Saints Clinch NFC West

N E W  O R L E A N S, Dec. 19 -- Outside of trips to the Pro Bowl, New OrleansSaints lineman Willie Roaf hasn’t had much to celebrate during hiseight-year career until now.

“It’s all very gratifying,” Roaf said Monday before his team clinched the NFC West. “Mostly because we’re having a winning season.”

The Saints (10-5), who won the division when St. Louis lost38-35 at Tampa Bay, have their first winning season since 1992 — ayear before Roaf became their top draft pick. He was No. 8 overallin the draft.

“I’ve never been in a situation where we controlled our owndestiny this late,” Roaf said. “It really makes me feel proud tobe a part of it.”

Sudden Slide to Mediocrity

Roaf, Alex Molden, Mark Fields, Tom Ackerman, Joe Johnson andDoug Brien never saw the good times before this year. Instead theywere around for the sudden slide that resulted in Jim Mora’squitting halfway though the 1996 season that ended 3-13. They werealso around for the two 6-10 marks under Mike Ditka and last year’s3-13 debacle.

“I have such great feelings for the guys that were here in’96,” said assistant coach Rick Venturi, who became the interimcoach when Mora left. “They played their hearts out when there wasnothing on the line and they’ve done it every year since then.”

Roaf became a starter at left tackle his rookie year. Thefollowing season he made his first trip to the Pro Bowl. He’s beena fixture ever since.

But there’s been no team success. His best season was an 8-8record in 1993. For Roaf, the low point came last year when theSaints logged their second 3-13 record in a chaotic season. Earninganother trip to the Pro Bowl didn’t help ease the pain.

He talked about wanting to be traded, wanting to experience awinning season before his career ended.

New Saints coach Jim Haslett, who was a New Orleans assistantcoach in 1996, understood Roaf’s feelings. Haslett said it’s toughto go through one 3-13 season, let alone two.