1993 New Orleans Saints season

1993 New Orleans Saints season
1993 New Orleans Saints season
General manager	Jim Finks (resigned July 14); Jim Miller
Head coach	Jim Mora
Home field	Louisiana Superdome
Results
Record	8–8
Division place	2nd NFC West
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	LB Rickey Jackson; LB Renaldo Turnbull; KR Tyrone Hughes
	← 1992; Saints seasons; 1994 →;

The 1993 New Orleans Saints season was the team's 27th as a member of the National Football League (NFL). They were unable to match their previous season's output of 12–4, winning only eight games despite starting the season 5–0.^[1] The team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in four years.

Quarterback Bobby Hebert, who was the Saints' starter from late 1985 through 1992, save for a season-long holdout in 1990, signed as a free agent with the division rival Atlanta Falcons. Wade Wilson, who had fallen out of favor with the Minnesota Vikings after the hiring of coach Dennis Green in 1992, was signed as Hebert's replacement.^{[citation needed]}

During a loss to the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, fans in the Louisiana Superdome let out a sarcastic cheer when Wilson was injured. The incident enraged coach Jim Mora, who let loose with a tirade during his post-game press conference.^[2]

Offseason

Organizational changes

Jim Finks, the club's president and general manager since January 1986, was diagnosed with lung cancer in April.^[3] He was limited to consulting with team officials by telephone since undergoing chemotherapy. During his absence, most of Finks' day-to-day duties were handled by vice president of administration Jim Miller. On July 14, Finks resigned from all his duties to concentrate on the treatment of his illness.^[4]

NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1993 New Orleans Saints draft
1	8	Willie Roaf * ^†	Offensive tackle	Louisiana Tech
1	20	Irv Smith	Tight end	Notre Dame
2	53	Reggie Freeman	Linebacker	Florida State
4	89	Lorenzo Neal *	Fullback	Fresno State
4	109	Derek Brown	Running back	Nebraska
5	137	Tyrone Hughes *	Cornerback	Nebraska
6	165	Ronnie Dixon	Defensive tackle	Cincinnati
7	193	Othello Henderson	Defensive back	UCLA
8	221	Jon Kirksey	Defensive tackle	Sacramento State
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[5]

Personnel

Staff

**1993 New Orleans Saints staff**
	Front office Owner/General Partner – Tom Benson Vice President of Administration – Jim Miller Director of player personnel – Bill Kuharich Head coaches Head coach – Jim E. Mora Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks – Carl Smith Running Backs – Jim Skipper Wide receivers – Steve Walters Offensive line – Paul Boudreau			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Steve Sidwell Defensive line – John Pease Linebackers – Vic Fangio Defensive backs – Jim L. Mora Special teams coaches Special teams/Tight Ends – Joe Marciano Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Russell Paternostro

^[6]

