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SPORTS Monday 5 noveMber 2018
Long-distance call: Thomas

helps Saints beat Rams 45-35

By BRETT MARTEL times, twice on runs and running back Mark Ingram
AP Sports Writer once on a 16-yard catch- and defensive Aaron Don-
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Mi- and-run — all in the first half. ald recovered on the Saints
chael Thomas caught a The Rams (8-1) very nearly 22. But four plays later,
late 72-yard touchdown pulled off an extraordinary Johnny Hekker was ruled
reception and then cel- comeback in the Super- down just short of the first
ebrated with a cellphone dome, where the crowd down marker on a fake
in a throwback to another was revved up after New field goal. The Rams chal-
famous New Orleans play, Orleans (7-1) raced to a lenged, but the call stood,
and the streaking Saints three-touchdown lead late and the Saints marched
handed the Los Angeles in the first half. back down the field, scor-
Rams their first loss of the Los Angeles rallied to tie ing on Brees' quick hit
season with a 45-35 win on the game at 35 with 21 over the middle to rook-
Sunday. unanswered points in just ie Tre'Quan Smith from 4
Drew Brees passed for 346 less than 21 minutes off the yards out. That was the first
yards and four touchdowns clock, starting with Greg of three successive touch-
in New Orleans' seventh Zuerlein's 56-yard field goal downs for New Orleans.
straight win, and Thomas as time expired in the first After Zuerlein missed a 51-
finished with a club-record half. yard field goal attempt,
211 yards receiving. But Receiving the kick to start the Saints scored on Brees'
what happened after their the third quarter, Los Ange- 13-yard pass to Ben Watson
last connection of the day les put together an 11-play with just more than a min-
really stole the show in a touchdown drive capped ute left in the second quar-
wild shootout between two by Malcolm Brown's 18-yard ter. Shortly after, Alex An-
of the NFL's best offenses. catch and run in which zelone's diving interception
Thomas' long TD came on the running back hopped of Jared Goff's pass over
a pivotal third-down play over safety Marcus Williams the middle set up Kamara's
with about four minutes to along the sideline and kept short TD run with 26 seconds New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) celebrates
go, when the Rams seemed his balance long enough to go in the half. his touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against
the Los Angeles Rams in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018.
to expect the Saints to run to reach the ball across the Goff passed for 391 yards Associated Press
a play closer to the first- goal line. and three TDs.
down marker. Thomas ran After another field goal cut INJURIES evaluated for a concussion looked at after his fumble
free behind Marcus Peters, New Orleans' lead to 35-27, Rams: Edge pass rusher during the second quarter. but returned.
caught Brees' long throw the Rams forced a second Matt Longacre was being Saints: Ingram had his arm om/AP_NFL
virtually in stride and ran straight punt and tied the
straight to the goal post, game on Cooper Kupp's
where he got out an old- 41-yard catch and run
school flip phone — remi- along the left sideline.
niscent of Joe Horn's Sun- The Saints regained the
day night TD celebration in lead on Wil Lutz's 54-yard
2003. field goal, and then forced
Like Horn, Thomas was pe- the Rams' first punt of the
nalized, but the Rams nev- game with about five min-
er threatened after that. utes left.
P.J. Williams, credited with Brees threw three touch-
causing two turnovers in downs passes in the first
New Orleans' previous vic- half, when the Saints scored
tory at Minnesota, broke 35 points.
up a fourth-down pass in- Both teams scored touch-
tended for Brandin Cooks, downs on each of their first
virtually sealing the result. two possessions, starting
The former Saints receiver, with Kamara's 11-yard run
who caught six passes for and Todd Gurley's 8-yard
114 yards and a TD, fell to score.
his knees in frustration. Gurley's score have him
Thomas, who caught a TD in a club-record 12
12 passes, eclipsed Wes straight games, passing Hall
Chandler's club record of of Famer Elroy Hirsch.
205 yards receiving against The tenor of the game
Atlanta in 1979. changed when outside
New Orleans running back linebacker Samson Ebu-
Alvin Kamara scored three kam stripped New Orleans