Saints’ Williams Shows Flashes of Glory in Debut

Ricky Williams started slowly, finished with a limp and was outgained by Cecil “The Diesel” Collins.

Still, the New Orleans Saints had no complaints about their rookie running back’s NFL debut.

Williams carried nine times for 44 yards in the first quarter before he was sidelined because of a minor shin bruise, and the Saints defeated the Miami Dolphins, 26-14, Friday in the exhibition opener for both teams.

Collins looked equally impressive for Miami, although he ran against second- and third-team defenders. The fifth-round draft choice, bolstering his bid for a starting job, came off the bench to carry 17 times for 93 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Saints built a 20-0 lead in the second quarter, stopping the Dolphins without a first down on Dan Marino’s three series. Fred Weary recovered a fumble at the goal line on a Miami kickoff return for a touchdown, and Troy Davis scored on a five-yard run.

Doug Brien kicked field goals of 43, 47, 25 and 47 yards for New Orleans.

Williams was stuffed for no gain and a six-yard loss on his first two carries before showing why the Saints traded their entire draft to acquire him. Last year’s Heisman Trophy winner darted 20 yards on a delay, ran wide for 12 yards and had two eight-yard runs.

“When I first got out there, I was really nervous and didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “On each carry, I felt more and more comfortable.”

Said Coach Mike Ditka: “He’s an outstanding player, and he’s going to get better and better. We’ve got to give him some more holes.”

Williams took a jarring hit from linebacker Derrick Rodgers on a pass reception for a six-yard loss. On the next series, when defensive end Jason Taylor fell on Williams’ leg on a dive play, the rookie limped off the field and sat out the rest of the game.

“I’m fine,” Williams said. “People piled on me and they just fell on my leg. It’s OK.”

His debut came against a Miami defense that gave up the fewest points in the NFL last year.

“They seemed like they were trying to push everything outside to see if I could get the corner, and we got that,” Williams said. “I’m sure later in the game we could have gotten more downhill plays and opened some things up a lot.”

Ditka had planned to limit Williams to 18 plays. But Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson wanted plenty of carries for Collins, who played only six games at Louisiana State and McNeese State because of drug and legal problems.

“Cecil can carry the load,” Johnson said.

New Orleans quarterback Billy Joe Hobert didn’t play because of a mild groin sprain suffered during warm-ups.

Miami All-Pro middle linebacker Zach Thomas sat out because of a concussion.

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Barry Sanders said it again. He is done as an NFL player.

The former Detroit Lion running back spoke briefly Friday night with a reporter from The Oakland Press of Pontiac, Mich.

“That is it. I am done,” Sanders said in the driveway of his home in Rochester Hills.

He arrived at his home in a sports utility vehicle at about halftime of his former team’s first exhibition game against Atlanta. Sanders said he had nothing to say to his fans, his team or the Detroit Lion organization.

“I am sorry, but I just can’t talk about this,” he said.

The Lions also came up losers on the field, falling to Atlanta, 35-31. Falcon running back Jamal Anderson, who ended his contract holdout Wednesday, did not play.

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In other exhibition games, Pittsburgh Coach Bill Cowher won a challenge under the new instant replay system that gave the Steelers a touchdown in a 30-23 victory over the Chicago Bears at Pittsburgh.

Rookie Cade McNown saw extended action for the Bears and completed 10-of-21 passes for 123 yards and an interception.

At Foxboro, Mass., first-round draft choice Champ Bailey intercepted a pass from Drew Bledsoe and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown to lift the Washington Redskins to a 20-14 victory over the New England Patriots.

Bledsoe, who missed the last three games last season because of a broken finger, twisted his ankle on the interception with 4:27 left in the first quarter. He did not return.

Redskin cornerback Darrell Green did not play because of a dislocated finger.

At Jacksonville, Fla., Keenan McCardell caught two long touchdown passes and second-year quarterback Jonathan Quinn threw for 144 yards and two scores to lift the Jaguars to a 35-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers.

Jaguar running back Fred Taylor did not play because of a mild rib injury he suffered last week. Carolina’s starting receivers, Rae Carruth and Muhsin Muhammad, also were held out because of injuries.

At Minneapolis, Kent Graham threw touchdown passes of 53 and 37 yards against the first stringers as the New York Giants defeated the Vikings, 36-21. Giant Coach Jim Fassel missed the game to be with his critically ill mother in Arizona. Offensive coordinator Jim Skipper and defensive coordinator John Fox ran the team.

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San Diego receiver Charlie Jones, who dislocated his left hip in Thursday’s exhibition game against San Francisco, will likely be sidelined at least eight weeks. The initial prognosis called for Jones to miss six weeks, but a small fracture in the hip joint was discovered during an MRI. Jones may need to have a screw placed in the joint to stabilize it. . . . Denver signed offensive lineman Leo Goeas, who played for three other NFL teams but failed to make the Broncos last year.