McAllister has successful return

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Sep 29, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:48 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — Sunday was Willie Roaf’s day in the Superdome, with the New Orleans Saints’ organization and fans celebrating his induction into the team’s Hall of Fame.

But by the end of the afternoon, it was Deuce McAllister’s crowd.

After cheering the franchise’s most decorated player in Roaf, a seven-time Pro Bowl pick in nine seasons with the team, lots of love was left over for McAllister, one of the most popular players to put on a Saints uniform.

McAllister, who had surgery for a torn left ACL and microfracture surgery on his right knee last September, saw his first extended action of the season in a 31-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The familiar chant of “D-E-U-U-U-C-E” went up early and often for McAllister, who did not play in two of the Saints’ first three games and had just two carries for 10 yards in the other contest.

He was finally turned loose by coach Sean Payton, who wanted to be sure the two-time Pro Bowl selection was ready before subjecting him to the pounding NFL running backs take play after play.

“I just wanted to play when you have missed as much time as I have,” said McAllister. “Knowing that it’s a pretty good team that we have over the last couple of years, you just want to go out there and play — whether it’s third-and-short or fourth-and-1. I just wanted to be on the field.”

McAllister responded with 73 rushing yards on 20 carries and a touchdown, a 1-yard dive over the top of the 49ers’ defensive front with 11:23 to play to give the Saints a 28-9 lead.

It started on the first play of the Saints’ second possession when McAllister plowed into the line and pushed the pile for 5 yards as fans screamed his name. He later added strong runs of 10 and 9 yards, then sprinkled in a pair of 6-yard gains and three 5-yard rushes. He also caught a swing pass from Drew Brees that netted 10 yards and a key first down on third-and-5.

“People were wondering about this guy coming off double-knee surgery,” McAllister said. “We put a lot of time in with the trainers and the strength coaches. They told me I was ready, and I believed in what we were doing.”

McAllister proved it to himself as well when he went high and over the top for his first touchdown since the NFC Divisional Playoff win over Philadelphia on Jan. 13, 2007.

When asked what his vertical leap was on the play, McAllister smiled.

“I don’t know what it was then, but back in the day I know what it used to be,” he said. “I can still play, I can still get up. It’s something I hadn’t done since college, but I knew I could still do it.”