New Orleans @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 30, 2011 ) New Orleans 21, St. Louis 31

The New Orleans Saints are one victory away from clinching an NFC playoff spot and they hope to lock up it Sunday when they visit the St. Louis Rams. New Orleans is just 3-3 on the road as it seeks to protect a one-game lead in the NFC South over the Carolina Panthers. St. Louis needs to win each of its final three contests to avoid the franchise’s seventh consecutive losing campaign.

The Rams last posted a winning record in 2003 when guys like Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce were still on the roster. They saw their chances of ending the drought extinguished with last Sunday’s dreadful 30-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals – their second straight defeat and fifth in seven games. New Orleans has won four of its last five games and has to worry about a letdown after handily defeating Carolina last week and the return engagement looming next Sunday. “Throw the records out the window,” Saints quarterback Drew Brees told reporters. “These are two tough football teams playing each other in a tough venue.”

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Saints -6.5. O/U: 47.

ABOUT THE SAINTS (10-3): Brees (4,107 yards, 33 touchdowns) went over the 4,000-yard passing mark for the eighth consecutive season during a standout performance against the Panthers in which he passed for 313 yards and four touchdowns. What stood out more to Brees when he dissected his recent strong play with reporters this week is that he has thrown just one interception over the past five games. Tight end Jimmy Graham is having a superb campaign (74 receptions for 1,046 yards and 14 scores) but has slowed down lately, compiling less than 60 receiving yards in four of the past five games. The New Orleans defense is tied for second in the NFL with 43 sacks, with defensive end Cameron Jordan tied for fourth among individuals with 11.5.

ABOUT THE RAMS (5-8): St. Louis has scored just 23 points during a two-game losing streak after scoring 80 in two victories that preceded the setbacks. Running back Zac Stacy (721 yards) has exceeded expectations and needs a strong finish to join Eric Dickerson (1983) and Jerome Bettis (1993) as the only rookies in franchise history to record 1,000-yard seasons. The passing game has been sporadic since Sam Bradford was lost for the season and journeyman Kellen Clemens has just five scoring passes. Defensive end Robert Quinn ranks second in the NFL with 13 sacks and has forced a league-high six fumbles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. New Orleans averages just 18.8 points on the road compared to 32.9 at home.

2. The status of Rams rookie WR Tavon Austin (ankle) won’t be firmed up until late in the week.

3. Saints WR Marques Colston had nine receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns against the Panthers after having just two TDs entering the contest.

PREDICTION: Saints 30, Rams 21