Mike Martz could be through coaching for good in St. Louis, and the New Orleans-San Antonio-Baton Rouge Saints could be through playing for good in New Orleans.
Jose Cortez is definitely through kicking in Dallas. Coach Bill Parcells kicked him off the Cowboys on Monday, a day after he missed a 29-yard field goal in a 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The Cowboys signed rookie Shaun Suisham to take his place.
Martz said Monday he has coached his last game for the Rams this season. He may have coached his last game for the Rams period.
Recovering from a bacterial infection of his heart valve, Martz did not know until recent examinations that the illness would sideline him for so long. He was replaced last week by interim coach Joe Vitt, the team’s linebackers coach.
But after Martz tried to help Vitt by phone during Sunday’s victory over New Orleans, apparent friction with the Rams’ front office resurfaced, leading to speculation that Martz will not return next season even if healthy.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that a planned phone conversation between Vitt and Martz was nixed before it reached the coaching booth by Rams President John Shaw and president of football operations Jay Zygmunt.
Martz has one year remaining on his contract.
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No welcome home
The Saints will play their first game Sunday in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina chased them from the Superdome, but Baton Rouge has hardly embraced their return.
Ticket sales have been slow even with the attraction of ex-LSU coach Nick Saban returning with his Miami Dolphins. On Nov. 6, the Bears play at LSU against a Saints team that has played one “home” game at the Meadowlands against the Giants and two in San Antonio.
Saints owner Tom Benson has courted San Antonio as a permanent home and abandoned Saints fans in the wake of the disaster by at first wavering on whether they would get ticket refunds. He later fired a front-office executive who suggested that wouldn’t be the best idea.
In New Orleans, the Associated Press reported a taped-up refrigerator with rotting contents was left on a sidewalk with a message scribbled in spray paint: “Do not open. Benson inside.”
At LSU, campus flyers depicted Benson with horns protruding from his head. The flyers read, “Satantonio.”
Benson said in a written statement last Friday he has not decided on the Saints’ future home. When reporters at his suburban home asked him what he had to say to the team’s New Orleans fan base, he told the visitors to get off his property.
Since the State of Louisiana has supported the Saints with subsidies despite budget crunches, the prospect of reconciliation appears dim.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin said in a newspaper interview last week: “Who’s going to buy his tickets? I’m not buying one. . . . I’m not listening to him on the radio. I’m not doing anything with him. I’m just appalled.”
Nice finish
The Bears felt doubly good about finishing off the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday after watching the Cowboys, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers and Green Bay Packers all fail to seal victories, just the way the Bears failed to keep the Cleveland Browns down two weeks ago.
The Cowboys were one minute from first place in the NFC East. After the Seattle Seahawks scored 10 points in the final 40 seconds, Dallas was in last place and kicker Cortez was looking for work.
The Chargers were padding their lead over the Eagles in Philadelphia when a blocked field-goal attempt was returned for the winning TD.
The Broncos were leading the Giants in New York 23-10 with 10 minutes left. Then Eli Manning led two late touchdown drives to give the Giants a 24-23 victory.
Green Bay lost a 17-0 lead over Minnesota, then lost to Paul Edinger’s 56-yard field goal.
“You’re playing against professionals,” Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera said. “At any point, they can make a big play or you can give up a big play and end up losing.”
By the way, Bears coach Lovie Smith said he had no reservations about letting rookie Robbie Gould line up for a 47-yard field goal in the rain to pad his 10-6 lead against the Ravens with 7:57 left.
“You have to play some offense,” Smith said. “You have to try to score some points. You need to hit a 47-yard field goal.”
Gould’s miss set up the Ravens at their 37, good field position that quarterback Anthony Wright immediately squandered by getting sacked.
Maybe Smith knew about Edinger’s 56-yarder but not about the Eagles’ game-winning block against San Diego.