"In essence, the Rams and Saints are trading defensive coordinators. On Thursday, recently fired Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo accepted the defensive coordinator's job in New Orleans.

He replaces Gregg Williams, who's leaving the Saints after three seasons to become Rams' defensive coordinator under Jeff Fisher. Williams' hire is expected to become official soon.

After contemplating taking a year off from football, Spagnuolo wasn't unemployed for long. He accepted the Saints' job just 18 days after his firing in St. Louis. Despite Spagnuolo's 10-38 record in three seasons with the Rams, the team played some of its best football against New Orleans.

Even without factoring in Spagnuolo's success as New York Giants defensive coordinator in 2007 and '08, two of the three Rams-Saints games under Spagnuolo had to make an impression on New Orleans head coach Sean Payton.

In 2009, the Rams forced three turnovers in a 28-23 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champs. The Rams were at the New Orleans 32-yard line, throwing a Hail Mary pass that fell incomplete into the end zone as time expired. The potent New Orleans offense was held under 30 points for only the fourth time during its 13-0 start that season."