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With the biggest regular-season game in New Orleans Saints history less than eight hours away, here are some numbers to consider as you get ready for the New England Patriots:

0: The number of times two NFL teams have been 11-0 in the same season in the Super Bowl era. If the Saints win tonight, they will join the Indianapolis Colts with that record. The two teams have taken remarkably different routes to perfection. New Orleans has trailed in the fourth quarter only once, to Miami. Indianapolis has rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit in five consecutive games, breaking the previous NFL record of three.

2: New England’s NFL rank in turnover margin. The Patriots are plus-12 with 22 takeaways and 10 giveaways. It’s also their number of defensive touchdowns. Cornerback Leigh Bodden and safety Brandon Meriweather have returned interceptions for scores.

3: New Orleans’ NFL rank in turnover margin. The Saints are plus-10 with 29 takeaways and 19 giveaways, but their defense has scored five more touchdowns than the Patriots. Safety Darren Sharper has three on interceptions returns, with cornerbacks Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer adding pick-sixes and defensive linemen Anthony Hargrove and Remi Ayodele recovering fumbles in the end zone.

4: The number of the tiebreaker scenario that would determine the top seed in the NFC playoffs if the Saints lose tonight, then win out along with the Minnesota Vikings to finish 15-1. It’s a distinct possibility as well as both teams are playing. Tiebreaker No. 1 is head-to-head, and the two teams don’t play each other. Tiebreaker No. 2 is conference record, and both teams would be 12-0. Tiebreaker No. 3 is common games, and both teams would be 5-0. Tiebreaker No. 4 is strength of victory, and right now, the Vikings, whose only loss was to Pittsburgh, have the edge. Their 15 victims (if they keep winning) are 68-97, while the Saints’ 15 victims are 63-102. Unless that stat changes by the end of the year, beating New England is just as important for the Saints as beating their NFC and divisional opponents in their final five games.


5.6: The number of yards per carry Pierre Thomas is averaging, the second best total in the NFL for running backs with 500 or more yards. Thomas has rushed 105 times for 584 yards. Only Tennessee’s Chris Johnson (6.4) averages more, and Johnson is having one of the best years in NFL history...

Dasidreidia

There you go. We need this. We win this, this season is ours. We lose, the playoffs very well cold go through the Metrodome instead of the Superdome.

guerrysmith

It's incredible that the Saints might have to go 16-0 to get homefield advantage. The only season where anything close to that happened was 1998, when the Vikings went 15-1 and the Falcons went 14-2.