TRICK PLAY ALERT!! Drew Brees throws it to Willie Snead, who then finds a wide open Tim Hightower for the touchdown! #Saints50 #WhoDat pic.twitter.com/VqCpgecBna
— New Orleans Saints by Chat Sports (@ChatSaints) November 27, 2016
Here’s a trick shot. Willie Snead IV’s 50-yard touchdown pass to Tim Hightower against the Los Angeles Rams back in 2016 is our pick for New Orleans Saints Play of the Day, which you can see here.
Now a 50-yard touchdown pass is impressive in its own right. That Snead, a wide receiver, was the one to throw it to Hightower, a running back, only makes it even more spectacular. Brees threw to Snead behind the line of scrimmage, who threw it himself to Hightower wide open in the Los Angeles secondary. It was a beauty of a pass from Snead, who last played quarterback in high school.
The Saints were already up 42-21 over the Rams when Sean Payton called in this trick play, but that’s the kind of aggressive coach he is. That his former assistant-turned-nemesis Gregg Williams was the Rams defensive coordinator at the time shouldn’t be overlooked.
Not that this series didn’t need more drama. The Saints and Rams have had a spirited rivalry over the years, stretching back to their time together in the old NFC West. More recently we saw the Rams stun the Saints in 2011, beating New Orleans 31-21 just one week after the black and gold routed the Indianapolis Colts in a 62-7 blowout. That was just the start of it.
They beat Los Angeles 49-21 in this matchup in 2016 but lost a close one the next season 26-20. Then the Saints triumphed in a 45-35 heavyweight bout midway through the 2018 season, only to lose a Super Bowl bid in that year’s infamous NFC championship game. The Rams threatened to derail the Saints’ 2019 season when Aaron Donald injured Drew Brees’ throwing hand, but Andy Dalton outdueled Matthew Stafford when the teams met again in 2022. Stafford’s Rams got the last laugh when they beat the Saints in prime time late last season, effectively eliminating New Orleans from playoff contention.
And they’ll meet once again in 2024. The Rams will visit New Orleans in Week 13 when the Saints exit their bye week. Who will come out ahead this time?
