This week's game marks just the fourth time since the NFL's realignment in 2002 that the New Orleans Saints and St. Louis Rams have played. The two clubs were quite familiar with each other prior to 2002 as they matched up as NFC Western Division rivals twice a year from 1970 until 2001.

The Rams hold the regular season series edge, 38-29, while New Orleans won the only playoff game between the two teams.

First Time:
Sept. 17, 1967 –The Saints' John Gilliam returned the opening kickoff of the franchise's first ever regular season game 94 yards for a touchdown. But, the expansion Saints fell to the Rams, 27-13. Los Angeles was led by quarterback Roman Gabriel who threw for 302 yards and Bernie Casey who had four catches for 107 yards.

Last Time:
Nov. 11, 2007 – The Rams entered the game at 0-8 and fell behind 7-0 before scoring 34 unanswered points to shock the Saints 37-29 in New Orleans. The Rams offense was fueled by QB Marc Bulger who passed for 302 yards and a pair of TDs along with WR Torry Holt's 124 yards on eight receptions.

Hall of Fame Members
The Rams franchise, first located in Cleveland and then Los Angeles before moving to St. Louis, is represented in Canton by 13 long-time members of the organization. The last member of the Rams enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was Coach George Allen in 2002. There are also an additional 10 enshrinees who spent a brief portion of their Hall of Fame career with the Rams.

The Saints have one long-time member of their organization who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Former general manager Jim Finks was enshrined posthumously in 1995. Four other enshrinees – Doug Atkins, Earl Campbell, Hank Stram, and Jim Taylor – spent a brief time with the Saints during their Hall of Fame careers.

Records found in the NFL Record Book
Regarded as the "Greatest Show on Turf," the 2000 St. Louis Rams offense racked up more net yards of rushing and passing than any team in NFL history. The Rams amassed an amazing 7,075 yards that season.

The New Orleans Saints hold the single-season record for most passes completed in a season. Drew Brees threw all of the passes in 2007 when New Orleans established the league mark of 440 pass completions. He spread the completions around to 14 different players led by Marques Colston (98), Reggie Bush (73), and David Patten (54).

Throwback Game
Oct. 30, 1977
Running Back Tony Galbreath led the Saints attack with his lone 100-yard game of the season. He also had a pair of touchdown runs to pace New Orleans.

The Saints and Rams faced each other for the second time in three weeks. New Orleans sought revenge from a 14-7 loss in Los Angeles on Oct. 16. That retribution was realized in the fashion of a late field goal that bounced off the right side of the cross bar to give the Saints the win. It marked the first, and today remains one of two games in this series, that was decided by a single point.

The game-winning drive was orchestrated by backup quarterback Bobby Scott who was playing in place of Archie Manning. Scott hit two clutch passes in that drive that set up the 31-yard field goal by kicker Rich Szaro with just over three minutes to play in regulation.

The game featured a pair of 100-yard rushers as the Saints' Tony Galbreath gained an even 100 yards and Lawrence McCutcheon of the Rams rushed for 107 yards.

While the Saints won for the second time, they mustered just one more win the rest of the way in 1977. On the other side of the ball, this loss was the last one suffered by Rams until the regular season finale that year. Los Angeles reeled off six straight wins to clinch its fifth straight NFC Western Division title.