Saints at Titans
THE STORY: The last time Matt Hasselbeck started against the New Orleans Saints, he and the Seattle Seahawks sent the Saints home early from the NFC playoffs. This time, Hasselbeck would settle for snapping the Saints' four-game winning streak and bolstering his team’s own playoff hopes when the Tennessee Titans host the NFC South leaders Sunday. The Titans have won nine of their past 10 home games against NFC opponents, and they've won four straight against the Saints. In the most recent meeting in 2007, Vince Young led the Titans to a 31-14 victory in New Orleans.
TV: FOX, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Saints -3.5, O/U 48.5
ABOUT THE SAINTS (9-3): New Orleans has won four straight since a stunning loss to St. Louis, opening a two-game lead in the NFC South. The Saints have done it behind a prolific offense that ranks first in the NFL in total yards (448.7) and second in scoring (32.8). QB Drew Brees leads the league with 4,031 passing yards, the first player in NFL history to top 4,000 yards in the first 12 games of the season. The Saints have also boasted a strong running game, but rookie Mark Ingram, who leads the team with 474 rushing yards, might have to sit out with turf toe.
ABOUT THE TITANS (7-5): Led by resurgent running back Chris Johnson, the Titans have kept themselves right in the thick of the AFC wild card race by winning three of four. After rushing for only 366 yards in the first eight games this season, Johnson has gained 486 yards on the ground in the past four. Hasselbeck, who shredded the Saints for 272 yards and four touchdowns with only one interception in Seattle's 41-36 win in last year's wild card round, has 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in his career against New Orleans.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Brees has at least one touchdown pass in 39 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in NFL history, and at least 20 completions in an NFL-record 32 straight.
2. Titans WR Nate Washington needs 20 receiving yards to surpass his career high of 687 set last season.
3. Saints RB Darren Sproles is the only player in the league with at least two rushing touchdowns (2), two receiving touchdowns (4) and a return touchdown.