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New Orleans may be out of the playoffs but they have a chance to hurt Dallas’ hopes this Sunday.  Currently in a three way tie with the Redskins and the Giants, Dallas desperately needs to win this game against the Saints.  New Orleans won’t let down easily, though, as they are coming off a 41-0 victory over the Buccaneers.  Drew Brees still has a lot of fight in him and won’t give up until week 17 is over.  Still, this game means very little to the Saints besides where they will draft in next March.

Dallas is currently playing their best football of the season.  They are on a 3 game winning streak and have won 5 of their last 6.  Their last two wins have come against two tough teams as well in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.  However, their last 5 games have been decided by a TD or less.  If this indicates anything, expect a close match this Sunday.  Even against lesser opponents Dallas has struggled to gain separation.

Dallas’ offense is built similar to the Saints.  They have an elite passing game, but a quarterback that is prone to mistakes.  Tony Romo has thrown for over 4000 yards but 16 interceptions as well, 13 of which have come in losses.  They have also lacked a solid running game all year.  That is a bit of surprise for Dallas though, who lost Demarco Murray for a good part of the season.  The major difference between the Cowboys and New Orleans is the defense.  Dallas hasn’t had an elite D, but have played well enough to keep them in ball games.  The same can’t be said about the Saints whose defense has taken them out of several games.  Still, New Orleans has won 6 of their last 10, and likely would be fighting for a playoff spot if they had not started so poorly.  Look for the Saints to play a hard fought game.

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This division matchup is between two teams desperate for wins.  The Saints are essentially out of the playoffs, but the Buccaneers still have a very outside shot to make the playoffs.  That means Tampa Bay has a little more drive to win this game.  Throw in the fact that it is between division rivals and this game is still interesting in December.  Most would have though that New Orleans would be the one with the better shot to make this playoffs this year, but that’s not the case.  Of course, none of that will matter if the Saints win and both teams leave with the same record.

The Saints have struggled lately, mainly because of the struggles of Drew Brees.  Brees has been uncharacteristically bad lately, especially in his last two games.  He threw no touchdowns and 5 interceptions against the Falcons a couple weeks ago, and followed that with a one TD game and a few more turnovers.  He will be facing a bad Tampa secondary, but his struggles could be more mental.  We will see today as Brees should have every opportunity to dominate the Tampa defense.

As for the Bucs, they looked primed for a playoff run before dropping three straight games.  The first two were against good teams in Atlanta and Denver.  They played very close in the Atlanta game before falling flat.  The Broncos game wasn’t as close, but in the end they only lost by 8 to one of the hottest teams in the NFL.  Then they lost to the Eagles who are one of the coldest teams in the league.  They allowed Nick Foles to come back on them with under 5 minutes and a two score game.  That could be rock bottom for the Bucs who now need a miracle to reach the playoffs.  It all starts today, when they face the Saints.  They have proven that they can keep up wit the good teams, but they need to beat them to have success.

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At 5-7, the Saints chances of the playoffs look pretty grim.  If they can find a way to win today, they could help themselves out by facing two other teams in playoff contention.  After today’s game against the Giants they face Tampa Bay and Dallas who are both currently ahead of the Saints in the playoff race.  The end the season at home against Carolina which should be an easy victory.  They would still need a lot more help, but there is still a slight bit of hope still in New Orleans.

Today though, they have to focus on the opponent at hand.  They have had plenty of time to dwell on their loss last Thursday to the Falcons.  Drew Brees has likely been practicing harder than he has all year after his worst performance of his career.  He will be looking to start a new TD streak after ending his all time long streak last week.

New York has a 7-5 record and barely holding onto the top spot of the NFC East.  With Dallas and Washington trailing them by just one game, they desperately need this win almost as much as New Orleans does.  If the Giants win this game, their playoff chances take a major hit, especially with Atlanta and Baltimore still on the schedule.  They have lost 3 of their last 4, including last Monday Night’s loss to the Redskins.  The one team they did beat though was Green Bay, who they absolutely demolished.  New York is not a bad team, but they do have their flaws.

Eli Manning isn’t playing nearly as well as expected this year.  He has struggled with turnovers and has only thrown 16 touchdowns at this point.  Manning has been put into the elite category at QB because of his two Super Bowl rings, but his stats have never really backed him up.  While he has performed extremely well in the playoffs, his regular season starts often leave a lot to be desired.  The Saints don’t have much of a defense to speak of though, so Manning could be in line for a huge game.

The rushing attack for the Giants is lead by Ahmad Bradshaw.  Backup Andre Brown recently broke his leg, so that leaves David Wilson behind him.  The talented rookie has been held off the field most of the year.  He fumbled in his first career game, and it seems as if Coughlin has never forgave him since.

