With 4 weeks still left in the NFL season, the New Orleans Saints have already clinched first place in their division. The Saints earned a guaranteed playoff spot with a 26-18 win on the road against the Atlanta Falcons. The loss also knocked the now 3-9 Falcons out of playoff contention.
In a non-competitive NFC South, the 10-2 Saints kept their foot down on their division opponents with a near-perfect 4-1 record against South opponents. The closest competitor in the division at this point is the 5-6 Carolina Panthers. The Saints have now won 3 straight NFC South titles.
“We put the best team together every year that we can and continue to build that foundation and that culture and you see the results of that when we play,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said in the post-game press conference.
The next feat for New Orleans will be to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs which are granted to the best record in the NFC. As of Thursday, the Saints and the San Francisco 49ers are the only teams with 10 wins on the season. The Seattle Seahawks are close behind with 9 wins and the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers follow with 8 wins.
