The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because none of the coaching moves, first reported by The Sporting News, have been announced.

Defensive line coach Bill Johnson, assistant linebackers coach James Willis and special teams assistant Stan Kwan also are not being retained.

New Orleans finished 7-9 for a third straight season. And for a third straight season, the defense ranked near the bottom of the NFL, while the offense was among the NFL’s most productive, finishing first in net yards gained this season, with Drew Brees leading the league in yards passing. New Orleans’ field goal unit also struggled at times, allowing three pivotal blocked kicks in a trio of close losses.

Vitt, who also held the title of assistant head coach, went 5-5 as interim head coach for 10 games during the 2012 season, when Sean Payton was suspended in connection with the NFL’s bounty probe. Vitt also suspended six games that season because of his role in the Saints’ off-the-books, cash-for-hits incentive program. He has spent 11 seasons with the Saints since joining Payton’s original staff in 2006.

McMahon also joined the Saints in 2006 as a special teams assistant and was promoted to coordinator in 2008. But this was not a banner year for New Orleans’ special teams.

The Saints had a field goal against the New York Giants and an extra point against Denver blocked and returned for points in close losses, and another blocked field goal at Carolina set up a touchdown pass in yet another narrow defeat.

Kevin O’Dea, who joined the special teams’ staff as an additional assistant during the season, remains on staff for now. He worked closely with the field goal team and rookie kicker Will Lutz, who finished the season with 13 straight made field goals and 20 straight made point-after kicks.

Dennis Allen, a secondary coach on the Saints’ 2009 championship squad before serving as a defensive coordinator in Denver and head coach in Oakland, was in his first full season as defensive coordinator in New Orleans, and nearly all of his staff was inherited from previous seasons.

The Saints’ defense improved during the season, particularly in terms of creating turnovers, and keeping opponent point totals down by forcing field goals, but still finished ranked 27th in yards allowed and last in yards passing allowed. New Orleans also struggled to consistently generate pressure on quarterbacks. The Saints’ 30 sacks ranked 27th in the NFL.

—

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints
When: 4:25 PM ET, Saturday, December 24, 2016
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Saints -3.
O/U: 52.5
PREDICTION: Saints 28, Buccaneers 26

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW ORLEANS listed as -3 point favorites versus the TAMPA BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 52.5.

NEW ORLEANS — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 8-6 and have yet to qualify for the playoffs, but quarterback Jameis Winston says the playoffs actually start Saturday against the 6-8 New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

“Absolutely, and we start on the road,” Winston said of Saturday’s rematch against the Saints, the second time the teams have played in the last 13 days. “We know we’ll be on the road in a tough environment against the Saints, and it starts now. We’ve got to start preparing for the show.”

The Buccaneers can clinch their first playoff berth since 2007 by winning their final two games against the Saints and at home against the Carolina Panthers on Jan. 1. They can make the playoffs even if they do not sweep their last two games, but coach Dirk Koetter said he does not want to consider any other scenario.

“We’ve got our hands full just worrying about the Saints,” Koetter said. “The rest of is a bunch of math problems that are over my head.”

Winston said, “I love math, but I don’t trust percentages and probabilities. I trust our heart — this team’s heart — and what we need to do to get in there.”

The Buccaneers’ defense threw a blanket over the Saints’ high-octane offense in a 16-11 victory on Dec. 11, forcing Drew Brees into three interceptions and holding the league’s top-ranked offense to 294 yards.

Brees did not throw a touchdown pass. The Saints average 423.3 yards per game and are second in scoring (29.0), but the Buccaneers pressured Brees far more than their one sack would indicate.

“We found ourselves in minus situations,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “They forced some turnovers. Our third-down numbers were poor (4-for-13). I think they hit the quarterback too early, too often, and I think it becomes hard to play that position when you have traffic in your face.”

The Buccaneers’ stout defense was recognized this week with the selection of defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to his fifth Pro Bowl. Middle linebacker Kwon Alexander, weakside linebacker Lavonte David and cornerback Brent Grimes also were selected as alternates.

Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Mike Smith, the former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, said he was particularly happy for Alexander’s selection. Alexander, a second-year player out of LSU, came up with 21 total tackles in Tampa Bay’s 26-20 loss to Dallas last week, a loss that snapped a five-game winning streak.

“You’re seeing a player who’s really coming into his own,” Smith said. “There’s been a maturation process this season. The arrow is definitely going up. Kwon’s best trait is his ability to run.”

The Buccaneers rank fifth in the NFL with 29 takeaways, and they have 33 sacks.