The defense in New York has been pretty mediocre.  They fare about equally well against the pass and the run, but they rank in the bottom half in both categories.  The pass rush is always a concern when you play the Giants, so Brees has to be able to get the ball out quick.  I think this game could be a close one, and I really believe the Saints could come out with a victory.  The key is not falling into an early hole.  If the Giants take an early lead, they could end up blowing out the Saints, but if New Orleans can hang tight, they could walk out of Met Life with a victory.

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New Orleans is fighting for their playoff live, but they don’t have much time to prepare for this week.  In a crucial game at Atlanta, the Saints have only one more day to prepare.  At the end of the day, the Falcons have the same amount of time between games, so that excuse loses a bit of weight.  Simply put, the Saints need to win this game.  If they don’t they are 5-7 and likely sitting at home come playoff time.

Atlanta hasn’t won a game by more than a TD since October.  Obviously that is nitpicking considering they are 10-1, but the point is they aren’t invincible.  New Orleans already beat this team once, and did so with a well balanced offensive attack.  I think the most important factor could come down to the running game.  Both Ivory and Ingram played well in the first meeting.  With Darren Sproles back in the fold it could complicate things.  Honestly, I’m not sure how much value Sproles offers the Saints.  He has been used almost exclusively as a pass catcher to the point that defenses don’t even expect him to rush the football.  He has done well receiving, but the Saints may be better suited with a more traditional rushing attack.  Keeping him on the sidelines may be a better move.

The passing attack could have an advantage if Samuel is unavailable for the game.  He aggravated a shoulder injury last week a couple times and is listed as a game time call this week.  If he can’t go, Brees could be in line for a big game.  Either way he will throwing a lot in such an important game.  With Graham, Colston, and Moore all healthy the passing game should be in full swing.  Atlanta doesn’t have too many injuries either, so their offense won’t be limited much at all.  Mike Smith is moving to a committee attack on offense with Jacquizz Rodgers recently receiving more snaps than starter Michael Turner.  Rodgers is clearly the more explosive of the two so that is another factor that New Orleans needs to keep account of.

This is a very big game for the Saints in a must win situation.  They have been hanging onto their lives for weeks now, but they could be put to death if they can’t win this one.  Brees will have to put together a full four quarters of football without any mistakes.  Look for an exciting contest this Thursday Night.

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Some pretty good news for the Saints as Darren Sproles will be active for the first time in a few weeks.  This will add some versatility to the offense, but Sproles role is pretty unknown. The Saints running game was improved in recent weeks with Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas, so it will be interesting if Vitt tries to get Sproles into the fold.  It is undeniable that Sproles i the most electric pass catching back on the Saints roster, so he should at least see the field on some passing downs.

For the Niners, Colin Kaepernick will indeed get the start at QB.  Not shocking as it was hinted at all week after his dominant performance against the Bears.  However, it is a bit surprising considering Alex Smith’s success for over a year and half now.  Smith gives consistency to an offense full of weapons that can compensate for his lack of overall talent.  Kaepernick is more of a raw talent, but can certainly open up the offense with this big arm and athleticism.  Most people thought he would be used more of a dual threat QB last week, utilizing his legs as well as his arm.  That was not the case as he aired it out more than Smith had all season.  The Saints have a much weaker secondary than the Bears, so we could see a lot of throws by the young signal caller.  Of course with a handful of receiving threats in Randy Moss, Crabtree, Davis, and Manningham, Kaepernick may be able to pick apart the Saints defense with ease.  Then again, a young QB in a high pressure game may be prone to some more mistakes that would feed right into New Orleans hands.  This game is full of question marks, and very close to a must win for the Saints.  Kickoff is just over a half an hour away.

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In what is a huge game for the Saints looking to keep their playoff hopes afloat, all reports have been on who is starting at QB for the 49ers.  Most signs point to second year dual threat Quarterback Colin Kaepernick after his dominating effort against the Bears Monday night.  Alex Smith has been out with a concussion, but has recently been cleared to play.  For New Orleans, it may not matter who is throwing the ball as they have struggled to stop anyone in the air.

If their is some bright side to this matchup, San Francisco isn’t really a high powered offense no matter who is throwing the ball.  They rely heavily on the run with Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter leading the way.  That will continue to be the case, and if it isn’t they usually aren’t playing too well.  However, Kaepernick clearly has the bigger arm and is more capable of big plays with this offense.  With Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham, and Vernon Davis, this team clearly has plenty of weapons to get going through the air.  However, I do believe staring a guy with only one start under his belt is good news for New Orleans.  The defense gives up yards to anyone tossing the football, but they feast off mistakes.  Of the two, I’d say Kaepernick is more likely to throw an interception or two in this contest.

This is a very important game for New Orleans who have won 4 of their last 5 games.  That includes wins against Atlanta and Tampa Bay, who have been very good this season. They have the talent to compete with the Niners, but do they have the poise?  All answers will be available after the two face off this Sunday afternoon.