The Saints closed out the regular season with a win that came a week too late for them to win the division crown, but it was enough for them to secure a playoff berth.
As is often the case when New Orleans wins, the play of quarterback Drew Brees was one of the headlines from the game. Brees strafed the Buccaneers secondary on Sunday, completing 24-of-31 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-17 win that guaranteed them a trip to the postseason even if the Cardinals had beaten the 49ers later in the day.
It’s the third time that Brees has taken home weekly honors this season and the 19th time he’s been honored -- 17 of them with the Saints -- over the course of his career. That’s third all-time behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
A big reason why the Saints and Brees aren’t hosting a game in the playoffs is because of the way the team struggled when they played outside the Superdome. They’ll be in Philly on Saturday on what’s expected to be a very cold night, which makes it a very big test for the reigning player of the week.