yard linec -- Saints recover - the Saints take over at their own 4 yard line with under 5 left in a tie game.
3 and out. The Niner defense again standing up, it's a very quick change of possession, Niners forcing the punt from the end zone -- and they will start in Saints territory at the 41, 3:25 left in the game.
1/10 - Young goes to Terry Kirby -- Kirby in open field - Kirby 23 yards to the Saints 18 yard line.
1/10 - Kirby stopped for nothing - we are at the 2 minute warning. It's 12-12, Niners are in FG range.
2/10 - Young gets sacked - Jordan's second sack of the game - the Niners forced to stop the clock as Young is shaken up -- it's third and 15 for San Francisco at the Saint 23, 1:47 left.
3/15 - Young to pass - Niners not running the ball here -- Young to pass -- he finds Tommy Vardell on the sideline -- Vardell breaks a tackle -- Vardell has a first down at the 12 yard line! Young picks up the first down -- 1:23 left in the game and the Niners are at the 12 yard line.
1/10 - Floyd runs into the line, Saints call time -- Niners now looking to kick this FG with as little time on the clock as possible.
2/10 - Play action -- Young to throw -- Young to the Endzone -- Rice -- TOUCHDOWN NINERS -- Gutsy play call here -- Niners sold they were trying to run out the clock - instead - Young finds Rice in the endzone -- the Niners are into the endzone --- but that means NO will get the ball back with a chance to tie it up -- 19-12 Niners, under a minute left.
Saints at the 35.
1/10 - Brees going downfield -- Keith Kirkwood -- 26 yards! Brees goes 26 to Kirkwood - Saints stop the clock at the Niner 39 with 44 seconds left. Ohhhh, boy.
1/10 - Brees dump off to Kamara for 2. Out of bounds.
2/8 - Incomplete. 30 seconds left and it is 3rd and 8.
3/8 - Brees to Kirkwood - at the stick -- there's a measurement -- and he got it -- Saints are at the Niner 29, 21 seconds to go in the game.
1/10 - Brees to Kamara - 8 yards, Saints timeout. Saints at the Niner 21 yard line, 13 seconds to go. That's the Saints final timeout - so this is probably it.
Saints are down 19-12. At the 49er 21 yard line. 13 seconds left and out of timeouts. They maybe can get two plays, but it would be risky.
2/2 - Brees dropping back -- Brees is looking to the end zone --
BREES IS SACKED BY CHRIS DOLEMAN -- the veteran Doleman sacks Drew Brees to end the game! Chris Doleman sacks Drew Brees to end the game and the San Francisco 49ers go to New Orleans and knock off the Saints.
Final: 49ers 19 Saints 12
Niners win the defensive battle, they overcome 4 turnovers, get two of their own, plus 4 sacks, 3 from Bryant Young and a game ender by Chris Doleman. Niners defense holds that NO ultramodern offense to 10 first downs.
Young: 17 for 22, 260 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 6 carries 30 yds
Brees: 14 for 27, 121 yds
Kirby, 14 carries, 137 yds, 4 catches, 50 yds
Kamara: 13 carries, 82 yds
Rice: 6 catches, 79 yds, 1 TD
Thomas: 5 catches, 39 yds
Young: 3 sacks
Jordan: sack, forced fumble
Wilkins: 4 FG
Lutz: 4 FG
Player of the Game: Bryant Young
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