“Since their Thursday night game (a 43-28 loss to the Falcons on Nov. 3), they would be first in the league in forced turnovers,” Payton said. “They’re getting pressure on the quarterbacks. They’re in the top five on third down. And, offensively, they’ve done a nice job with the big plays. They’re patient.”

While not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the Saints likely will be on the outside looking in for the third consecutive season. They have stayed in the hunt mainly because of another marvelous season from Brees, who was snubbed in the Pro Bowl voting.

In the Saints’ six victories this season, their opponents have averaged 29.5 points, an incredibly high total for Brees to have to overcome.

Brees’ 4,559 passing yards through 14 games — which leads the league — is the second highest in his career. He has completed 71.1 percent of his passes for 34 touchdowns against 14 interceptions.

Brees took the Pro Bowl vote in stride.

“I haven’t seen the list yet, but I am sure there are a lot of deserving candidates,” he said. “It’s not something I am concerned with.”

Brees said he felt bad that center Max Unger, defensive end Cam Jordan and running back Mark Ingram did not make the list, but he understood that the Saints’ record had an impact on the vote.

Despite the short week, both teams are relatively healthy.

Saints cornerback Delvin Breaux (shoulder) and fullback John Kun (hip) did not practice on Wednesday.

Not practicing for Tampa Bay on Wednesday were defensive end Robert Ayers (illness), tackle Gosder Cherilus and defensive end William Gholston.

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New Orleans Saints vs. Arizona Cardinals
When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2016
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Cardinals -2.5.
O/U: 50.5.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 26, Saints 23

Oddsmakers currently have the Cardinals listed as 3-point favorites versus the Saints, while the game’s total is sitting at 50½.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — When the NFL schedule was first released, Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints figured to be a Week 15 classic NFC matchup with plenty on the line for both franchises as the playoffs approached.

Now?

With each team out of the running — the Cardinals limping along at 5-8-1 and the Saints at 5-8 in danger of their third straight losing season — there isn’t a whole lot on the line when the two clubs collide at University of Phoenix Stadium.

It holds about as much drama as one of those throw-in bowl games in college football, the ones with the funky names and below-average teams.

Unless, of course, you factor in this underlying little factoid: It will be a matchup of the NFL’s top-ranked defense of the Cardinals, who are allowing just 285.5 yards per game, against the league’s No. 1-rated offense of the Saints, who are averaging 418.3 yards per game.

“I guess that’s kind of exciting, isn’t it?” Saints quarterback Drew Brees said sarcastically.

“No, it will be a great challenge for us in a lot of different areas, our ability to execute. We look at the statistical categories of this defense, and they’re tops in the league in just about every category.

“When you look at that, you say, ‘Wow, it’s a big challenge for us to run the football, it’s a big challenge for us to protect, to get open and to make plays and get points.’ At the end of the day, it’s our team against their team, but our offense against their defense just poses a great challenge for us.”

The Cardinals, NFC West champions a year ago when they went 13-3, have only won two of their last seven games (2-5-1) and not only have they been besieged by injuries to key personnel across the board but they also cut No. 2 wide receiver Michael Floyd this week, just two days after his arrest on suspicion of DUI.

Floyd’s departure puts that much more pressure on veteran Larry Fitzgerald, who ranks second in the league with 91 receptions. It also means the Cardinals need more from J.J. Nelson and John Brown, the latter of which has dealt with leg cramping issue most of the season brought on by complications from sickle-cell trait.

“We’re not going to change,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “We’re not putting in new plays, taking out plays. We’re running our stuff.”

So will the Saints, although it hasn’t worked very well the past two weeks in back-to-back losses to the Lions and Buccaneers. Brees had zero touchdown and three interceptions in each of those games.

The future Hall of Famer last went two straight games without a touchdown in 2008 and never before in his career had he been intercepted three times in consecutive games. He did have two potential touchdown passes dropped during the loss to Tampa Bay, and the Saints were flagged 13 times for 104 yards.

“It was just like one thing after another,” Brees said. “All the bad things that could have happened, happened. I’m a confident guy. I know how to correct things when they occur. A lot of it’s just with my process and how to prepare, and then how I take that to game day. I know I’ve got to be better in certain ways. I’ll do that.”

Saints coach Sean Payton has no doubts about that. He knows his star quarterback, who turns 38 next month, will bounce back.

“I think he’s one of those guys that’s extremely competitive,” Payton said. “Just like we do as coaches, when you watch the tape, you feel like there are things that certainly we could do better and put him in better positions. It angers you. It frustrates you.

“To be at this stage of the season, you always want to be playing for something. I think that those are the things that drive the guys like him, and I think you’ll see that.”

