Monday, December 31, 2001
Redskins 40, Saints 10
The Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS — Neither Washington nor New Orleans is going to the playoffs. On Sunday night, only the Saints looked like a team playing out the string.
Stephen Davis and Ki-Jana Carter ran for a combined 162 yards, Brett Conway kicked four field goals, and a slew of Saints turnovers helped the Redskins put together a 40-10 victory.
It was the Saints' biggest loss under coach Jim Haslett, and the team has lost three straight games for the first time in his two years as coach. The Saints have given up 122 points in that slide, the most points in a three-game span in franchise history.
New Orleans (7-8) turned the ball over twice on downs, once on a fumble and three times on interceptions. Four of five Saints drives bridging the second and third quarters ended in turnovers.
Washington (7-8) rallied from a 10-0 deficit, holding the Saints scoreless after the first quarter.
Davis rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown. Carter had 51 yards and two touchdowns.
Tony Banks completed nine of 15 passes for Washington and was intercepted once. He also ran for a touchdown.
The game was New Orleans' second straight home contest at night. Sunday's crowd was relatively quiet, unlike the Dec. 17 Monday night game against St. Louis, when 13 people were arrested and 15 ejected after bottles, cups, ice and even a pair of binoculars were tossed onto a corner of the end zone by fans unhappy about an officiating call.
The Superdome added security people and placed restrictions on beer sales for Sunday's game, including stopping sales in the stands at halftime and completely after the third quarter.
The Saints had just 213 yards in total offense.
Aaron Brooks was 14-of-28 for 127 yards, was sacked four times and intercepted three times.
New Orleans has had trouble scoring early in games this season, averaging three points in the first quarter in the first 14 games. But the Saints scored 10 in the first 15 minutes against Washington.
The Saints opened the game with a 10-play drive that ended with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Deuce McAllister after 6:24.
The Saints appeared to add another touchdown two minutes later, but the play was challenged and overturned when replays showed that New Orleans receiver Willie Jackson had only one foot inbounds. New Orleans settled for a 29-yard field goal that made it 10-0.
The Redskins scored on Davis' 6-yard run with 6:59 left in the second quarter, it to 10-7. Washington tied it when Brett Conway's 53-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar and bounced over with 2:44 remaining in the half.
Ricky Williams appeared to fumble on the Saints' next series, but a New Orleans challenge showed that he was down before letting go of the ball.
It was a short reprieve. Champ Bailey picked off Brooks' pass on the next play, giving the Redskins the ball at the Saints 21.
Washington drove to New Orleans' 5-yard-line, but La'Roi Glover sacked Banks on third down. Conway's 22-yard field goal gave the Redskins a 13-10 lead at halftime.
Conway opened the second half with a 34-yard field goal that made it 16-10.
Banks ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 6:48 left in the third quarter, and Carter's 2-yard TD run 4 1/2 minutes later gave Washington a 30-10 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Conway hit a 37-yard field goal, and Carter ran in from 1 yard out with 2:36 left to complete the scoring.
Bengals Stories
Bilas praises XU's West as unselfish superstar
Year in Sports: Not just fun & games anymore
Year in Sports: Top 10 local stories
Year in Sports: Top 10 national stories
OSU, South Carolina stars learned from mistakes
Four local skaters in nationals
Toledo 5, Cyclones 3
Sports events this week
Prep basketball page
Winton Woods, Roger Bacon close tourney
This week's boys basketball schedule
This week's girls basketball schedule
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores
Kentucky boys basketball scores
Kentucky girls basketball scores
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores
• Return to Bengals front page...
Redskins 40, Saints 10