Still in the running

• By SHELDON MICKLES
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Dec 8, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Saints’ season was hanging in the balance midway through the fourth quarter when they decided to put it all together for one of the few times this season.

With the distraction of having two star players suspended by the NFL on Tuesday only to have the ruling overturned by a federal court judge on Friday behind them, the Saints did it at just the right time.

Over the final 7 minutes, 51 seconds of their game with the Atlanta Falcons, the Saints played the way coach Sean Payton thought they would play long before injuries and suspensions to Deuce McAllister and Will Smith left them with a 6-6 record and in last place in the NFC South.

But some big plays on offense, defense and special teams came in handy in the closing minutes of a 29-25 victory over the Falcons in the Superdome.

Going into the game, the Saints (7-6) knew they had to win their final four outings to have — at best — an outside shot at making the playoffs. A win over the Falcons (8-5) was just one step since they’re still in the cellar.

“I told the players afterward that this was one of the more complete team wins that we’ve had around here in a while,” said Saints coach Sean Payton, whose team is one game out of the final NFC wild-card playoff spot.

“When we needed a stop at the end of the game we got it. The defense, to a man, is playing well and we were able to get that stop.

“When we needed to cover a kickoff, we were able to do that. And then, offensively, we needed a first down and we were able to do that.”

All of that came in the final eight minutes after the Falcons took a 25-22 lead on a 12-yard touchdown run by rookie quarterback Matt Ryan, who then tossed a two-point pass to wide receiver Michael Jenkins.

On the ensuing kickoff, running back Pierre Thomas, who earlier in the quarter caught a 7-yard touchdown from Drew Brees, broke free for an 88-yard return to set up his 5-yard scoring run with 5:47 to play.

That turned out to be the game-winning score, but there was more to come.

The Saints defense, which had trouble getting off the field in third-down situations, forced a punt after one first down and the offense was able to eat up the final 3:15 — clinching the victory with three first downs.