Tagged: nfl

History will show that in the wake of the NFL's bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints, the club missed the playoffs for the first time in four years.

Saints players and coaches have said throughout the season they wouldn't allow the probe and resulting suspensions to become an excuse for failure.

At the same time, few at Saints headquarters completely discount the effect the scandal had on the club being 7-8 heading into Sunday's season finale against Carolina.

Marques Colston never goes out of his way to be noticed.

He became the New Orleans Saints' all-time leader in touchdowns this season with 56, yet does not have a touchdown dance. He seldom appears in commercials, and keeps media interviews to a minimum.

At Dallas last Sunday, Colston's 10 catches for 153 yards put him over the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth time in his seven seasons. Yet he has never been to a Pro Bowl, which disappoints teammates such as quarterback Drew Brees.

Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt is urging his players to keep thinking about the Lombardi Trophy as they prepare for what otherwise is an anticlimactic season finale between two non-playoff teams.

Vitt says the Saints are still working toward their second Super Bowl title as an organization, even if they can't do it this season.

The Saints are coming off a 34-31 overtime victory at Dallas on Sunday, but were eliminated from playoff contention because of other results. Still, Vitt says he'll remember the 2012 Saints as one of his favorite teams because they never quit.

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in overtime Sunday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, TX.

Despite the win, the Saints’ NFC playoff hopes ended when the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Houston Texans.

The Saints seem comfortable in their spoiler role, however, as they dealt a gigantic blow to their neighboring state rivals, dropping the Cowboys’ record to 8-7, a game behind division leader Washington.