NFL game summary for 12/08/1974:

Saints' rookie running back Alvin Maxson set club records with a 66-yard touchdown gallop and a rushing total of 148 yards, and the defense produced the second shutout victory in New Orleans history as the playoff-bound Cardinals lost their second in a row. New Orleans' Tom Blanchard, with eight punts for 338 yards, moved into the NFC punting lead.

Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):

Team		Rush Yds/Gm	Pass Yds/Gm	Tot Yds/Gm	Turnovers
St. Louis Cardinals	OFFENSE	145.0  (10)	170.3  (8)	315.3  (8)	15
	DEFENSE	126.0  (11)	178.7  (22)	304.7  (18)	20
New Orleans Saints	OFFENSE	136.2  (14)	123.1  (23)	259.2  (21)	28
	DEFENSE	127.8  (12)	142.6  (9)	270.4  (9)	31

Line: Cardinals by 8

Team	1	2	3	4	F
St. Louis Cardinals (9-4-0)	0	0	0	0	0
New Orleans Saints (5-8-0)	7	0	0	7	14

( 0- 7) NO  Alvin Maxson 66 yard rush (Bill McClard kick)
( 0-14) NO  Paul Seal 6 yard rush (Bill McClard kick)

                     STL             NO
First Downs:         12              17
Rushes-yards:        23-64           48-228
Yards/rush:          2.8             4.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT:     16-39-181-0     7-17-93-0
Sacked-yards:        4-31            1-6
Net pass yards:      150             87
Net yards/pass:      3.5             4.8
Total net yards:     214             315
Total plays:         66 (34% run)    66 (72% run)  
Yards/play:          3.2             4.8
Fumbles-lost:        1-1             3-1
Turnovers:           1               1
Penalties-yards:     3-15            4-30

Attendance: 47,172

Passing:
STL: Jim Hart, 16 of 39 for 181 yards
NO: Larry Cipa, 7 of 17 for 93 yards

Rushing:
STL: Donny Anderson, 10 for 29 yards; Jim Otis, 5 for 21 yards; Terry Metcalf, 5 for 9 yards; Ken Willard, 3 for 5 yards
NO: Alvin Maxson, 22 for 148 yards and 1 TD; Jess Phillips, 9 for 32 yards; Rod McNeill, 7 for 22 yards; Larry Cipa, 7 for 11 yards; Howard Stevens, 2 for 9 yards; Paul Seal, 1 for 6 yards and 1 TD

Receiving:
STL: Earl Thomas, 4 for 80 yards; Terry Metcalf, 4 for 41 yards; Jim Otis, 3 for 8 yards; Donny Anderson, 2 for 5 yards; Jackie Smith, 1 for 24 yards; Ken Willard, 1 for 17 yards; Mel Gray, 1 for 6 yards
NO: Alvin Maxson, 4 for 36 yards; Paul Seal, 2 for 27 yards; Rod McNeill, 1 for 30 yards

Kick returns:
STL: Eddie Moss, 3 for 49 yards

Punt returns:
STL: Gary Hammond, 3 for 45 yards; Terry Metcalf, 2 for 22 yards
NO: Howard Stevens, 1 for 12 yards; Chris Farasopoulos, 1 for 6 yards

Interceptions:

Punting:
STL: Hal Roberts, 8 for 325 yards
NO: Tom Blanchard, 8 for 338 yards

Field Goals:
STL: Jim Bakken, 0/1

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