Saints

The New Orleans Saints swept the St. Louis Rams in two NFC West games a year ago by a combined score of 48-20. On Sunday, the Rams scored 28 points in the second half alone to bedevil the Saints, 43-12.What a difference a year makes. Or, more specifically, what a difference Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt, Adam Timmerman and Kurt Warner make.The Saints loaded up with Ricky Williams in the off-season. The Rams traded for Faulk, drafted Holt, signed Timmerman and promoted Warner after quarterback Trent Green was hurt.

At the halfway point of the season, the NFL has two division races -- AFC West and NFC Central -- and four runaways. That prompts two questions:If the New Orleans Saints can lose to the Chicago Bears at home, do they have any chance against the Washington Redskins in RFK?What can Warren Moon's run-and-shoot attack do in a Buffalo blizzard in January?Here's a capsule review of the season's first nine weeks.* HEAD OF THE CLASS:1. Redskins (8-0) -- Only a major injury keeps them from Minneapolis.

WASHINGTON -- Immediately after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Big Easy, Saints owner Tom Benson indicated that the National Football League team would remain loyal to New Orleans. Apparently he's had a change of heart. Rumor has it he's now considering moving the team to greener pastures in Los Angeles or San Antonio. Not only that, but Mr. Benson has an escape clause that lets him void his Superdome lease without paying any penalties or repaying any subsidies the team has gotten so far. Mayor Ray Nagin, Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and the good citizens of New Orleans are shocked.

Six years after Jim Mora started chasing Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers, his New Orleans Saints finally are in position to overtake them in the NFC West.The Saints are one of four unbeaten teams in the NFL and perhaps the league's biggest surprise a quarter of the way through the season. They take a two-game division lead into Atlanta Sunday, and some people are beginning to believe they can make that lead hold up.When New Orleans manhandled Minnesota 26-0 last Sunday, Vikings quarterback Wade Wilson called the Saints the best team he had faced this year.

While most of you guys were off this weekend taking it easy, the Prophet was ringing up an overall record of 9-2.The rage of a sage picked the winner in two baseball tournaments and was right on in all four games in the Al Laramore lacrosse tournament. The ninth annual Bruins Holiday Baseball Tournament at Broadneck was the only blemish on the Prophet's score card as he ran his overall record to 154-81 (.655).Glen Burnie took both baseball games in the Mount St. Joseph Tournament, as predicted.

St. Mary's Rashi Reed loves rap music, but not more than rapping an opposing would-be tackler with a helmet or forearm.The junior running back sings in a rap group called the "3rd Degree," but not this time of year."

Poor Spalding.For the second time this season, in Wednesday's 3-0 loss to St. Mary's, the Cavaliers' girls soccer team got a taste of the Saints' miniature scoring dynamo, Mo McDonough, and were shut out again.The aggressive McDonough turned in her usual performance: She scored twice, peppered Spalding goalkeeper Nikki Dunlevy with nine shots and created three one-on-one situations.The Saints (8-2 overall, 6-2 in the Baltimore Catholic League) had beaten Spalding, 4-0, earlier in the season.

New Orleans Saints fans weren't in a holiday mood Monday night, when the team lost to the New York Giants.When quarterback Wade Wilson went down with a knee injury and was in obvious pain, the fans cheered.ABC sportscaster Dan Dierdorf called the fans "classless pigs," and Wilson said: "It was low-class and uncalled-for. Those people have to live with themselves."Even opposing coach Dan Reeves of the Giants seemed shocked."I've been in the game for 29 years, and I don't think I've heard someone cheer when one of their players got hurt," Reeves said.

POSITION EDGE Ravens rushing vs. Saints run defense -- SAINTS -- The Ravens couldn't pound the ball against the Saints' average run defense. Running back Jamal Lewis, who was averaging 4.4 yards a carry entering the game, was limited to a 2.8-yard average (17 carries, 48 yards). His longest run was 9 yards. Ravens passing vs. Saints pass defense -- SAINTS -- Jeff Blake became the first Ravens quarterback in 28 games to throw for 300 yards, but most came in garbage time. He finished 18-for-39 for 316 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.