NEW ORLEANS — No Reggie? No Deuce? No sweat for Drew Brees, whose decisions and accuracy are turning role players into menacing threats at a crucial juncture in the season for the New Orleans Saints.
Brees connected on 86.7 percent of his throws for 315 yards and two touchdowns, keeping the Saints’ playoff hopes alive in a 31-24 triumph over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
“We’re really getting the best out of ourselves right now,” said Brees, who completed 26-of-30 passes to three receivers, a tight end and three running backs. “This is the time to come together.”
With a loss severely hurting playoff hopes for either team, the game was a high-anxiety affair. Fumbles by each team set up opponents’ scores. Roman Harper’s interception of Kurt Warner’s tipped pass set up another Saints touchdown.
The victory guaranteed New Orleans (7-7) would remain no worse than one game out of the wild-card race behind Minnesota (7-6), which plays tonight against Chicago. Arizona (6-8) has little hope of a postseason berth after its second loss in a row.
“It was just too many mistakes for us today,” Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
