Postgame notes from New Orleans Saints 21-9 win over Chicago Bears

Saints host Buccaneers next Sunday at 5:40 p.m. on Fox

Jan 10, 2021 at 09:55 PM

-With the Saints' 21-9 win over the Chicago Bears at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, they advance to the NFC Divisional Playoff, to be played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Jan. 17. The Saints will play in the divisional round for the third time in the last four seasons. Kickoff is set for 5:40 p.m. CT.

-With the win, New Orleans improves its overall postseason record to 10-12 and home postseason mark to 8-5.

-This is New Orleans' first playoff victory over Chicago, making the Bears the eighth team New Orleans has defeated in the postseason. With the win, New Orleans' postseason record against Chicago improves to 1-2.

-New Orleans improves its all-time record against Chicago to 18-15 (including regular season and postseason games). In games played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the Saints' record against the Bears improves to 8-3 all-time and 3-0 since Sean Payton became head coach in 2006 (regular season and postseason).

-New Orleans now has a 5-6 all-time record in the Wild Card round and 4-3 record at home.

-Including the regular season and postseason, the Saints now have multiple victories over four opponents this season (Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Chicago). This is the first time in club history New Orleans has multiple victories over four opponents in a single season. Previously, New Orleans had multiple victories over three opponents in 2000, 2006, and 2011.

-For Payton, the victory improves his postseason record to 9-7 all-time and 7-2 at home. Chicago Coach Matt Nagy becomes the ninth coach Payton has defeated in the postseason, giving Payton a winning mark against nine of the 14 head coaches he has faced off against in the postseason. Payton's record in the Wild Card round improves to 4-2 all-time and 3-1 at home.

-Payton now stands tied for 19th in NFL record books with Vince Lombardi, Jimmy Johnson, John Madden, and Tony Dungy with nine postseason victories.

-New Orleans amassed 385 yards, 123 rushing yards and 262 passing yards. New Orleans set a club postseason record for time of possession, possessing the ball for 38:58 (breaking mark of 37:50 set on Jan. 13, 2019 vs. Philadelphia). New Orleans also set postseason club records with 11 third-down conversions (previous high of eight was done twice) and five first downs by opponent penalty (previous high of four was set on Dec. 28, 1991 vs. Atlanta).

-New Orleans set franchise records for fewest points allowed and fewest yards allowed in a postseason game, holding Chicago to nine points and 239 yards. New Orleans held the Bears to 191 passing yards and 48 rushing yards - Chicago averaged 228.4 yards per game passing and 102.9 yards per game rushing in the 2020 regular season.

-Quarterback Drew Brees finished 28-of-39 passing for 265 yards and two touchdowns and moves into fourth all-time in NFL postseason records with 462 career completions, surpassing Joe Montana. In his 17th postseason appearance, Brees' earned a passer rating over 100.0 for the eighth time and first since the 2018 divisional playoff game vs. Philadelphia, when he threw for a 103.1 passer rating.

-Brees now has thrown for 36 postseason touchdowns, and joins Tom Brady (75), Joe Montana (45), Brett Favre (44), Peyton Manning (40), and Aaron Rodgers (40) as the only players with 35+ postseason touchdown passes.

-Running back Alvin Kamara rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries and added two receptions for 17 receiving yards. Kamara has now rushed for 272 yards in the postseason, good for second in club record books, surpassing Reggie Bush (200) and Pierre Thomas (215). With six more rushing yards, Kamara will surpass Mark Ingram (277) and become the Saints' all-time leader in postseason rushing yards.

-Entering the game with 28 postseason receptions, Kamara becomes the club's record holder for receptions by a running back with 30 (breaking a tie with Darren Sproles), and moves into sole possession of fourth in club record books for receptions by any player.

-Kamara's 116 yards from scrimmage moves his career total to 526 postseason yards from scrimmage, which surpasses Devery Henderson (461) and Bush (486) for third in club history and first amongst New Orleans running backs.

-Wide receiver Deonte Harris recorded seven receptions for 83 yards, both team-highs. Before Sunday, Harris had one career postseason reception, a 50-yard catch in the Saints' Wild Card game vs. Minnesota last season. In his postseason career, Harris has caught all eight passes he's been targeted on. Harris also averaged 7.3 yards per return on three punt returns.

-Wide receiver Michael Thomas recorded five receptions for 73 yards and one touchdown, returning to action after being activated off Injured Reserve on Saturday. The touchdown is Thomas' fourth postseason scoring grab, moving him into a tie for first in club record books with Marques Colston, Henderson, and Willie Jackson for postseason touchdown receptions. Thomas, who entered the game with 38 postseason grabs, becomes just the second Saint to record 40 postseason receptions, joining Colston (58). Thomas also joins Colston (788) as only Saints in club history with 500 postseason receiving yards, now with 566 postseason receiving yards in his career.

-Tight end Jared Cook recorded four receptions for 40 yards. Entering Sunday's game, Cook had averaged 70.8 yards and 5.8 receptions in his four playoff appearances.

-Running back Latavius Murray recorded his first postseason receiving touchdown, finishing with two receptions for 11 yards and the touchdown and rushing for nine yards on four carries. Murray has recorded at least one reception in each of his five postseason appearances.

-Quarterback Taysom Hill recorded 15 rushing yards on four carries and two receptions for five receiving yards. Four carries and two receptions both match postseason highs for Hill, set in last year's Wild Card matchup with Minnesota when Hill rushed for 50 yards and recorded 25 yards receiving.

-Three Saints recorded their first career postseason receptions. fullback Michael Burton recorded two receptions for 15 yards, wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey made one catch for 14 yards, and rookie tight end Adam Trautman recorded one four-yard reception.

-Cornerback CJ Gardner-Johnson led New Orleans with eight tackles. defensive end Cameron Jordan, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, and linebacker Demario Davis all finished with five stops.

-For the fourth time in six postseason appearances, cornerback Marshon Lattimore recorded two pass breakups. Lattimore added two tackles.

-Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins recorded his second career postseason sack, taking down Chicago quarterback Mitch Trubisky with 12:32 to play in the third quarter. Rankins finished with two tackles, the one sack, and added two quarterback hits.

-Kicker Wil Lutz converted all three of his PATs, setting a club record with 16 postseason extra-point conversions, surpassing Garrett Hartley (15, 2009-11) in club record books. He also drilled two of his four kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.

Photos: Game Action #1 | Saints-Bears Wild Card 2020