*Alex Anzalone – Noteworthy
LB Alex Anzalone was a big part of the game plan in Te’o’s absence. He was the only active backup behind the remaining starters — Demario Davis and A.J. Klein. Anzalone, a second-year player who was a starter before missing most of his rookie season because of a shoulder injury, came up with his first career interception in the second quarter, leading to a Saints touchdown.
*Alvin Kamara – Noteworthy
RB Alvin Kamara continued to have a significant impact as both a runner and a receiver. He scored three touchdowns — two rushing and one receiving. That was his third three-touchdown game of the season. His first touchdown of the game was his 10th of the season, making him just the third Saint to have consecutive seasons with 10 touchdowns. He is the only Saint to accomplish that feat in his first two seasons.
Manti Te’o – Noteworthy
LB Manti Te’o is normally a starter, but he was a healthy inactive against the Rams. Te’o plays the middle in the Saints base defense, but comes off the field for the nickel and dime packages. New Orleans’ game plan against L.A. was to play almost exclusively nickel, so Te’o didn’t fit into the game plan. “(The decision was based) “strictly on the type of team we were playing,” Payton said. “We brought up an extra corner and (were) down the one linebacker. Had nothing to do with how (Te’o) is playing.”
P.J. Williams – Noteworthy
CB P.J. Williams was a big-play contributor for a second consecutive week. A week earlier against Minnesota he was beaten a few times, but forced a fumble that led to a touchdown and returned an interception for another touchdown in a 30-20 victory. Against the Rams he had a hand in two key stops as the Saints held the Rams scoreless on their final two possessions after L.A. had tied the game midway through the fourth quarter. After New Orleans took a 38-35 lead, Williams tackled Cooper Kupp for a 2-yard gain on third-and-9, forcing a punt. After the Saints extended the lead to 10 points, Williams broke up a pass on fourth and 2, which was L.A.’s final offensive play of the game.
Wil Lutz – Noteworthy
K Wil Lutz came through with a season-long field goal when a miss could have made a huge difference. After the Rams tied the score at 35, Lutz made the tie-breaking kick with 6:28 remaining. Had he missed, the score would have remained tied and L.A. would have started its next possession from its own 44 with the momentum of having scored two touchdowns and a field goal on its previous three possessions of the second half. Lutz has made his last 14 field-goal attempts.