Arizona’s defense will be playing short-handed, as starting inside linebacker Deone Bucannon (ankle) and safety Tyvon Branch (groin) have both been placed on season-ending injured reserve. Safety Tyrann Mathieu, however, hopes to be able to play after missing four of the last five games because of a nagging shoulder injury.

Still, the Cardinals know they’ll have their hands full against Brees and a pass rush that could expose Arizona’s patchwork offensive line, which seems to change from week to week.

A loss would guarantee the Cardinals their first losing season in coach Bruce Arians’ four years in Arizona. All the adversity his team has faced this year would seem to be a full plate for any coach, but Arians brushed it off.

“No, there are guys that have it a whole lot worse than I do,” Arians said. “It’s just part of the job. You embrace it and you go on. Injuries or whatever it is, you have to get a game plan and go until the season is over.”

One of the consistent positives in the Cardinals’ disappointing season has been the continued production and versatility of running back David Johnson, who stands a chance to become only the third player in NFL history to finish with more than 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards.

Johnson already has 1,085 rushing yards and he’s 255 receiving yards from 1,000 with three games to play. Marshall Faulk (1999) and Roger Craig (1985) are the only players to accomplish the feat.

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New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2016
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Buccaneers -2.5. O/U: 51.5
PREDICTION: Buccaneers 26, Saints 24

Oddsmakers currently have the Buccaneers listed as 3-point favorites versus the Saints, while the game’s total is sitting at 51½.

ABOUT THE SAINTS (5-7): New Orleans remains one of the league’s most prolific offensive teams, but the running attack that had come to life in recent weeks dropped off in the loss to Detroit. Drew Brees continues to put up huge passing numbers but threw three interceptions and no touchdowns against the Lions. The Saints’ 31st-ranked pass defense had put together three straight solid efforts before being burned for 337 yards by Matthew Stafford and the Lions, although New Orleans continues to play tough against the run.

New Orleans Stats:
Team record: 5-7 SU,7-4-1 ATS
New Orleans is 6-2-1 ATS in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Orleans’s last 7 games
New Orleans is 6-0-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (7-5): Tampa Bay has turned around its season with a balanced offense and an opportunistic defense that has forced 11 turnovers during the four-game winning streak. The defense produced a touchdown and a game-saving interception in the end zone to preserve last week’s 28-21 win at San Diego. Quarterback Jameis Winston is enjoying a strong sophomore campaign but is running out of weapons as injuries have decimated his receiving corps and will need to rely heavily on star receiver Mike Evans and running back Doug Martin.

Tampa Bay was a 28-21 winner in its last match on the road against the Chargers. They covered the +3-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 49 sent PUSH bettors to the payout window.

Tampa Bay Stats:
Team record: 7-5 SU,7-5 ATS
Current Streak: won 4 straight games.
Tampa Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home

EXTRA POINTS
1. Brees has averaged 335 passing yards in his last five games at Tampa Bay.
2. Martin has scored a rushing touchdown in four of his last five home games and is averaging 102 scrimmage yards in his last five against the Saints.
3. Saints LB Dannell Ellerbe has recorded a sack in four straight games and has 17 tackles and one sack in his last two meetings with Tampa Bay.

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Los Angeles Rams vs. New Orleans Saints
When: 11/27/2016 1:00 PM
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Saints -7. O/U: 45.5.
PREDICTION: Saints 30, Rams 13

Oddsmakers currently have the Saints listed as 8-point favorites versus the Rams, while the game’s total is sitting at 45½.

NEW ORLEANS — During the New Orleans Saints’ magical run to the Super Bowl XLIV title in February 2010, Drew Brees saw every day what a Gregg Williams defense could do to an offense. It was a Saints’ defense Brees faced daily in practice.

The stakes on Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome will be a bit different as the 4-6 Saints attempt to make yet another climb toward .500 against the 4-6 Los Angeles Rams.

After climbing to 4-4 and putting themselves back in the NFC playoff picture following an 0-3 start, the Saints have dropped their last two games in large part because of atrocious special teams play.

New Orleans lost 25-23 to the Denver Broncos two weeks ago when Wil Lutz’s potential game-winning PAT was blocked and returned 84 yards for the winning two points. Then, last week against Carolina, a Lutz field goal was blocked, leading to a late first-half touchdown — and a 10-point turnaround — in a 23-20 loss to the Panthers.

So when Brees faces Williams’ defense on Sunday, he knows he will be in for a challenge. Williams, after all, was the architect of a ball-hawking Super Bowl defense in New Orleans that forced 39 turnovers in 2009.

