While preparing for the 1987 season opener, the Saints had to deal with two major distractions.

On August 31, a week before their contract with the league expired, the executive committee of the NFL Players Association, discouraged by the lack of progress in contract negotiations with NFL management, set a strike deadline of September 22. Saints player representative Hoby Brenner proclaimed his squad unanimously prepared to strike if union leaders decided to do so.

Another distraction for the Saints and their fans was the visit of Pope John Paul II to New Orleans two days before the opening game against Cleveland.

Saturday, September 12, the day before the Saints opener against Cleveland, the pope spoke to a youth rally in the Superdome. Many wondered if a team named "Saints" would now enjoy a "pope-field" advantage. The next day, a fan brought a sign to the Saints game proclaiming, "Faith, hope and the pope. Could this be the year?"

Times-Picayune columnist Peter Finney explained in his column the morning of the Saints 1987 opener in Jim Mora's second season as head man:

"It is not accurate to say our beloved NFL representative has never had a winning season. Ask any oddsmaker, and he'll tell you Jim Mora's Saints finished the '86 season 10-6, a point-spread record bettered only by two teams—the world-champ­ion Giants and the NFC runners-up Redskins.

"That might explain Mora's opening point-spread of 198—the solid, virtually inju­ry-free Cleveland Browns favored by a mere two points in the Superdome."

One reason for Saints fans' optimism was the fact that Mora named Bobby Hebert as his starting quarterback the Monday before the opening game. The "Cajun Cannon" had started just nine games his first two seasons with the team.

OT Daren Gilbert, who joined the Saints in 1985, the same year Hebert was signed as a free agent, said, "He's matured quite a bit. He's a lot more sure of him­self, sure of the system. He's come a long way since last year. He definitely didn't know the system as well as Dave (Wilson). Before, he was more worried about what he had to do, rather than worrying about what other people had to do. I feel he's ready."

"He's come in and taken charge, added C Joel Hilgenberg. He's more of a leader. I noticed it in training camp this year. I just think he feels a lot more comfortable in there now."

The Saints would have to overcome their traditional opening day failure syn­drome. They had won only three of the 20 opening day games in franchise history, including a 31-10 beatdown by the Falcons in the Superdome in 1986.

The New Orleans Saints never trailed Sunday afternoon. They stopped Cleve­land's last-gasp drive to beat the Browns 28-21 before 59,900 in the Superdome.

Cleveland nearly sent the game into overtime, but QB Bernie Kosar's final two passes fell incomplete in the end zone.

The Saints won an NFL season opener for the first time in four years. But they weren't victorious until the scoreboard clock read 0:00.

It isn't often that a team that never punts in a game loses, but that's what hap­pened in the Superdome that day. The killer was that Browns punter Jeff Gossett had two free kicks after safeties in the fourth quarter.

The home team got on the board first with a 61y six-play drive. Mayes ripped off 26y for the longest gain of the march, which ended when Hebert, with enough time in the pocket to have a cup of coffee or drink a beer, connected on a 5y pass to TE Brenner in the end zone among several defenders. Saints 7 Browns 0 (3:22

The Browns tied the game in the second quarter on Kosar's 7y strike to Cla­rence Weathers. The 88y drive had been aided by a 29y pass interference against DB Milton Mack. Saints 7 Browns 7 (5:55)

The home team went back in front right after the kickoff following Dave Way­mer's recovery of a fumble on the Cleveland 29. Two plays later, Hebert connected with Brenner again, this one for 16y with only 1:37 elapsed. Hoby, who now had two more touchdowns than in all of 1986, made a fingertip grab just inside the right front pylon after Bobby eluded an onrushing defender. Saints 14 Browns 7 (13:23)

Brenner: That one was a lot of luck. I was supposed to be in the flat, but it was a broken play. So I let my guy go and kind of wandered out to the goal line.

But the Browns answered with a 85y advance in eight plays. Kosar fired a 30y TD pass to Brian Brennan with 9:16 on the clock. Saints 14 Browns 14 (9:16)

The back and forth continued as the Saints responded with a 12-play march starting from their 25. Hebert's 15y pass to Eric Martin and 13y scramble kept the chains moving until Dalton Hilliard bolted in from the five behind a crushing block by rookie G Steve Trapilo with 2:22 remaining. Saints 21 Browns 14 (3:22)

But the Browns answered with an 85y advance in eight plays. Kosar fired a 30y touchdown pass to Brian Brennan with 9:16 on the clock. Saints 14 Browns 14 (9:16) The back and forth continued as the Saints responded with a 12-play march starting from their 25. Hebert's 15y pass to Eric Martin and 13y scramble kept the chains moving until Dalton Hilliard bolted in from the 5 behind a crushing block by rookie G Steve Trapilo with 2:22 remaining. Saints 21 Browns 14 (3:22)

