METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints’ defense has led the team’s playoff push.
The Saints (8-8) have won three of their past four as the defense dominated the Jets, shut out Tom Brady and the Buccaneers and held Carolina scoreless for the final 43 minutes last week.
That last victory kept the team’s postseason hopes alive going into the regular-season finale at Atlanta on Sunday. If the Saints win and the Rams defeat the 49ers, New Orleans will be in the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.
But the Saints know they will have to do a better job of defending Matt Ryan and the Falcons’ offense than they did in the first meeting this season.