It was also the defense that, because of Bountygate, got head coach Sean Payton and Williams suspended for a year. The NFL ruled the Saints’ defense operated a cash-for-big-hits scheme, which led to Payton’s 2012 suspension.

Brees knows that the Rams, led by defensive tackle Aaron Donald and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree, are relentless in their pursuit.

“I know what I see on film,” Brees said of the Rams defense that is allowing just 18.7 point per game. “I know that the things he has done in the past are part of his scheme. I know that he’s a very good defensive coach, and I know he’s going to have some things for us that we haven’t seen. My philosophy going into every game is always to expect the unexpected.”

Payton called Donald a rare talent. In 10 games, Donald has 31 tackles, five sacks, three passes defended and a forced fumble. Donald has collected 20 sacks since 2014.

“He might be one of the most talented interior guys there is,” Payton said. “(It’s) just his energy, his motor and his ability, both in the run game and the pass game to be extremely disruptive. (He’s) a guy you have to plan for in both phases. You know he’s going to make some plays. You hope to contain him as much as you can.”

The Saints are averaging 28.5 points per game, and their defense has played more solidly in the last month. But special teams gaffes have been so bad — the Saints have had three kicks blocked and two others deflected — that Payton took the unusual step of hiring Kevin O’Dea, formerly of the Tampa Bay Bucs, as a special teams coaching assistant, working especially with the snapper, holder and kicker.

“We’re looking to fortify the troops, not change them right now,” Payton said. (O’Dea) comes with expertise in developing and training kickers.”

Rams rookie Jared Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, will make his second NFL start. In the Rams’ 14-10 loss to Miami last week, Goff completed 17 of 31 passes for 134 yards and ran four times for 11 yards. It will be his first road start.

“It will be loud, that’s about it,” Goff said. “I think (last week’s start) helped. There were a lot of things I learned, good and bad stuff. … We still have a chance to make a run here, and it’s not too late. We can do some special things if we put it together.”

Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he realizes his defense will have to continue its stellar play to give Los Angeles a chance.

“We play hard, we’re physical, and if you look at the points allowed and things like that, we’ve been doing a respectable job,” Fisher said. “But when we have an offense that’s struggling, the defense has to do better. And when you lose a 14-10 game and get one turnover and have hands on three balls, you have to catch one of them.”

Mark Ingram was listed as questionable after going through the NFL concussion protocol last week, but he is likely to play.

“I think it’s encouraging with him, and I think I’ve said that all along,” Payton said.

Saints left tackle Terron Armstead is questionable with a knee injury.

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New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers
When: 8:25 PM ET, Thursday, November 17, 2016
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NBC, NFL Network.
LINE: Panthers -3.5. O/U: 52
Prediction: Panthers 27, Saints 24

Oddsmakers currently have the Panthers listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Saints, while the game’s total is sitting at 52.

Newton has plenty of weapons at his disposal as he tries to exploit a Saints defense that is yielding an NFL fourth-worst 400.6 yards per contest. Kelvin Benjamin looks to atone after his costly fumble led to the Chiefs’ game-winning field goal with another strong outing versus New Orleans, against which he reeled in eight receptions on 14 targets in the first meeting. Fellow wideout Devin Funchess had a touchdown reception on Sunday against Kansas City and also had a 17-yard catch for a score in the first encounter with the Saints. Greg Olsen had six catches for 94 yards in the first meeting with New Orleans and leads all tight ends with 50 receptions and 712 yards receiving.

Carolina lost its last outing, a 20-17 result against the Chiefs on November 13. The Panthers failed to cover in that game as a -3-point favorite, while the 37 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 3-6 SU,2-6-1 ATS
Carolina is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Carolina is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games
Carolina is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games

Brandin Cooks enjoyed a career day in his previous encounter with Carolina, highlighting his career-high 173-yard performance with an 87-yard touchdown. The lengthy score began a string of four touchdowns in the last five games for the 23-year-old Cooks, who leads the team with six TDs and 694 yards receiving. Fellow wideout Michael Thomas leads rookies in catches (51), receiving yards (613) and touchdown receptions (five), but was held to his lowest yardage total (40) on Sunday and also lost a pair of fumbles – his first two of the season. Willie Snead, a former member of the Panthers’ practice squad, had two touchdowns on Sunday, marking the first time he reached the end zone since the first two weeks of the season.

In their last action, New Orleans was a 25-23 loser at home against the Broncos. They failed to cover the -3-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (48) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Team record: 4-5 SU,6-3 ATS
New Orleans is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
New Orleans is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
New Orleans is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

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New Orleans Saints vs. Kansas City Chiefs
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 23, 2016
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Chiefs -6. O/U: 50.5
PREDICTION: Chiefs 26, Saints 23
Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the Saints, while the game’s total is sitting at 50.

