LOS ANGELES RAMS (2-1) VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-1) THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2018 – 7:00 PM (CST) MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME -– NEW ORLEANS, LA. TV: Raycom Media (WVUE FOX-8 locally) – Joel Meyers (play-by-play), Sean Kelley and Jon Stinchcomb (color analysts) and Meghan Payton (sideline) LOCAL RADIO: WWL (870 AM and 105.3 FM) – Zach Strief (play-by-play), Deuce McAllister (color analyst) and Steve Geller (sideline) SPANISH LANGUAGE RADIO: Louisiana Spanish Network (97.9 FM) – Marco Garcia (play-by-play), Juan Carlos Ramos and Victor Quinonez (color analysts) built on the firepower in its running game and passing THE MATCHUP game, backed by a stout offensive line with the addition of Following a preseason that will have consisted of over 20 WR Cameron Meredith, the return of TE Benjamin Watson training camp practices at the Ochsner Sports Perfor- and drafting of WR Tre’Quan Smith. Defensively, the mance Center, two joint practices with the Los Angeles ante has been further upped with the selection of first Chargers in Southern California, three preseason games round draft pick DE Marcus Davenport and the shrewd and countless hours of preparation in both the meeting signings of veteran defenders in S Kurt Coleman and LB room and weight room, the Saints will close out their 2018 Demario Davis. preseason Thursday in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans has a final opportunity to build continuity and when they host the Los Angeles Rams at 7 p.m. This will momentum heading into the regular season opener be the final tune-up for New Orleans before their regular against Tampa Bay. The Rams, who feature a hardnosed season opener, when they open up NFC South play right defense, explosive offense and top-notch special teams away and host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 9. units will serve as a perfect tune-up in all three phases. The Rams and the Saints will face off for only the fourth This is also the final opportunity for players to make a posi- time in the preseason. On Aug. 8, 2014, the Saints defeat- tive impression before the mandatory roster cutdown to 53 ed the Rams in St. Louis, their next to last season before on Saturday. the franchise’s return to Los Angeles in 2016. The other Several returning players, as well as draft picks and veter- two preseason meetings took place in Anaheim, Calif. in an and rookie free agent acquisitions will be looking to 1967 and 1968, New Orleans’ first two seasons in the make a positive impression tonight in what for many, is league. The Saints and Rams have a long history as long- their last chance to shine in front of the Saints coaches time rivals in the old NFC West. The Rams have a 41-32 and personnel staff. While performing on offense and de- edge in the all-time regular season series and the Saints fense is important, one of the easiest ways to work off the posting their first playoff win in franchise history on Decem- bubble is on special teams coverage and return units. ber 30, 2000. Despite the two teams residing in different divisions since 2002, the rivalry heated up again in 2017, An example of the importance of special teams perfor- as both clubs claimed their respective divisions and the mance is evident in several current players on the Saints Rams edged out a 26-20 win over the Saints on Nov. 26 at roster. Overall in addition to draft picks, 28 undrafted rook- the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Saints will also host the ies who were signed by the Saints as free agents following Rams in the regular season on Nov. 4. the NFL Draft since 2006 have earned opening day roster spots, oftentimes this being sealed in the preseason finale Both teams have high hopes heading into this preseason which promises to be an extended audition for many. finale looking for something to build on. New Orleans has Rams vs. Saints: Preseason Week 4 2 THE COACHES eighth in rushing offense (122.1 avg.) and tenth in passing offense (239.4 avg.). Prior to being hired by the Rams, New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton has McVay completed his third season as the Redskins’ offen- posted a 112-76 overall record (.596), including a 7-5 post- sive coordinator in 2016 after initially being promoted to the season mark (.583) after the franchise had won only one position in 2014. Prior to his promotion, McVay spent three playoff game prior to his arrival. Payton holds the club’s top seasons as the Redskins’ tight ends coach (2011-13) and win total and winning percentage for a head coach. Payton one as an offensive assistant (2010). McVay joined the enters the 2018 campaign and continues to represent the Redskins prior to 2010 after an undefeated regular season Saints as the model of stability not only within the NFC with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League. The South, as