NEW ORLEANS — UPDATE: Green Bay ended the Saints' playoff hopes with a 17-9 win over the Chicago Bears to clinch the NFC's final wild-card spot.
Despite defeating division rival Atlanta 48-17 in the regular-season finale inside the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, the New Orleans Saints (9-8) need help to claim a playoff spot following a Tampa Bay win in Carolina (2-15).
The 9-0 victory over the Panthers gives the Bucs their third-straight NFC South division title and forces the Saints to rely on both Chicago and Arizona victories to help them sneak into the post-season with a wild-card berth.
For the Saints to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season, the Bears (7-9) must beat the Green Bay Packers (8-8), and the Cardinals 94-12) must defeat the Seattle Seahawks (8-8) in a pair of late-afternoon games on Sunday.
The win over the Falcons gives the Saints its first winning season since 2021-22, when New Orleans finished 9-8 as well, and is two wins better than last year's 7-10 campaign.
The victory also gives Saints head coach Dennis Allen his first winning regular-season record. Aside from last year's losing record in New Orleans, coached the then-Oakland Raiders to back-to-back 4-12 seasons before being fired following an 0-4 start in 2014.
In the NFC, the following teams have already clinched playoff spots:
- San Francisco 49ers: 12-4 (NFC West winner)
- Dallas Cowboys: 11-5 (NFC East leader)
- Detroit Lions: 11-5 (NFC North winner)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8 (NFC South winner)
- Philadelphia Eagles: 11-5 (NFC Wild Card)
- Los Angeles Rams: 9-7 (NFC Wild Card)
Meanwhile a Green Bay win guarantees the Packers the final playoff spot.
Chicago at Green Bay and Seattle at Arizona, both at 3:25 p.m. CT.
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