Roster

**1993 New Orleans Saints roster**
Quarterbacks (QB) 16 Mike Buck 4 Steve Walsh 18 Wade Wilson Running backs (RB) 24 Derek Brown 21 Dalton Hilliard 25 Fred McAfee KR 22 Brad Muster FB 36 Derrick Ned FB Wide receivers (WR) 80 Marcus Dowdell 89 Quinn Early 84 Eric Martin 13 J. J. McCleskey 86 Pat Newman 83 Torrance Small 88 Floyd Turner Tight ends (TE) 85 Hoby Brenner 82 Irv Smith 49 Tommie Stowers 87 Frank Wainright LS		Offensive linemen (OL) 78 Tom Backes T 71 Richard Cooper T 72 Jim Dombrowski G 62 Jay Hilgenberg 68 Paul Jetton C/G 60 Derek Kennard G 70 Chris Port G 77 Willie Roaf T Defensive linemen (DL) 95 Ronnie Dixon NT 63 Karl Dunbar DE 91 Robert Goff 93 Wayne Martin DE 69 Les Miller NT 94 Jim Wilks		Linebackers (LB) 55 Reggie Freeman ILB 57 Rickey Jackson OLB 53 Vaughan Johnson ILB 51 Sam Mills ILB 99 Joel Smeenge OLB 97 Renaldo Turnbull OLB 90 James Williams ILB 92 DeMond Winston OLB Defensive backs (DB) 28 Gene Atkins FS 26 Vince Buck CB 45 Israel Byrd CB 41 Toi Cook CB 38 Othello Henderson SS 33 Tyrone Hughes 43 Tyrone Legette CB 46 Sean Lumpkin FS 37 Jimmy Spencer CB 29 Keith Taylor SS Special teams 7 Morten Andersen K 6 Tommy Barnhardt P				Practice squad 64 Steve Gordon C 35 Shane Pahukoa S 53 active, 9 inactive, 2 practice squad Reserve 81 Jesse Anderson TE (IR) 40 George Coghill S (IR) 32 Vaughn Dunbar RB (IR) 61 Joel Hilgenberg C (IR) 27 Reggie Jones CB (IR) 39 Brett Maxie S (IR) 23 Lorenzo Neal FB (IR) 79 Royce Nelson G (IR) 73 Frank Warren DE (IR) Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 5	Houston Oilers	W 33–21	1–0	Louisiana Superdome	69,029
2	September 12	at Atlanta Falcons	W 34–31	2–0	Georgia Dome	64,287
3	September 19	Detroit Lions	W 14–3	3–0	Louisiana Superdome	69,039
4	September 26	San Francisco 49ers	W 16–13	4–0	Louisiana Superdome	69,041
5	October 3	at Los Angeles Rams	W 37–6	5–0	Anaheim Stadium	50,709
6	Bye
7	October 17	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 14–37	5–1	Three Rivers Stadium	56,056
8	October 24	Atlanta Falcons	L 15–26	5–2	Louisiana Superdome	69,043
9	October 31	at Phoenix Cardinals	W 20–17	6–2	Sun Devil Stadium	36,778
10	Bye
11	November 14	Green Bay Packers	L 17–19	6–3	Louisiana Superdome	69,043
12	November 22	at San Francisco 49ers	L 7–42	6–4	Candlestick Park	66,500
13	November 28	at Minnesota Vikings	W 17–14	7–4	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	53,030
14	December 5	at Cleveland Browns	L 13–17	7–5	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	60,388
15	December 12	Los Angeles Rams	L 20–23	7–6	Louisiana Superdome	69,033
16	December 20	New York Giants	L 14–24	7–7	Louisiana Superdome	69,036
17	December 26	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 26–37	7–8	Veterans Stadium	50,085
18	January 2, 1994	Cincinnati Bengals	W 20–13	8–8	Louisiana Superdome	58,036
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at New Orleans Saints

Week 1: Houston Oilers at New Orleans Saints – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Oilers	7	0	0	14	21
Saints	3	10	6	14	33

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Date: September 5
Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
Game attendance: 69,029
TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann
Box score

Game information

First quarter

HOU – Haywood Jeffires 6-yard pass from Warren Moon (Al Del Greco kick). Oilers 7–0.
NO – Morten Andersen 28-yard field goal. Oilers 7–3.

Second quarter

NO – Dalton Hilliard 2-yard run (Morten Andersen kick). Saints 10–7.
NO – Morten Andersen 37-yard field goal. Saints 13–7.

Third quarter

NO – Morten Andersen 18-yard field goal. Saints 16–7.
NO – Morten Andersen 47-yard field goal. Saints 19–7.

Fourth quarter

NO – Frank Warren 47-yard fumble return (Morten Andersen kick). Saints 26–7.
NO – Derek Brown 2-yard run (Morten Andersen kick). Saints 33–7.
HOU – Cody Carlson 1-yard run (Al Del Greco kick). Saints 33–14.
HOU – Marcus Robertson 80-yard fumble return (Al Del Greco kick). Saints 33–21.

Top passers

HOU – Warren Moon – 21/32, 241 yards, TD, INT
NO – Wade Wilson – 16/25, 206 yards

Top rushers

HOU – Lorenzo White – 15 rushes, 59 yards
NO – Lorenzo Neal – 13 rushes, 89 yards

Top receivers

HOU – Curtis Duncan – 4 receptions, 90 yards
NO – Eric Martin – 7 receptions, 111 yards

Standings

NFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
⁽²⁾ San Francisco 49ers	10	6	0	.625	473	295	L2
New Orleans Saints	8	8	0	.500	317	343	W1
Atlanta Falcons	6	10	0	.375	316	385	L3
Los Angeles Rams	5	11	0	.313	221	367	W1