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Saints can tighten race in NFC South

Dec 2, 2007 - 12:29 PM Tampa Bay (7-4) at New Orleans (5-6) 4:15 pm EST

NEW ORLEANS (Ticker) -- Having twice salvaged their season from the brink of disaster, the New Orleans Saints still have a chance to win a division title.

To accomplish that, the Saints will have to beat the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in an NFC South matchup.

Following an 0-4 start to the season, New Orleans rebounded with four consecutive victories to climb to the .500 mark and back into the division race.

That momentum came to a screeching halt as the Saints dropped their next two games before bouncing back with a thorough 31-6 beating of the Carolina Panthers last week.

Not only did that vault New Orleans into a six-team logjam at 5-6 in the NFC, it kept the Saints within two games of surging Tampa Bay, which won its third straight contest by holding off the Washington Redskins, 19-13.

Drew Brees sandwiched a pair of scoring passes around his own rushing touchdown in a 21-point third quarter to help New Orleans blow out Carolina.

Completing passes to nine different receivers, Brees threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns.

"I think we really made an emphasis of this game," Brees said. "We really had to have this game. I think that when we're rolling, we can just open up the playbook."

The Buccaneers did just the opposite with their playbook in the second half.

Quarterback Jeff Garcia was injured on the first series of the game, but the defense forced six turnovers including four in the first half to take a 19-3 lead.

With Bruce Gradkowski subbing for Garcia, the Bucs failed to pick up a first down in the second half and watched the Redskins close within six points.

The defense came to the rescue again, with Ronde Barber and Brian Kelly making interceptions in the last four minutes to snuff out Washington's last two drives.

It was Barber's 32nd career interception, setting a franchise record.

Garcia, who suffered a bruised back, was unable to throw Monday and his status for Sunday's game is questionable.

In Week Two, Garcia threw a pair of touchdown passes to Joey Galloway as the Bucs scored the first 28 points in a 31-14 rout of the Saints.