Brees injured, Rams beat Saints 27-9 in title sport rematch

When Drew Brees went to the sideline holding his injured throwing hand, this NFC championship sport rematch — and perhaps this season’s Tremendous Bowl race — dramatically modified right away.

Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams did not waste the chance created by Brees’ absence to beat the Saints once more. And with no assist from a no-call this time.

Goff handed for 283 yards and a landing and rushed for an additional rating, and the Rams stopped New Orleans from scoring an offensive landing for the primary time since 2016 throughout Los Angeles’ 27-9 victory Sunday.

A powerful efficiency by the Rams’ protection, a formidable second half from Goff’s offense, and one other officiating choice that damage the Saints have been all overshadowed by Brees’ departure late within the first quarter.

“I informed him I am hoping for the very best,” Goff mentioned of his postgame chat with Brees. “He is an incredible participant for this league, a face of the league, and any person we’d like within the league.”

Brees’ throwing hand collided with Aaron Donald’s outstretched hand whereas he threw an incompletion on the Saints’ second drive, and the NFL’s profession chief in yards passing spent the afternoon on the Coliseum sideline together with his thumb closely wrapped. Brees will see a hand specialist Sunday evening, he mentioned.

“There may be solely a lot you are able to do right here so far as a physician seeing it on the sideline,” Brees mentioned. “Hoping it isn’t too important.”

Teddy Bridgewater went 17 of 30 for 165 yards in strong reduction, whereas Alvin Kamara rushed for simply 45 yards for the Saints (1-1), who appeared understandably discombobulated with out their longtime quarterback — though the Rams’ protection deserves loads of credit score as effectively.

Brees’ absence “actually did not change something in any respect for us,” Rams go rusher Dante Fowler mentioned. “We have been doing a great job earlier than he obtained damage. All people was on high of their sport.”

New Orleans did not rating an offensive landing for under the fourth time in 13-plus seasons beneath coach Sean Payton, who obtained a prolonged contract extension earlier than the sport.

“It will be a tough movie to observe for guys,” Payton mentioned. “We obtained whipped up entrance.”

Todd Gurley rushed for 63 yards and scored his first landing of the season late within the third quarter of this rematch of the Rams’ 26-23 additional time win in New Orleans final January. That sport turned on the notorious uncalled go interference late in regulation by Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, who had six tackles within the rematch.

“Each win is an enormous win, however at the moment was an important win,” Robey-Coleman mentioned. “It was a win that principally simply closed all of the chatter and the naysaying.”

This one additionally contained early refereeing drama that left the Saints steamed: New Orleans’ Cameron Jordan had an extended fumble return for a landing worn out within the second quarter. The play initially was dominated an incomplete go earlier than video evaluation decided Goff had fumbled, however Jordan’s lengthy return did not depend as a result of officers had blown the play useless.

Jordan was nonetheless livid after the sport, even referring to the refs as “the Foot Locker” and saying sure members of the officiating crew “have been perhaps of their prime a decade in the past.”

“If Drew is down, it is on the protection,” Jordan added. “I take it upon me. I do not know what number of occasions we hit Jared Goff, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient. We have got to create extra turnovers.”

The Saints have been hampered by 11 penalties for 87 yards, whereas the Rams’ offense recovered from a gradual begin to make three straight landing drives within the second half.

However this matchup between two of essentially the most prolific offenses in NFL historical past was positively not a fireworks present, between Brees’ absence and the inconsistent efficiency of Los Angeles coach Sean McVay’s offense. The Rams failed to attain a landing within the first half for under the third time in McVay’s tenure.

KUPP RUNNETH OVER EVERYBODY

Shortly after Brandin Cooks caught a TD go, Cooper Kupp made the play of the sport with a spectacular 67-yard catch-and-run within the fourth quarter. Goff scored after Kupp was dominated down on the 1 by video evaluation.

“It was like one thing you solely see in a soccer film,” Cooks mentioned with amusing.

Kupp completed with 5 catches for 120 yards, whereas Goff surpassed 10,000 profession yards passing.

INJURIES

Each groups had far too many. Together with Brees, the Saints misplaced left guard Andrus Peat to an ankle damage within the second half. Linebacker A.J. Klein additionally went to the locker room within the second half. Backup receiver Keith Kirkwood was dominated out with a hamstring damage in pregame warmups.

The Rams misplaced two offensive starters: proper guard Austin Blythe injured his ankle within the first half, and tight finish Tyler Higbee incurred a chest damage early within the second half.

Donald missed a part of the primary half with a again damage, however the two-time Defensive Participant of the Yr returned.

LAST SHOW

The sport was the Rams’ closing house opener on the 96-year-old Coliseum: They will transfer into SoFi Stadium in Inglewood subsequent season. The Rams and Chargers unveiled the identify of their multibillion-dollar complicated earlier than the sport.

UP NEXT

Saints: Staying on the West Coast this week to face the Seattle Seahawks subsequent Sunday.

Rams: On the Cleveland Browns subsequent Sunday.

———

Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL