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by Bradley Handwerger / Eyewitness Sports

Posted on December 24, 2009 at 1:59 PM

New Orleans’ unbelievable 13-game win streak came to a close Saturday night in the Superdome.

To put things in perspective, the Saints’ longest streak previously was nine games. Their previous best start was 7-0.

So, yeah, the loss to Dallas stings. But talk about obliterating team records.

So, what’s at stake Sunday against Tampa Bay? Well, a win hands the Saints the No. 1 seed in the NFC, so that’s kind of big.

It’s All History
The Saints are 21-14 all-time against Tampa Bay, but the series is best known for close games. In 15 of the past 19, the difference has been seven points or fewer. And in six of those games, a field goal has been the decider.

New Orleans has a 12-7 advantage over Tampa Bay in the Superdome and under Head Coach Sean Payton the Saints are 4-3 against the Buccaneers.

New Orleans’ highest point total came in 1987 when the Saints scored a 44-34 win. While the Saints haven’t been shut out, they’ve come close, scoring only a field goal in a 10-3 loss in 2005.

Tampa’s fewest points came in a 9-3 Saints win in 1998 while the Bucs most points came in a 48-21 win over New Orleans in 2001.

The longest win streak for either team is six games, held by the Saints from Oct. 23, 1983 through Sept. 25, 1988. Tampa has never won more than two in a row, done five times.

Statistical Extravaganza
The Saints have 163 total drives this season, scoring a touchdown on 52 of them and kicking field goals on 20 others. That means the Saints are scoring on 44.2 percent of their drives, a pretty good clip considering opponents are scoring on only 30.8 percent of their possessions.

New Orleans is even better inside the red zone. The Saints have entered the red zone 66 times this season, scoring touchdowns on 39 of them and kicking field goals 17 other times. They’ve missed field goals three times, thrown an interception once, fumbled once and turned the ball over on downs three times. Twice the game ended with the Saints inside the 20. Opponents are scoring only 76.9 percent of the time they enter the red zone.

Looking at turnovers, the Saints again are on a roll. New Orleans has picked up 24 interceptions and 13 fumbles while the Saints have turned over the ball 24 times (11 interceptions and 13 fumbles). The plus-13 differential is third in the NFL and a huge turn around from 2008, when the Saints ended the year minus-four.

Statistically speaking, the Saints are at their best at the end of halves. In the second quarter, they’ve outscored opponent by 90 (170-80) while in the first, they’ve been outscored by 18 (71-99). In the fourth quarter, the Saints have outscored opponents by 105 points (139-34) while in the third, New Orleans is outscoring opponents by only 15 points (100-85).

Saints in the NFL since 2006

* NFL points per game leader: No. 2 with 1,738 (New England No. 1)
* NFL total offense leader: No. 1 with 24,490 yards (New England No. 2)
* Most yards after catch: No. 1 with 8,639 yards (New England No. 2)
* Least sacks allowed: No. 2 with 71 (Indianapolis No. 1)
*

3's Company (third-down analysis)
173 plays overall of which 45 were runs and 128 were passes. They have averaged 4.42 yards per run and 7.71 yards per pass play.

* Third-and-short (1-2 yards) - 24 runs, 19 first downs; 14 passes, 5 first downs
* Third-and-(3-5) - 9 run, 3 first down; 48 passes, 32 first downs
* Third-and-(6-10) - 5 runs, 1 first downs; 40 passes, 15 first downs
* Third-and-(11-15) - 7 run, 0 first downs; 14 passes, 4 first downs
* Third-and-(16-plus) - 0 runs, 0 first downs; 12 passes, 2 first downs
*

What stands out? Well, the Saints didn’t run for on a single third-down attempt against Dallas, meaning they weren’t in any running situations. Furthermore, none of their third downs were third-and-short, meaning all were third-and-three or longer.

From the Left Hash: Saints go for rebound win against Bucs | wwltv.com | Sports

G504

Looking forward to beating up on somebody. But of course the Bucs & Panthers don't have much to play for (although if the Panthers win this weekend, the could be playing for the pride of avoiding a losing season despite the 0-3 start), so the Dallas lost won't really feel "avenged" until the first playoff game. But sweeping the division will be nice too.

xan

This team better show up this weekend. If they think they can coast past through a division game against a team whose players are auditioning for next year's roster, they should be cut and replaced by anyone willing to do what it takes to go to the super bowl.

RealDeal37

I agree...
I believe the $A!NT'z will come into this game with attitude & fire. They are pissed off & ready to take it out on sumone. Feel SORRY for BUC'z, lol, but it is wut it is.
We need to use these last 2 games to get back on track & enter the post-season with aggression & NO non-sense mentality.
I personally believe we will be just FINE, if not (BETTER)... That lose to DALLAS, wuz a bummer, but it helped us alot & it could'nt have happened at a better time of the season. Now, we have our eye's wide open & now know that nuthing'z garranteed. We were & had gotten way too comfertable with everything, not to mention with the Div. championship, first rnd. bye, 13-0 & #1 ranking in the NFL, these were all (UNFULMILIAR) situation'z for this team. It was all just way too much at one time to handle mentaly for the player'z.
Now that we have gotten that (1) lose outta the way, we can now focus on health, consistancy & of course get'n to the (SUPER BOWL),
bottom line... So now it lies on us to use the last (2) games to get on a role & pick-up MAX-MOMENTUM going into the PLAY-OFFS.
Now, after say'n all that... PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
let DALLAS make the PLAY-OFF's & PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ meet us in the DOME once again, im BEGGING yall to come back for
round (2), PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZ i beg of u... hahahahaha
Im sure i speak for all of us fan's & the (WHO~DAT NATION)!!!

GeAuX $a!nT'z ~ WhO DaT ~ (#1) & aint look'n back... WuT WuT!!!
~{ No team in this league is READY to see us in the PLAY-OFF'z, none}~

UK_WhoDat

Well here's hoping for a "rebound". Think it will be close, within one score at the end. Hope Drew can hit one long pass this week. Over to you Offensive Line.

homerj07

This is a must win game & a must win BY A LOT. No close games!!

9thWardDesire

In a major way. Anything less is a failure.

B_Dub_Saint

PT, Bell, and Reggie need to pass block big time in this game. That is what killed us against Dallas. No one helped Bushrod on the left side.

RockyMountainSaint

Wow.......

Was this even a question before the injuries and btw, before the rest of the NFL started to have film on this year's Saints?

Just who on this roster (Charles Grant) would you accuse of coasting?

The team is very well coached and street free-agent moves have been handled well I think.

We have won 13 games.

We have lost 1 game.

The organization has given up zero draft picks by panicking and trading away the future.

Chill Baby!

Blowout coming Sunday!

QBREES9

Your right and they will.