Cleveland tied the game for the third time, moving 82y in nine plays with Ko­sar's 22y pass to Reggie Langhorne the biggest gain. Bernie ran in from the three at 2:23 into the quarter. Saints 21 Browns 21 (12:37)

Cleveland punt returner Gerald McNeil decided to field Brian Hansen's punt on his nine only to be knocked off his feet immediately by Saints LB Alvin Toles. The bad field position got worse when LB Pat Swilling sacked Kosar for a 3y loss. On second down, RB Earnest Byner dropped Kosar's perfectly thrown pass.

Kosar took the third down snap and dropped back one yard into the end zone. DE Bruce Clark muscled his way past G Dan Fike and got his left hand on Kosar's thigh, swung him around, and grabbed hold with his right as Kosar tried to get out of the end zone. Kosar got rid of the football, but referee Dick Hantak ruled that he was in the grasp in the end zone and awarded the Saints a safety. Saints 23 Browns 21 (9:45)

I thought it was a close call, said Kosar after the game. It's up to the judgement of the official, but I don't like the rule. It takes away my ability to make the big play going down. And I didn't think I was down.

Clark disagreed, of course, but I wasn't sure until the referee raised his hand. Then I said, 'Well, I'll be dawg.'

Fike said Clark went inside when the Cleveland guard thought he would go outside. Clark made an inside move and got the corner on me. I tried to push him inside, but I couldn't. It was a tough position to be in. Things happen. I made a mistake.

It isn't often that you see back-to-back safeties in a game, but that's what hap­pened next.

After the free kick, the Saints couldn't move the ball. So Hansen got off another gorgeous punt. This one traveled 43y and backed the visitors inside their one. RB Kevin Mack got 4y on a sweep to create some breathing space. But on the next snap, backup FS Brett Maxie blindsided Kosar, causing a fumble that rolled out of the back of the end zone before Frank Warren could corral it. Saints 25 Browns 21 (3:19)

"It was a weakside safety blitz," explained Maxie. "I just lined up inside the cornerback, and I don't think they had me accounted for in the blocking scheme."

Kosar simply failed to pick up the blitz. "I just didn't see it. We called a play in the huddle but changed the protection scheme at the line. I was supposed to throw a sight adjustment, just dump it off, but I missed the call."

After receiving the free kick, the Saints drove far enough for Morten Anderson to boot a 39y field goal with 1:43 to play for a seven-point cushion.

But that wasn't the end to the anxiety.

In the closing minute of the game, the Browns moved far enough into Saints territory to try to two Hail Marys. With the line of scrimmage on the 31, Kosar lofted a pass into the end zone in what amount to a jump ball. On the first try, Cleve­land's Brian Brennan failed to catch a tipped pass. On the second one, Saints DB Johnnie Poe knocked the ball out of Clarence Weathers' grasp.

"It was tense down there," said Mora. "I'm looking right down that sideline. Brennan almost caught the thing."

On the second one, Poe said, "Weathers had it right in his basket. My job is to get there, and get it on the ground, pick it off, or whatever. I just pulled out on both his hands."

The victory, coupled with losses by division rivals San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, gave the Saints the undisputed lead in the NFC West for the first time in franchise history. FINAL SCORE: Saints 28 Browns 21

Jim Mashek, a sportswriter for the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, started his story of the Saints game like this: "Pope John Paul II left the Crescent City on Sunday morning. Hours later, the Cleveland Browns' glimmering hopes were re­duced to two Hail Mary plays. Those prayers were not answered."

The most encouraging aspect of the victory was the offensive production. Hebert and Company nearly matched the potent Browns, amassing 338y of total offense to 376 for Bernie's Boys. As usual, Carl Smith's offense featured the run, gaining 191 on the ground compared to 149 in the air (without including sacks). New Orleans didn't turn the ball over a single time while the Browns lost an interception and a fumble. The Saints' special teams played well again. All five of Hansen's punts were downed inside the 20. Cleveland gained just 4y on punt returns and 39 on kickoffs. New Orleans also blocked a field goal attempt.

Mora: "We came up with the big plays when we needed them. Just remember, Cleveland had the best record last year (in the AFC), and many have predicted them going to the Super Bowl this year."

Browns LB Clay Matthews praised Mayes, who gained 147y on 24 carries: "I think it was more of what he did rather than what we didn't do."

DE Sam Clancy cited Hebert's elusiveness: "I had him three times where I should have brought him down. He shook me off three times, and everytime he did, he made something happen."