Versailles – Erik McCoy knew immediately, but Tyler Shough didn't know at all. Somehow, that makes perfect sense when labeling the career artistry of New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara.
What very much had the appearance of a minimal gain against the New York Giants in the Saints' 34-27 victory, and likely would have been that or less in the hands of another player, was a little bit of everything Kamara's career has been. And in the process, a short play became a 31-yard touchdown catch, during which Kamara became the sixth player in NFL history to eclipse 5,000 receiving yards and 5,000 rushing yards in his career, and only the third to do it with one team.
Kamara and the Saints (2-4) look to create more history Sunday, when they play the Steelers (4-2) at Stade de France in the first NFL game to be played in Paris.
"It's amazing, man," said Kamara, who now totals 7,370 yards rushing and 5,024 yards receiving. "I was having a conversation with my friends (Tuesday) and I was telling them that you play this game long enough, you start breaking records like that so you don't really stop to think about the numbers, the touchdowns, catches, sacks or whatever it may be, until somebody says something to you or something like this happens and then you start thinking back to games and years and reps.
"We're all blessed to be in this position but to hit that record is definitely a blessing."
The touchdown against the Giants was vintage Kamara, something McCoy, New Orleans' center, often has seen in his eight-year career and something Shough, the second-year quarterback, hadn't yet witnessed in person — but, something only one player in franchise history could do with such apparent ease and style.
On second-and-eight from the Giants' 31-yard line, with 12:31 left in the third quarter and the score tied at 10-10, Kamara took a swing pass from Shough has he headed toward the right sideline.
From there, he maintained his balance while shrugging off a defender who tried to tackle him high (the defender flew over to the sideline), then tight-roped the sideline for about eight yards before cutting back inside to evade another defender who'd angled toward him.
Kamara picked up a block from tight end Noah Fant around the 18 — Fant forced the defender outside — and twisted the next defender into a pretzel inside the 10-yard line before that foe fell zigging while Kamara zagged. A peelback block by receiver Devaughn Vele inside the 5 probably wasn't needed as Kamara glided into the end zone, but it definitely made for a good look on film as the final installment of teamwork on a play in which Kamara, as has often been the case in the past, didn't appear to be working hard at all.
It was the 90th touchdown of his career, extending his franchise record total, and the 58th he has scored with McCoy as a teammate since 2019.
"Absolutely," McCoy said when asked if he thought Kamara would score. "I think through his career it's pretty amazing. Extremely talented back and for me it's like, I've got to get on my high horse and try to make a block even though I'm not going to catch up — but I can make it look good, at least."
It's hard to make it look as good as Kamara did, as he equaled the team lead with his third touchdown. Fant and tight end Juwan Johnson also have three.
Shough, when asked if he believed he'd given Kamara a decent amount of space to work with:
"Uh, no. I'm throwing that thinking, like, 'Good luck, Alvin.' I'm trying to get it out of my hands. I'm sorry," Shough said, smiling. "We've got combo pressure blitz off the edge and we kind of have it built in, so he just made a really good play.
"To be honest, a good play there is three or four yards, and he turns that into a touchdown. That's kind of the name of the game, is how do we limit those negative plays and getting the ball to Alvin and getting the ball to (receiver) Chris (Olave) in space is part of that. And they make the rest."
And sometimes they make history as they're doing it.
"It (means) I'm almost as old as (16-year veteran) Cam (Jordan)," Kamara joked. "It's amazing to still be doing it and still be feeling good. Just thankful."