he is the longest tenured head coach within the Tuskers finished a perfect 6-0 before losing in the UFL’s division, but also within the National Football League. Only inaugural championship game. McVay originally entered New England’s Bill Belichick (2000), Cincinnati’s Marvin the NFL as an offensive assistant with Tampa Bay in 2008. Lewis (2003) and Green Bay’s Mike McCarthy (hired one McVay played wide receiver at Miami (OH). His grandfa- week prior to Payton in 2006) have been with their teams ther, John McVay, served in various administrative roles, longer. Payton is also one of just eight active coaches to including director of research development for the New lead a team to a Super Bowl victory. The others are New York Giants (1976), vice president/director of football oper- England’s Bill Belichick, Seattle’s Pete Carroll, Oakland’s ations for the San Francisco 49ers (1983-94), as well as serving as general manager one year in San Francisco Jon Gruden (Tampa Bay in 2002), Baltimore’s John Har- (1998-99). McVay oversaw five Super Bowl championship baugh, Packers Mike McCarthy, Philadelphia’s Doug Ped- squads and earned induction into the 49ers Hall of Fame in erson and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. The 2017 Saints yield- 2013. ed an 11-5 regular season record, producing their first playoff berth since 2013, behind a squad led by quarter- back Drew Brees offensively and defensive end Cameron 2017 SAINTS– LOS ANGELES RAMS Jordan defensively, this team featured seven players se- lected to the Pro Bowl, tied for the most in club history and FINAL STATISTICAL COMPARISON four draft picks selected to the PFWA All-Rookie Team, two 2017 Final Regular Season National Football League more than any other club. With running back Alvin Kamara Rankings and cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the 2017 Saints were the first team to have both the Associated Press NFL Of- Saints Rams fensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Record 11-5 11-5 Year since 1967. The Saints defense saw improvement in Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 28.0 (4) 29.9 (1) virtually every major statistical category. New Orleans Opp. Scoring Avg. (NFL Rank) 20.4 (10) 20.6 (12) moved up ten spots in total defense, including from 32nd to Total Off. (NFL Rank) 391.2 (2) 314.1 (10) 15th against the pass. After ranking 31st in opponent Rushing Off. (NFL Rank) 129.4 (5) 122.1 (8) points per game in 2016, New Orleans moved up to tenth Passing Off. (NFL Rank) 261.8 (5) 239.4 (10) in 2017, surrendering only 20.4 points per game. Payton Total Def. (NFL Rank) 336.5 (17) 339.5 (19) earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at Eastern Rushing Def. (NFL Rank) 111.7 (16) 122.3 (28) Illinois, where as a quarterback he had 10,665 passing Passing Def. (NFL Rank) 224.8 (15) 217.2 (13) yards, at the time the third-highest total in NCAA Division I- Kickoff Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 22.9 (4) 25.0 (2) Punt Return Avg. (NFL Rank) 6.4 (25) 10.2 (4) AA history. Payton was inducted into the Eastern Illinois Turnover Margin (NFL Rank) +7 (9t) +7 (9t) Hall of Fame in September of 2000 and had his jersey re- Penalties 105 107 tired in a ceremony in September of 2010. He received an Penalty Yards 962 922 honorary doctorate from his alma mater in 2013. Payton Opp. Penalties 114 102 was born Dec. 29, 1963 in San Mateo, California, and Opp. Penalty Yards 898 808 raised in Naperville, Illinois, Payton has a daughter, Me- ghan and a son, Connor. Named the 23rd full-time head coach in Rams his- tory on Jan. 12, 2017, Sean McVay became the youngest head coach in modern NFL history and led the Rams to a 11-5 record, their first NFC West title since the 2003 sea- son and their first playoff berth since the 2004 campaign. The club’s play-caller on offense, the Rams finished first in points per games (29.9), tenth on offense (314.1 avg.), Rams vs. Saints: Preseason Week 4 3 LAST NEW ORLEANS SAINTS-LA yard touchdown. Los Angeles also sacked Brees twice early, but the Saints adjusted and got back in it with that RAMS MEETING brilliant run by Kamara. The eventual Associated Press Los Angeles Rams 26, Saints 20; November 26, 2017 @ Offensive Rookie of the Year enjoyed a breakout contest Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – Quarterback Jared in a city full of starts as he finished with a career-high Goff passed for 354 yards and hit wide receiver Sam- 188 total yards from scrimmage and scored twice in the my Watkins and rookie wideout Josh Reynolds for second of what would be three multiple-touchdown touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Rams snapped the games and becoming the first Saints rookie to score a New Orleans Saints’ eight-game winning streak with a 26 touchdown in five straight games, a streak that would -20 victory in a meeting of two of the fourth NFC division eventually end in six contests leaders.