Kent Looks Like Otto Against Saints

It was so bad, Mike Ditka was almost speechless.

The usually-inept Kent Graham ran for a touchdown and then broke the game open by throwing for two more scores in the final 63 seconds of the second quarter as the New York Giants routed the New Orleans Saints, 31-3, Sunday.

New York’s offense, ranked 13th in the NFC entering the game, looked spectacular in handing Ditka’s team its fifth consecutive loss.

“Obviously, there is not much you can say about today,” Ditka said in a postgame news conference that lasted 80 seconds. “We were disorganized offensively and played just as bad on defense.”

New Orleans’ worst loss came a week after the team fined the emotional Ditka $20,000 for making obscene gestures to fans at the Superdome after they booed the team.

“I guess we are the elixir that makes everybody happy,” Ditka said. “When we show up, everyone else seems to get better. We will keep trying. You can’t blame anybody. I have to take the fall. It’s my responsibility to get them ready to play.”

Unlike the last four games where the Saints (1-5) blew the lead in the final quarter, they never led as New York (4-3) finally found a big-play offense to go along with its outstanding defense.

Coming into the game, the Giants had been limited to 84 points, which included 21 scored by the defense and special teams.

“I give the offense an A-plus today,” said linebacker Jessie Armstead, who set up New York’s final touchdown with a 31-yard interception return. “They have had a lot of adversity, but they finally came through today.”

Graham, who has been so bad he was replaced as the starter by Kerry Collins once and replaced by him in two other games, completed 19 of 29 passes for 239 yards.

He scored on a six-yard run to give the Giants the lead for good late in the first quarter. He later connected on touchdown passes of 27 yards to Amani Toomer and 53 to Joe Jurevicius, the last one on a tipped toss on the final play of the half after some questionable timeouts by Ditka.

“Offensively I thought we came out and did what we have been saying all along we could do, and that was against a good defensive unit,” Graham said.

Rookie Ricky Williams did have his first 100-yard game for the Saints, gaining 111 yards in 24 carries.