Angry Saints Defeat Bears

The first chewing out got New Orleans Saint running back Ray Zellars suspended. The second got him going.

Zellars, suspended last week for arguing with Coach Jim Mora after being questioned about toughness, rushed for 174 yards and a touchdown, lifting the Saints to a 27-24 victory over the Chicago Bears. Zellars gained 156 yards in the second half after Mora gave his players a halftime tongue-lashing.

“This football team was driven by Jim Mora’s rage,” offensive coordinator Carl Smith said.

The Saints (2-5) were last in the NFL in rushing going into the game and had run for 34 yards in the first half. Zellars had 18.

“Coach Mora was great at halftime,” tackle William Roaf said. “He was angry, furious, but it was the kind of anger that motivated you, that made you go out there and do something about it.”

Zellars’ three-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter tied the score at 24 with 10:24 left. They won it on Doug Brien’s career-long 54-yard field goal with 1:44 to go.

Zellars is the first back to have a 100-yard game for the Saints (2-5) since the 13th game of last season. New Orleans, which has won two consecutive games after an 0-5 start, averaged 64 yards a game rushing through the first six games, but had 205 Sunday.

“I was determined to put last week behind me,” Zellars said. “I was fighting for every yard.”

Zellars was suspended last week after he cursed Mora during practice. Zellars, who has three broken ribs, refused to switch to fullback on a short-yardage practice. Mora, in front of the team, criticized Zellars, sparking the profanity.

Jeff Jaeger missed a 42-yard field goal with 3:52 left in the game and the score tied at 24 for the Bears (2-5).

“We got a lead by 10 points twice and we couldn’t hold it,” Chicago Coach Dave Wannstedt said. “We get a chance at a field goal and we missed it.”

Zellars fueled the Saints’ final scoring drive with 39 yards rushing to set up Brien’s winning field goal.

Zellars’ big day overshadowed Dave Krieg, who completed 19 of 28 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns.

But he was sacked twice, including once with 30 seconds left in the game. Krieg fumbled and Saints linebacker Mark Fields recovered.

New Orleans quarterback Jim Everett completed 22 of 31 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.

Zellars gained 100 yards in the third quarter, including a 63-yard run that set up a touchdown.