Third and seven from the Rams’ 32-yard line as Brees sets up from the shotgun and looks to throw to the right side on a wheel from Tommylee Lewis.
The ball is thrown slightly ahead and looks to be an easy first down and possibly a touchdown to the short utility receiver.
Until Nickell Robey-Coleman flew into the screen and laid out the defenseless Lewis a full half a second before the ball arrives.
The whole city of New Orleans remained silent, eagerly waiting for a small yellow flag to appear on the field. None came; only chaos followed.
The Saints went on to lose the game, and the loss came with a nickname shortly thereafter, “The Nola no-call.”
What if I told you that a positive came out of this game? What if I told you that one coach who walked out of the Superdome that terrible night can help
LSU football completely reshape its offense.
Well, this is exactly what I am telling you.
Offensive assistant Joe Brady walked out of the stadium that very night and can now be a part of the solution for LSU’s passing game.
If you kept up with the Tigers’ offense in the past five years or so, they have tried everything to stay competitive.
They added a progressive coach in Matt Canada who was supposed to bring the motion offense to the South and hopefully a trophy that could hang up for years to come.
Neither of those things happened as he was let go after a year.
Steve Ensminger has gotten some heat as offensive coordinator after failing to show any significant success against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide.
But, this year the remedy is perfect for a season of scoring and, most of all, winning.
The offense has a lot of toys for Ensminger and Brady to work with.
Starting at running back, John Emmery is going to be an instant star as a five-star recruit, even though he will most likely start the season as the number two option behind a returning stud in Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and has even shown ability to catch the ball out of the backfield in practice.
Both will be important in the new style of spread offense that coach Ed Orgeron has been preaching throughout the offseason.
Most importantly, are the receivers.
Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson will finally be able to show off their unique athleticism in an offense that Brady helped create as the wide receiver coach and passing game coordinator.
Both have become focal points in an offense with more run pass options and throwing the ball in coverage and allowing receivers to show their worth.
Finally, quarterback Joe Burrow will glisten in the new offense for a variety of reasons.
One, he has tremendous receivers to throw to and can now have the confidence to do it.
Secondly, and often overlooked, he has a solid catching tight end in Stephen Sullivan that has many tools as more of a receiver than a tight end. While Foster Moreau played well last year, Sullivan can have a huge year in this offense.
Joe and Joe have been saying how easy it is to work with one another. Brady continues to praise his toughness and leadership and ‘swag’ that the senior quarterback possesses.
Burrow comes right back and says how Brady does not ask for attention, but all the players simply give it to him.
Burrow is more comfortable in his second year and attended the Manning Passing Academy, saying how the offseason was so different because of how he has a better relationship with the players and the offense.
He’s excited to throw and receivers are excited to catch.
There will be growing pains. The talent on offense gives the Tigers their best chance to win the SEC on multiple levels, and Brady is another piece to a puzzle that just might fit.
The ground and pound will still be a part of the offense under Ensminger, but the youthfulness of Brady will bring a more explosive dynamic that will finally allow for Burrow and the young receivers to make mistakes and make history.
Brady remembers that silence walking out of the Superdome, and he is going to be one of the main reasons why Alabama fans will be silent walking of Bryant-Denny Stadium.
College football is almost back and it has never been better to be a fan going to Death Valley.