Besides middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, the New Orleans Saints played their starters and played to win, even though San Francisco was sealing up the No. 2 seed with a win over the St. Louis Rams. Drew Brees and the offense looked poised to make another Super Bowl run, and the defense rebounded from a poor first half to hold Cam Newton and the Panthers scoreless in the second half. The Saints led 24-17 at the half, and instead of resting starters, they came out and made a statement.
Turning Point:
With the score tied 17-17, and the game headed to the half, Brees used the last 1:18 to lead the Saints down the field, ending the drive with a beautiful 42-yard touchdown pass to Marques Colston in the corner of the end zone. The score was within reach still at 24-17, but the Saints' offense had records to break, and they did. They broke several team records, including most offensive yards with 7,474, most passing yards with 5,347, and most first downs in an NFL season with...
Original Story:
