The 1987 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 21st year in the National Football League (NFL). The strike-shortened year was the Saints' first-ever winning season. The Saints also qualified for the postseason for the first time, riding largely on a nine-game winning streak to close the season. The Saints earned the second-best record in the NFL in 1987, but were in the same division as the team with the best record, the San Francisco 49ers, and entered the playoffs as a wild card. However, they were soundly defeated at home by the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, by a score of 44–10. The Vikings entered the playoffs with an 8–7 record and needed the Dallas Cowboys to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals on the final day of the season to qualify. The Saints' first winning season would be followed by another six consecutive non-losing seasons. Before the 1987 season, the Saints' non-losing seasons had consisted of only two 8–8 seasons, in 1979 and 1983. Head coach Jim Mora was named NFL Coach of the Year.
Offseason
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1987 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeVince AlexanderRunning backSouthern MissEric CuffeeWide receiverNorth TexasTim CunninghamLinebackerIndiana StateStacey DawseyWide receiverIndianaTed ElliottDefensive tackleMinnesota StateDarren GottschalkTight endCal LutheranTim HealyTackleSaint John's (MN)Jeffery HolleyDefensive backTexas A&MFuzzy HuddlestonLinebackerOle MissVince JasperGuardIowa StateErik KramerQuarterbackNC StateAnthony LewisCornerbackMcNeese StateKenneth MarchiolLinebackerMesaLes MillerDefensive endFort Hays StateRicky MyersWide receiverOle MissVictor PattersonGuardMinot StateDan RiceRunning backMichiganMark RussellLinebackerWeber StateDarin SchubeckLinebackerColoradoMonte SharpeWide receiverGeorgia SouthernTony ShelmanTight endSMUTodd SteeleFullbackUSCTerry SummersDefensive tackleDerrick TaylorDefensive backNC StateJunior ThurmanDefensive backUSCAnthony TuggleDefensive backLonnie WhiteWide receiverUSC
Personnel
Staff
NFL replacement players After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled:
1987 New Orleans Saints replacement rosterQuarterbacks John Fourcade Kevin Ingram Tim Riordan
Running backs Vince Alexander (Cut) Jeff Rodenberger Derrick Hughes Garland Jean-Batiste Nate Johnson Dwight Beverly
Wide receivers Stacey Dawsey(Cut) Willis Jacox Joey Gunnells (walked off) Dwight Walker Eric Martin Curtland Thomas Vic Harrison Joe Thomas
Tight ends Ken O'Neal Darren Gottschalk Malcolm Scott Mike Waters Offensive linemen Phillip James James Campen Byron Barrett John Benton Kelvin Scott Sam Houston Walt Housman Bill Leach Henry Thomas Ken Kaplan
Defensive linemen Pat Swoopes Ted Elliott Kevin Young Bruce Clark Kendall Walls Sheldon Andrus Tony ElliottLinebackers Larry McCoy Marcus Marek Keith Fourcade Bill Roe Joe DeForest Ron Weissenhofer Scott Leach Roland Myers Ken Marchiol Fuzzy Huddleston
Defensive backs John Sutton Derrick Taylor Milton Mack Antonio Gibson Gene Atkins Reggie Sutton Darrel Toussaint Junior Thurman Mike Turner Michael Adams Greg Harding
Special teams Mike Cofer K Florian Kempf K Tommy Barnhardt P
Roster
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 13 Cleveland Browns W 28–21 1–0 Louisiana Superdome 59,900 2 September 20 at Philadelphia Eagles L 17–27 1–1 Veterans Stadium 57,485 – September 27 Atlanta Falcons canceled 1–1 Louisiana Superdome 3 October 4 Los Angeles Rams W 37–10 2–1 Louisiana Superdome 29,745 4 October 11 at St. Louis Cardinals L 19–24 2–2 Busch Memorial Stadium 11,795 5 October 18 at Chicago Bears W 19–17 3–2 Soldier Field 46,813 6 October 25 San Francisco 49ers L 22–24 3–3 Louisiana Superdome 60,497 7 November 1 at Atlanta Falcons W 38–0 4–3 Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium 42,196 8 November 8 at Los Angeles Rams W 31–14 5–3 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 43,379 9 November 15 at San Francisco 49ers W 26–24 6–3 Candlestick Park 60,436 10 November 22 New York Giants W 23–14 7–3 Louisiana Superdome 67,639 11 November 29 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 20–16 8–3 Three Rivers Stadium 47,896 12 December 6 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 44–34 9–3 Louisiana Superdome 66,471 13 December 13 Houston Oilers W 24–10 10–3 Louisiana Superdome 68,257 14 December 20 at Cincinnati Bengals W 41–24 11–3 Riverfront Stadium 43,424 15 December 27 Green Bay Packers W 33–24 12–3 Louisiana Superdome 68,364 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Playoffs
NFC Wild Card Game
In the Saints' first playoff game in history, the Vikings dominated the game by recording two sacks, forcing four turnovers, and allowing only 149 yards. Anthony Carter returned a punt for a touchdown, and future Saints quarterback Wade Wilson threw a Hail Mary pass for a touchdown to Hassan Jones on the last play of the first half, which was actually an untimed play after the Saints were penalized for offsides on the previous play (a half cannot end on an accepted penalty against the defense).
References
External links 1987 New Orleans Saints at Pro-Football-Reference.com