Smith rushes for 100 yards, throws TD pass

Oct 4, 2004, 09:17 am

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Old man Emmitt isn't ready for the rockin'

chair yet.

Emmitt Smith earned another NFL record with his 77th 100-yard

rushing game -- and threw the first pass of his 15-year pro career.

It went for a touchdown, no less, in Arizona's stunning 34-10

beating of the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Allen's Analysis

Eric Allen

Saints-Cardinals: Why do the Saints continue to fall victim in these sort of games?

I'm not sure what's going on with the Saints, but if baseball teams can have a curse why can't an NFL team? There seems to be no other reason why this franchise can't seem to escape the doldrums after 30-plus seasons in the NFL. Many, not including myself, picked the Saints to win, but the team still found a way to drop the game. New Orleans just seems to always break hearts with their inconsistency. Instead of dominating teams it should, it plays down to them and loses. When the Saints should lose, they win. It's amazing.

Defensively, this team has problems because they don't create turnovers and don't play smash-mouth football. The Saints seem to lack the ability to come out and just dominate on the line of scrimmage and at the point of attack. Until they do that it'll always be the same old Saints.

Eric Allen played cornerback for 14 NFL seasons with the Eagles, Saints and Raiders. He's a regular contributor to Insider.

The NFL's career rushing leader had his best game since leaving

Dallas two years ago, gaining 127 yards on 21 carries to help give

Dennis Green his first victory as Cardinals coach.

Smith, six months past his 35th birthday, tied Walter Payton's

record for most 100-yard games in an NFL career.

"It means more to win right now than anything," said Smith,

who has seen the Cardinals go 5-15 since he signed with them as a

free agent before the 2003 season.

It was his first 100-yard game since Thanksgiving 2002, when he

did it for Dallas against Washington.

"Growing up in Texas and watching the guy my whole life, just

to hand the ball to him was awesome," Arizona's Josh McCown said.

"It was an honor, and hopefully there's more of that to come."

Smith is the first NFL player to gain more than 100 yards past

the age of 35 since Marcus Allen for Kansas City against Oakland

on Dec. 3, 1995.

"So much is said: 'He doesn't have this left. He doesn't have

that left,'" McCown said. "You could have fooled me today."

Smith passed the 100 mark Sunday with a 29-yard touchdown burst

up the middle to seal the victory with 5:02 to play.

"Nothing out there but open grass? All I have to do is run?"

Smith said. "I just picked up my wheelchair and pushed myself on

into the end zone."

But it was his wobbly 21-yard touchdown pass to fullback Obafemi

Ayanbadejo with his gloved hand late in the first half he probably

will remember most.

"I don't want to throw the ball ever again," Smith said. "If

I throw another pass, I want to throw to my son and let him catch

it."

Smith ran right, then pulled up and lobbed a pass to Ayanbadejo,

who fell across the goal line for the score that put Arizona up

14-3 at the half against the mistake-prone Saints (2-2).

The Cardinals (1-3) rushed for 211 yards, all but two in the

final three quarters in their most one-sided victory since beating

the Los Angeles Rams 38-10 on Dec. 5, 1993.

Troy Hambrick, who became the Dallas starter when Smith left and

is his backup again, gained 79 yards on 16 carries, including an

11-yard TD run Sunday.

After the first quarter, Arizona outgained New Orleans 369-147.

"I think the offense is starting to show some signs of putting

four wheels on the ground," Green said.

With temperatures in the mid-90s, and the Saints playing

outdoors for the first time this season, Smith thought the

Cardinals wore the visitors down.

"You're making these guys run around and chase you. By the

third or fourth quarter, you should have the big runs that you saw

Troy and myself have," Smith said.

Adrian Wilson returned a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown and

Neil Rackers kicked field goals of 26 and 33 yards for Arizona.

New Orleans' Mel Mitchell blocked one punt, and recovered

another for a touchdown. It was the first time the Saints had

turned a blocked punt into a TD in 27 years. But otherwise it was

an ugly day for the visitors.

The Saints won a week ago in the deafening Edward Jones Dome in

St. Louis, but they were awful in mostly empty Sun Devil Stadium,

where 28,109 tickets were distributed for Sunday's game. New

Orleans was penalized 12 times for 104 yards, many of them costly.

"The offense, I thought, was bad all day," coach Jim Haslett

said, "killing us with penalties, and then we had three or four

dropped balls by receivers."

Aaron Brooks completed his first four passes as the Saints drove

from their 20 to inside the Arizona 1 to start the game. On third

down at the 9, Brooks scrambled and was drilled at the goal line by

James Darling. On fourth-and-goal, Brooks attempted a sneak, but he

lost the ball and Arizona's Gerald Hayes recovered for a touchback.

"I tried to dive in very quick because the linebacker was

playing real off," Brooks said. "I mishandled it. I take the

blame."

The Saints' history of inconsistent performances are taking a

toll on Brooks, who hinted he was about fed up with the

organization.

"I know that I'm the leader of all of this, but I'm tired of

it," he said. "I have to sit back and re-evaluate my situation

here in New Orleans. I am going to keep fighting until that change

comes."

Asked what he meant, Brooks declined to elaborate.Game notes
The Cardinals' offense started moving when tackle L.J.

Shelton and guard Jeremy Bridges were substituted into the game on

the right side of the line. ... Arizona kickoff return specialist

Josh Scobey left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury.

... Saints wide receiver Jerome Pathon was inactive with a

hamstring injury.