Somehow, some way, we can't count the Saints out of the NFC playoffs yet.
They're in a decent position in the NFC wild-card race after defeating Arizona 31-24 on Sunday in the Superdome. The Saints (7-7) trail Minnesota (7-6) by one-half game for the second and final wild card spot. If Chicago's No. 3 quarterback of the season, Kyle Orton, beat the Vikings on Monday night in Minnesota, the Saints could be in the No. 6 slot by early Tuesday morning. That would be because the Saints' 6-4 conference record is better than the NFC records of the other wild card contenders, giving them a pivotal tiebreaking edge for the NFC's final berth.
The Vikings are 5-5 in the conference entering the Bears game. Washington (7-7) is 5-5 in the conference. Detroit (6-8) is 4-7 in the conference. The Saints close with a home game on Sunday against Philadelphia, then travel to Chicago in Week 17. By comparison, the Vikings have Washington at home in Week 16 before a Week 17 trip to Denver.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees seems to get better each week and as he goes, so go the Saints. Against the Cardinals, he completed 26 of 30 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns. In the past two games, he is 54-of-71 for 643 yards, 5 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
He was rarely pressured and he had no trouble getting the ball to a number of receivers, headlined by Marques Colston (8 catches, 114 yards, 1 touchdown).
Aaron Stecker, filling in for injured Reggie Bush, rushed for 95 yards on 22 carries (4.3) and two touchdowns. He also caught 6 passes for 46 yards. His backup, rookie Pierre Thomas rushed twice for 20 yards. Stecker has rushed or 195 yards in the last two games.
"This is the time to come together," said Brees. "You see it every year when teams make it to the playoffs as a five or six seed, but had to rattle off a couple in a row to get there. It gives you an edge. It makes you weather tested."
Former Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner passed for three touchdowns, but also had a critical fumble that led to a Saints touchdown. The Cards' defense forced a couple of turnovers by the redbirds couldn't stop the Saints' passing game. David Patten had 4 catches for 71. including a 31-yard TD reception. He also lost a fumble after carrying the ball like a loaf of bread, but the Saints' defense prevented it from resulting in points.
The Saints' defense had an interception (Roman Harper), fumble recovery (Scott Shanle), two sacks. a huge third-down stop in the fourth quarter that kept the Cards at arm-length. The Saints turned the two turnovers into 14 points.
