The New Orleans Saints will travel to St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday afternoon to take on the St. Louis Rams.

Of course, the Rams were formerly the Los Angeles Rams, until they moved to St. Louis, prior to the 1995 season.

Since the Saints played their first game back in 1967, the two franchises have played some memorable games, having competed in the NFC West together from 1970-2001.

The Rams dominated that division in the 70's, winning six-consecutive division titles, from 1974-1979.

Sunday's match-up will mark the 72nd all-time meeting between the two, with the Rams leading, 39-32.

Let's take a look at five memorable match-ups between the two franchises:

The first memorable play was, well, the very first play.

On Sunday, September 17, 1967, John Gilliam took the opening kick-off, the very first play in Saints' history, back for a touchdown against the Rams at Tulane Stadium.

The Rams won the game, 27-13, and Gilliam's return would be the only touchdown that New Orleans would score that day, but still, what a way to begin play in the NFL!

 

 

The Saints and Rams opened the 1971 season against each other on Sunday, September 19 at Tulane Stadium.

Saints fans had high hopes, after drafting quarterback Archie Manning out of Ole Miss with the second pick of the 1971 NFL Draft.

In almost storybook fashion, Manning guided the Saints to a 24-20 upset win.

The Saints stumbled to a 4-8-2 finish that year, but that win, and Archie Fever, certainly was fun!

 

On Sunday, November 26, at the Louisiana Superdome, the Saints blew a 17-3 fourth quarter lead, as the Rams came back to win in overtime, 20-17.

In that game receiver Flipper Anderson of the Rams caught 15 passes for an NFL record 336 receiving yards.

That loss hurt the Saints, as they finished 9-7 that year, and missed the playoffs.

 

The final game of the 1983 season is one that broke the hearts of many Saints fans.

One win away from the first winning season in franchise history, and first playoff berth, the Saints hosted the Rams on the last week of the season.

Mike Lansford kicked a 42-yard field goal as time expired, to lift the Rams to a 26-24 win.

Even more frustrating for Saints fans, the Rams failed to score an offensive touchdown in that game.

 

The final memorable game was the first playoff win in franchise history for the Saints, a 31-28 over the Rams, back on December 30 of 2000.

The Saints led, 31-7, before the Rams cut the lead to 31-28, when Az-Zahir-Hakeem muffed a punt, which secured a New Orleans win.

 

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