With a 22-17, hard-fought win over the Tennessee Titans and some help from Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos, the New Orleans Saints earned a playoff spot on Sunday.
The victory over Tennessee gave the Saints their third straight 10-win season and that is the first time that has ever been accomplished in team history.
The Saints will play in the playoffs for the third straight season and this is only the second time in club history for the boys in black and gold to accomplish this feat.
Drew Brees threw two touchdowns to wide receiver Marques Colston to pace the offensive attack and he threw for 347 yards. His two touchdown passes continued his consecutive game with a touchdown pass streak to 40.
The record is held by former Baltimore Colts and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas, who has the record with 47. Unitas and Brees are the only players in NFL history with a streak of 40 consecutive games with a touchdown pass.
Brees also has at least 20 completions in 33 consecutive games and has attempted at least 35 passes in 17 games in a row, both NFL records.
But the story Sunday was the big stops on the defensive side of the ball late in the game.
Free safety Malcolm Jenkins had a first-rate openfield tackle on one of the elite running backs in the NFL in Chris Johnson. After Johnson caught a pass, Jenkins tackled him one yard short of a first down. After two incomplete passes the Saints interior, and in particular defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, tackled quarterback Jake Locker for no gain at the Saints 24-yard line on fourth down.
After the Saints went three and out and punted, the Tennessee Titans moved the football deep into Saints’ territory. Linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar sacked a scrambling Jake Locker on third and goal as time expired.
The 22-17 win increased the Saints win/loss record on the road to 17-6 over the past 23 games.
Tennessee Titans radio broadcaster Mike Keith says that the Saints are legitimate contenders to derail the Green Bay Packers come playoff time.
“If anyone can defeat the Packers come playoff time it is the Saints,” Keith said. “I was really impressed with the heart the Titans showed today with our quarterback Matt Hasselbeck going down with a calf injury and our defense did a very good job against Drew Brees, but the Saints really are talented and they can match the Packers point for point. They hit you with so many weapons that it is almost impossible to totally stop them.”
With the Arizona Cardinals defeating the San Francisco 49ers and both teams at 10-3 the door has been opened for New Orleans to get that No. 2 seed in the NFC. That would assure the team that they wouldn’t meet the undefeated Green Bay Packers until the NFC Championship game, if both teams won their playoff games leading up to that contest.
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