Reporting from NEW ORLEANS — The Rams already were embarrassed Sunday when the New Orleans Saints added a final blow.
Early in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 49-21 loss at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Saints quarterback Drew Brees dropped back and threw a lateral to his left to receiver Willie Snead, who had backpedaled from the line of scrimmage. Snead caught the ball and then calmly lofted a pass toward the right sideline to wide-open running back Tim Hightower.
Hightower hauled in the pass and then juked Rams safety Maurice Alexander on the way to the end zone for a 50-yard scoring play.
“There’s probably only one out of 10 times I’m not going to make that tackle,” Alexander said.
The touchdown completed the Saints’ victory.
“There are tendencies and it had been installed earlier in the week and just coming up at the right time,” Saints Coach Sean Payton said when asked about the play call.
That the play came with New Orleans holding a 21-point lead did not seem to anger the Rams, but it did raise the question of whether Payton signed off on the play to embarrass Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
Williams coached with Payton with the Saints from 2009 to 2011. They won a Super Bowl together but also received suspensions in the aftermath of the infamous Bountygate scandal.
Rams coordinators are not available to the media after games.
“I do not take that personal,” Rams Coach Jeff Fisher said when asked about the play coming with the Saints holding such a commanding lead. “That is what they chose to call. They did it.
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“I fully expected Sean to get 56 [points] on us today on that last drive.”
Safety T.J. McDonald did not consider the Saints might be trying to rub it in.
“We don’t see it as that,” he said. “We accept the challenge and, whenever we’re on the field, we have to stop them.”
Said defensive lineman Michael Brockers: “It was good offense. They want to score points. They’re home. We just have to be prepared for everything.”
Milestone game
Rams receiver Kenny Britt caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.
Britt, an eight-year pro, increased his career-best receptions total to 54 and also established a career best for yards receiving. He has 788 yards, eclipsing the 775 he amassed in 2014, his first season with the Rams.
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Britt’s touchdown came in the second quarter after Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald sacked Brees and forced a fumble. Quarterback Jared Goff connected from the six-yard line for Britt’s fourth touchdown of the season.
Up and coming
Saints rookie receiver Michael Thomas, who played at Woodland Hills Taft High, caught nine passes for 108 yards and scored on touchdown pass plays of six and 21 yards.
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Saints receiver Michael Thomas and Rams cornerback Lamarcus Joyner get tangeled on a pass play during the third quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams quarterback Jared Goff is sacked by Saints linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (59) and defensive end Cameron Jordan during the fourth quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams receiver Tavon Austin catches the ball for Jared Goff’s first career touchdown pass against Saints defensive back B.W. Webb in the first quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints quarterback Drew Brees dives over the pile for a on-yard touchdown on fourth down against the Rams during the second quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams safety T.J. McDonald breaks up a pass intended for Saints receiver Willis Snead in the end zone during the first quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints runing back Mark Ingram sprints past the Rams defense for a 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams quarterback Jared Goff walks off the field after losing a fumble to the Saints during the second quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints linebacker Dannell Ellerbe celebrates after sacking Rams quarterback Jared Goff during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints receiver Michael Thomas carries Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines into the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams offensive lineman Rodger Saffold grimaces in pain after hurting his arm.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints running back Tim Hightower evades Rams defensive back Maurice Alexander to finish off a 50-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Willie Snead during the fourth quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints receiver Michael Thomas catches a six-yard touchdown pass in front of Rams defenders T.J. McDonald, center, and E.J. Gaines during the second quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints receiver Michael Thomas catches a six-yard touchdown pass against Rams defenders T.J. McDonald, center, and E.J. Gaines in the second quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald forces Saints quarterback Drew Brees to fumble during a sack in the first quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams defensive coodinator Gregg Williams calls for a player during the game against his former team.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints receiver Michael Thomas picks up big yards against the Rams defense.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams quarterback Jared Goff is forced into an incomplete pass awhile being pressured by Saints linebacker Kasim Edebali during the first quarter.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree brings down Saints receiver Willie Snead after a reception during the first half.
(Butch Dill / Associated Press)
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Rams quarterback Jared Goff loses a fumble during the first half of a game against the Saints on Nov. 27.
(Bill Feig / Associated Press)
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Rams Coach Jeff Fisher reacts on the sideline during the first half.
(Butch Dill / Associated Press)
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Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) is sacked by Saints free safety Vonn Bell during the second half.
(Bill Feig / Associated Press)
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Saints running back Mark Ingram is congratulated by quarterback Drew Brees after the two connected for a touchdown pass against the Rams in the second half.
(Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
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Rams quarterback Jared Goff is sacked by Saints linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and defensive end Cameron Jordan during the second half.
(Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
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Saints wide receiver Willie Snead (83) throws a touchdown pass to running back Tim Hightower during the second half.
(Butch Dill / Associated Press)
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Rams’ Greg Robinson can only watch as he did not suit up for the game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Saints running back Travaris Cadet is introduced before a game with the Rams.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Thomas was drafted in the second round from Ohio State. He has 65 receptions for 789 yards and seven touchdowns.
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“He is pretty good after the catch, so he made a few guys miss, had some hidden yardage and he is physical when he gets the ball,” Payton said. “He is a tough guy to tackle. He came up with some big plays.”
Gary Klein covers the Los Angeles Rams for the Los Angeles Times. Before that, he covered USC’s football program and athletic department. He began working for The Times in the San Fernando Valley edition and has reported on high school, college and pro sports. He grew up in Southern California and graduated from Cal State Northridge.
