Saints Defeat Cardinals for Third Win in a Row

Not even the first touchdown the team had surrendered in a span of nearly nine quarters was able to tarnish a New Orleans Saints victory Sunday.

“It was a dogfight,” nose tackle Tony Elliott said after Sunday’s 16-7 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals. “We played just good enough to win.”

It was the Saints’ third victory in a row, fifth in their last six games, and set the stage for their invasion of Anaheim Stadium next Sunday, where they will play the Rams.

Spicing the victory were three interceptions--boosting the Saints’ total to 21 in 11 games.

“It is a win,” New Orleans Coach Jim Mora said. “We always take a win. I think we can play better than we played today. It was a physical game. I think they (Saints) know what they have to do.”

Dave Wilson flipped a 10-yard scoring pass to Mike Jones for New Orleans’ lone touchdown, and Morten Andersen kicked field goals of 47, 28 and 30 yards to ease the Saints past a struggling opponent.

As New Orleans raised its record to 6-5 for the third time in its 20-year history by equaling its longest winning streak ever, rookie Rueben Mayes plundered St. Louis’ defense for 131 yards in 25 carries.

“We could have played better,” the 200-pound Mayes said. “We took too many (11) penalties. I think I could have taken better advantage of the opportunities. This was a hard game for us to get up for.”

The most important of the Saints’ interceptions was by sixth-year safety Frank Wattelet, who combined the theft with a 22-yard return that helped send the hapless Cards to their 19th defeat in 23 games and drop their record this year to 2-9.

“We’re just not getting the turnovers,” St. Louis Coach Gene Stallings said. “You need the big interceptions and fumbles, and we’re not getting any. It’s hard to start on the 20 time after time and rely on the long drive.”

The Cards, before succumbing, challenged briefly at 10-7 in the third quarter ahead of Wattelet’s game-turning interception and return.

Quarterback Cliff Stoudt engineered an 86-yard touchdown drive consuming 9 minutes 38 seconds on St. Louis’ opening possession in the third quarter.

Stump Mitchell capped that with a one-yard dive after a New Orleans pass-interference penalty. But on the Cards’ next try, Wattelet picked off a Stoudt pass thrown into heavy coverage. He returned the ball to the 35, and Andersen kicked his second field goal seven plays later.

Of little consolation to St. Louis was the touchdown that snapped a string of eight straight scoreless quarters put together by the Saints’ defense.

Earlier, Wilson combined with Mel Gray on a 38-yard pass play that set up the Saints’ touchdown in the second quarter. Wilson found Jones for the score on a third-down play, and Andersen kicked his 47-yard field goal six minutes later.

Wilson was 7 for 16 for 104 yards.

Cornerback Dave Waymer and strong safety Antonio Gibson also intercepted two of Stoudt’s 35 passes with Gibson’s thefts in the closing seconds thwarting a Cardinal scoring bid. Stoudt completed 19 passes for 185 yards, and Mitchell gained 83 yards in 20 carries as St. Louis’ top rusher.

Andersen also kicked a field goal that put the Saints out of range with 2:27 left after an 11-yard touchdown run was nullified by one of New Orleans’ penalties.

Wilson, after completing only one of his first six passes, found Kelvin Edwards for a six-yard gain to trigger the Saints’ first touchdown drive.