Kansas City’s defense drastically improved after the bye week, as the team gave up a season-low 286 total yards and held Oakland to 65 on the ground. The team’s biggest weakness had been its run defense, but that’s not likely to be a big factor against the Saints’ punchless ground game. The Chiefs’ passing game isn’t especially dynamic, but the running attack took off last week with a season-high 183 yards – including 131 from Spencer Ware. The Chiefs were a 26-10 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Raiders. They covered the -2-point spread as favorites, while the total score (36) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 3-2 SU,2-3 ATS
Kansas City is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Kansas City is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City’s last 9 games

Some things never seem to change in New Orleans, with one being the productivity of Brees and the passing game. New Orleans ranks second in the league in total offense (413.4 yards) and leads the NFL in passing (335.4 yards). Unfortunately for the Saints, the defense has characteristically struggled, allowing 419.4 yards and 33.3 points per contest. Last time out for New Orleans, they were a 41-38 winner as they battled the Panthers at home. The Saints covered in the match as a +2.5-point underdog, while 79 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 2-3 SU,3-2 ATS
New Orleans is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans’s last 5 games
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

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Tampa Bay at New Orleans
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 20, 2015
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Saints -10. O/U: 47
PREDICTION: Saints 38, Buccaneers 24
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Oddsmakers currently have the Saints listed as 10½-point favorites versus the Buccaneers, while the game’s total is sitting at 48½.

The defense, which underwent a personnel overhaul in the offseason after finishing 31st in the league in total defense in 2014, could use a little help from an offense that struggled in the red zone in the opener. “The defense got off the field a few times and we had some chances to go down and get significant points, and we just ended up with field goals,” quarterback Drew Brees told reporters. “Red-zone efficiency obviously (is a priority) as we look forward to the Bucs.” Brees presided over a pair of wins over Tampa Bay last season but totaled six interceptions and three touchdown passes in those contests.

New Orleans was a 31-19 loser in its last match on the road against the Cardinals. They failed to cover the +2-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 50 sent OVER bettors to the payout window.

Team record: 0-1 SU,0-1 ATS
New Orleans is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
New Orleans is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
New Orleans is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
New Orleans is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home

Tampa Bay’s coaching staff was searching for positives after the Week 1 debacle and singled out running back Doug Martin, who is expected to have a big season after being limited to a total of 17 games over the previous two campaigns. “(Martin) is a hard runner and he can make you miss in the open field, (he) can catch the ball out of the backfield,” coach Lovie Smith told reporters. “So early on, of course when you’re in a situation where you can run it, it looked good at times.” Martin is averaging 99 rushing yards and 108.7 from scrimmage in his last three games against New Orleans.

Tampa Bay lost its last outing, a 42-14 result against the Titans on September 13. The Buccaneers failed to cover in that game as a -3-point favorite, while the 56 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team record: 0-1 SU,0-1 ATS
Tampa Bay is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Tampa Bay’s last 11 games
Tampa Bay is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road

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Flacco hit Steve Smith for a 15-yard touchdown, and Smith added a 40-yard reception late in the quarter to put Baltimore inside the New Orleans 10 as the quarter ended. But the Ravens fumbled the ball away, ending the promising drive.

Brees had a tying 10-yard TD pass to tight end Jimmy Graham.

Joe Morgan, who struggled to crack New Orleans’ lineup earlier this season and then was suspended two games for undisclosed team violations, broke loose for two plays longer than 60 yards the first two times he touched the ball.

He gained 67 yards on a running play on New Orleans’ opening drive, and then caught a 62-yard pass on the Saints’ third series, setting up Graham’s TD.

The Saints were in position to take an early lead after Morgan’s long gain on an end-around. It took defensive back Lardarius Webb’s horse-collar tackle at the 2 to prevent Morgan from scoring.

The play gave New Orleans first-and-goal on the 1, but the Ravens stopped two runs by Mark Ingram and a scramble by Brees before stuffing Ingram again – this time for a loss of 2 yards – on fourth-and-goal.

Taking over at its 3, Baltimore needed just one play to break out of the shadow of its own end zone. Justin Forsett burst through the middle of the line and scampered 38 yards to the 41. Then it was time for Smith, a long-time Saints nemesis from his 13 seasons with Carolina, to torment Saints fans a little more.

He had a clutch third-down catch to sustain the drive, which culminated with his touchdown catch as he crashed down backward at the left edge of the end zone.

That gave Smith 11 career touchdown catches against New Orleans, more than he has against any other team.

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