Thomas answers call to lift surging Saints
NEW ORLEANS >> When the time came to dial up a big play for Michael Thomas, the Saints’ leading receiver answered the call.
He even had a flip phone planted in the padding of each goal post, just in case.
Thomas caught a late 72-yard touchdown reception and then celebrated with a cellphone in a throwback to another famous New Orleans play, and the streaking Saints handed the Los Angeles Rams their first loss of the season with a 45-35 victory on Sunday.
“I loved the celebration myself, and I think it was the perfect time when I did it,” Thomas said. “We love our fans and we always want to bring them back great memories.”
Drew Brees passed for 346 yards and four touchdowns in New Orleans’ seventh straight win, and Thomas finished with a club-record 211 yards receiving. But what happened after the last of his 12 receptions stole the show in a wild shootout between two of the NFL’s best offenses.
Thomas’ long TD came on a pivotal third-down play with about four minutes left. The Rams (81) seemed to expect the Saints (7-1) to run a play closer to the first-down marker and doubleteamed dynamic running back Alvin Kamara.
Brees recalled thinking, “Kamara’s doubled, Mike’s singled, Mike’s by him, here we go.”
Thomas ran free behind Marcus Peters, caught Brees’ long throw virtually in stride and ran straight to the goal post to begin his reprise of Joe Horn’s Sunday night TD celebration against the New York Giants in 2003.
“I paid a tribute to him, tried to get the crowd going a little bit more, set the tone, have fun out there, giving people a show,” said Thomas, who eclipsed Wes Chandler’s club record of 205 yards receiving against Atlanta in 1979. “You got to have fun. All these guys just catching touchdowns and celebrating with each other, having fun, getting the crowd involved. I felt like I had an opportunity to make it happen.”
P.J. Williams, who forced a fumble and had an interception for a touchdown in New Orleans’ previous victory at Minnesota, broke up a fourth-down pass intended for Brandin Cooks, virtually sealing the result. The former Saints receiver, who caught six passes for 114 yards and a TD, fell to his knees in frustration.
Jared Goff passed for 391 yards and three TDs, nearly led the Rams to an extraordinary comeback.