The Saints lost Jim Mora's debut as head coach in the first game of the 1986 season. Atlanta thumped the Saints in the Superdome 31-10. The next week brought a different outcome.

The Green Bay Packers provided the opposition in the Superdome. The Saints not only won, 24-10, but set a franchise record with seven interceptions.

The "Bayou Bomber," Bobby Hebert, connected with WR Eric Martin on a 72y touchdown only 1:32 into the game.

Martin said the play came straight from offensive coordinator Carl Smith's chalkboard. "It was just like what coach draws up—three deep (zone) defense. That's what the receiver wants to run against. We were expecting them to press and blitz, and they didn't do that. I guess by losing last week (to Houston 31-3), they had to play off (the receivers) and try to stop the big play."

Martin's journey to the end zone was helped by CB Mark Lee tripping and falling to leave him uncovered.

Hebert said, "Even if (Lee) kept his feet, I don't think he could have turned from where he was to get Eric. I came up thinking maybe Dalton (Hilliard) would be open on man-to-man coverage, but Eric was the one free."

Shortly afterwards, the Hebert and Martin hooked up on an 84y pass play from the Saints nine that led to a Morten Andersen field goal and a 10-0 lead. The three-pointer was Ander­sen's 16th straight, the longest in the NFL at that point.

G Steve Korte said, "It's great to get out on top and dictate to the other guys for a change. That's a nice switch."

He was referring to the 31-10 loss to Atlanta the week before when the Saints' offense struggled before finally getting a touchdown with just 12 seconds left in the game.

New Orleans moved out 17-0 later in the first quarter on a 3y run by rookie Dalton Hil­liard. The score was set up by Frank Wattelet's interception of Wright's pass at the Packers' 36.

Green Bay coach Forrest Gregg pulled his ineffective starting quarterback Randy Wright with 3:33 remaining in the first quarter after Wright went one-for-four for 16y.

"Coach wanted me to observe to get a better feel of things," Wright said later.

Vince Ferragamo replaced Wright and completed 10 of 15 passes for 100y before half­time. The Packers finally got on the board via Al Del Greco's 50y field goal with 14:25 left in the second quarter.

But the Saints more than countered that when CB James Haynes intercepted a Ferra­gamo screen pass and returned it 17y to pay dirt extend the lead to 24-3.

Haynes: "I reacted to the running back in the flat. The ball came to me, and I scored a touchdown. I was really excited. It's my first touchdown as a pro."

Surprisingly, Wright started the second half and led the Packers to another touchdown on an 8y pass to James but also threw four more interceptions to thwart any comeback. Afterwards he said, "Some balls just shouldn't have been thrown." The touchdown was the Packers' first in 11 quarters dating back to the exhibition season.

The visitors held the Saints scoreless in the second half but couldn't overcome the seven picks, which remains a New Orleans record to this day. DB Dave Waymer snagged two in­terceptions while DBs Russell Gary, Haynes, Johnnie Poe, and Wattelet had one each as did LB Rickey Jackson.

Coach Mora: "We ran a couple of new coverages for the first time today. But nothing that was earth-shaking."

Saints SS Russell Gary: "We were able to hide a lot of things. We really disguised our defenses well."

Saints DE Bruce Clark, a Green Bay draft choice: "How many times does a team have seven interceptions and not one sack?"

Clark suggested the statistic said something about the defensive concept new coach Mora was installing.

"We're getting there, but we're getting there in stages. What you saw out there today was a combination of pressure that made the quarterback hurry, and some coverages that had the quarterbacks scratching their head."

The Wisconsin sportswriters blasted the Packers. Here's an example.

Bud Lea of the Milwaukee Sentinel: "If you can't beat the New Orleans Saints, whom can you beat? The Saints are the patsies of the National Football League. For 19 years the Saints have been marching in, and for 17 years they have had losing seasons."

FINAL SCORE: SAINTS 24 PACKERS 10