Saints: Williams take ownership after making the ultimate rookie mistake

MINNEAPOLIS— New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams made the biggest play of his young NFL career when he intercepted Case Keenum late in the third quarter on Sunday. No one will remember it. The moment that will define his day, and his rookie year, came on the final play of the divisional playoff game.

As Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs leaped high to catch a pass from Case Keenum on the right sideline, Williams dove at Diggs’ legs in an attempt to bring the receiver down. Instead, he whiffed, and his dive took teammate Ken Crawley out as well.

That left Diggs free to regain his balance, with no Saints defender downfield to catch him as he sprinted to the end zone for the Vikings’ game-winning touchdown.

“It was my play to make,” Williams told reporters in the visitors’ locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium after the game. “The ball was in the air, I didn’t go attack it.”

The missed tackle brought a sudden end to a game the Saints believed they had won with 25 seconds remaining, when kicker Wil Lutz’s 43-yard field goal gave New Orleans a 24-23 lead. The loss also marked a disappointing end to what had been such promising season for a revamped Saints team.

“It will sting a bit, especially as this season goes on over the next couple of weeks, feeling like it could be us, it should be us,” quarterback Drew Brees said.