New Orleans enjoys a tie with Atlanta on top of that division, though the Falcons are undefeated in the South. And the Saints, holding a 2-2 divisional record, control their destiny as they are due to host Atlanta Dec. 21.
But not before they face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Monday night.
"The only reason we're sitting here still with that small sliver of hope is just because the way the division has unfolded this year," Saints coach Sean Payton said this week.
The Saints still hold that privilege even after falling 41-10 at home to the Carolina Panthers eight days ago, a four-win team that itself still has hopes of playing January football.
The defeat was the Saints' fourth-straight this season at home, against three victories, as the days of Superdome dominance are fast becoming history. Play on the road is little better, with wins at Pittsburgh and Carolina the only positive marks.
But Drew Brees still heads the league's third-best pass game (297.3 ypg) and Monday night will face the Bears' second-worst unit against the throw (265.5). His 3,983 passing yards are the fifth-most in the league and 28 touchdowns are the sixth-most.
He threw five touchdowns in his last two meeting with the Bears, both victories, completing 76 percent of his passes for 558 yards and no interceptions.
Chicago allows 29 points per game this season, as do the Saints, the most of any Sunday club, and give up the fifth-most yards (377.8), both reasons they will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Monday night they will also face the third-best yardage team (421 ypg).
They allowed 35 points from the Cowboys before adding three scores of their own, though Jay Cutler's interception would clinch the defeat. That pick was Cutler's 15th, the second most by any passer in football, and he holds a tie for the most lost fumbles (6).
Dallas outrushed the Bears 194-35 behind DeMarco Murray's 179 yards, though Matt Forte would add a score late after only rushing 5 times for 6 yards against Detroit seven days earlier.
Not that the Saints can stop anyone much better.
They allow 378 yards on average every week, the fourth-most in football, posting the 30th-ranked pass defense (265.2 ypg) and the third-worst run stop (133.5 ypg).
New Orleans does rush for the eighth-most yards every week (123.7 ypg), though Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas last Sunday were held to 81 yards and 15 attempts combined.
Marques Colston was held to 72 yards on 5 receptions against the Panthers and Benjamin Watson to 8 yards on 2 catches, though one was the only touchdown for the Saints on the day.
"I'd use the word frustrated, I'd use the word embarrassed, to go out there as a professional football team and play that way at home," Watson said Sunday. "They outplayed us, outhustled us, out-executed us. Even if we lost, it shouldn't be this lopsided with the talent we have."
But the Bears (5-8) are still the worse for wear, having allowed 75 points in their last two outings, a Thanksgiving debacle at Detroit in which they led 14-0 early, and a 41-28 Thursday nighter to the Cowboys. Though they did post a three touchdown fourth quarter in a furious comeback bid.
"We have a great group here, great group of men, coaches and players, we've just got to find a way to come together and execute and try to win some ball games and finish strong," Bears linebacker Jon Bostic said this week.
Chicago will be without receiver Brandon Marshall after he was hospitalized following the Dallas game with two fractured ribs and a collapsed lung after being kneed in the back on a reception.
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