{sidebar id=9}Here's the latest confounding result for the maddeningly inconsistent New Orleans Saints: Their most impressive rushing performance of the season came without either of their star running backs.

With the discovery of Reggie Bush's torn knee ligament last week and with Deuce McAllister having gone out for the season back in Week 3, the Saints lined up in Atlanta on Monday night with a running back tandem of veteran third-stringer Aaron Stecker and undrafted rookie Pierre Thomas.

Combined with Devery Henderson's 15-yard gain on an end-around, New Orleans rushed for 145 total yards, better than in any of their previous 12 games.

"We have guys that stepped up and played real well last night," Payton said Tuesday after he reviewed game film. "You're going to lose some players. ... You know you're going to have to rely on some other players during their time off. That's just the reality of our game. Hopefully you can still have consistency within your attack, either on defense or offense and in your kicking game."

The Saints aren't saying whether they think they'll get Bush back at all this season. Payton said he expected to have some sort of update on Wednesday afternoon.

Bush has a torn left posterior cruciate ligament, which does not require surgery but likely would require at least a month to heal enough for him to play again.

The Saints have only three games left in the regular season, but at 6-7 still remain only a game behind Minnesota for the final wild-card playoff spot in the NFC.

Should the Saints place Bush on injured reserve it would mean they believe his injury is serious enough that he could not help even if New Orleans made the playoffs.

 

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