WIL LUTZ

The Saints (12-4) will host the seventh-seeded Chicago Bears in the wild-card round next Sunday at 4:40 p.m. EST. He also ran for five TDs, but the Panthers struggled to make winning plays late in games all season with Bridgewater at the helm. That leaves questions about his future as the Panthers starting QB, especially with the team having a top 10 draft pick in 2021. UP NEXTSaints: The four-time defending NFC South champions host the Bears next Sunday in the playoffs. Panthers: After failing to make the playoffs for the third straight season, Carolina will look to the NFL draft to upgrade a number of pressing needs.

Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts gave the Philadelphia Eagles more than just a spark. He had a 74-yard TD run against Pittsburgh and a 74-yard run against Baltimore. Hill connected with Jared Cook on a 20-yard TD pass to get the Saints within 24-21 with 1:29 left. Hurts tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Alshon Jeffery on fourth-and-2 to give the Eagles a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Brees threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns, regaining the NFL career TD pass lead and lifting the New Orleans Saints into first place with a 38-3 rout of Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. The Saints intercepted Brady twice in a 34-23 season-opening win, with Janoris Jenkins returning one for a TD. “We didn't play well in any phase of the game,” Brady said. But with Tampa Bay’s offense sputtering and one of the league’s stingiest defenses unable to slow down Brees, New Orleans pressed on. Buccaneers: WR Chris Godwin (three catches, 41 yards) returned after missing one game with a broken right index finger.

The Bears’ Cairo Santos made a 51-yard field goal at the end of regulation to force the extra period. He came through with his fourth field goal on a windy day, sending the Bears (5-3) to their second straight loss. “My gut, we’re on the field and I feel like we can kick a field goal at that distance without risking any ball-security issues,” Payton said. Marshon Lattimore then intercepted Nick Foles, leading to a tiebreaking field goal by Lutz. After the Saints went three-and-out, Chicago tied it with 13 seconds left on Santos’ field goal into the wind.

He’s got to do better but we could have done some other things better,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “This is how you grow as a team," Brees said. The Chargers (1-4) fell to their fourth straight loss by a touchdown or less, and the second in overtime. Then Brees found Cook open behind the Chargers’ secondary on third-and-long to tie it early in the fourth quarter. Saints: Enter their bye week, followed by a Week 7 home date with Carolina on Oct. 25.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) drops back to pass under pressure from New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Malcom Roach in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)NEW ORLEANS – Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers sounds increasingly enamored with the scheme and play-calling philosophy of second-year head coach Matt LaFleur. The Packers are unbeaten and putting up some of the best offensive numbers in the NFL. Rodgers passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns, and the Packers scored 10 points in the final nine minutes to pull out a 37-30 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. Emmanuel Sanders caught a 10-yard scoring pass at the end of the first half that gave the Saints a 17-13 lead.

(AP Photo/Brett Duke)NEW ORLEANS – Tom Brady was intercepted twice in his Tampa Bay debut, Alvin Kamara scored touchdowns running and receiving, and the New Orleans Saints beat the Buccaneers 34-23 on Sunday. Neither quarterback was statistically exceptional in this first-ever NFL game featuring two quarterbacks in their 40s. One exception was Saints safety and Players Coalition co-founder Malcolm Jenkins, who trotted to the Saints bench area after the anthem had finished. The Saints were flagged four times for 101 yards, with all of those calls occurring during the Bucs' first three scoring drives. Saints: Take part in the first NFL game played in Las Vegas, the Raiders' home opener on Monday night, Sept. 21.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA, GA – Taysom Hill’s rare moment in the spotlight came in an important game for the New Orleans Saints. Hill blocked a punt to set up his 3-yard touchdown catch before scoring again on a 30-yard run, and the New Orleans Saints clinched their third straight NFC South title by beating the Atlanta Falcons 26-18 on Thursday night. Falcons: Left guard James Carpenter left the game with a concussion in the first half. He threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Russell Gage with less than four minutes remaining. The Falcons play their fifth straight game against an NFC South rival when they face Carolina on Dec. 8.