NEW ORLEANS — Bill Parcells, coach of the New York Giants, had his "Who Dat" face on Monday night rooting for the New Orleans Saints.
Now that they've beaten the Philadelphia Eagles and put New York within a game of the NFC East title, he might send a few "Who Dat" thank you cards to John Fourcade, Eric Martin, Frank Warren and the rest of the Saints.
Despite being out of the playoffs for the first time in two years, the Saints (8-7) beat Philadelphia, 30-20, keeping the Eagles from clinching a playoff spot by knocking them a game behind the Giants.
Fourcade threw for three touchdown passes, two to Martin, and Warren had three sacks, one of them on Randall Cunningham in the end zone for a safety. Fourcade completed 18 of 35 passes for 236 yards and Martin had nine catches for 120 yards.
Philadelphia (10-5) can still clinch a wild-card spot by beating Phoenix at home next weekend, but the Eagles will need help from the Raiders, who play the Giants, to win the division title. If the Eagles and Giants finish with the same record, the Eagles win the division by virtue of beating the Giants twice this season.
There were several ironies in this Monday night game that lasted almost four hours.
For one, the Saints beat the Eagles at their own game, forcing four turnovers and converting three into touchdowns. Philadelphia entered the game leading the NFL with a plus-24 turnover ratio, 13 better than any other team.
"We just kept the pressure on them," linebacker Vaughn Johnson said.
A blocked field goal with 3:02 to play iced it for New Orleans.
For another, the man who helped the Giants, Fourcade, was once cut by New York.
"I've had a headache for two hours," Fourcade said after a game in which he was sacked five times by the Eagles.
Two fumbles by Philadelphia led to two early touchdown passes of 13 yards to Eric Martin and 35 to Dalton Hilliard that gave the Saints an early 14-0 lead.
The Eagles scored 10 points in the third quarter to take a 20-16 lead, but Fourcade hit Martin for a 20-yard TD early in the fourth quarter for a 23-20 advantage.
Then Dave Waymer intercepted Cunningham to start a 58-yard drive, capped by Buford Jordan's one-yard run with 6:12 left that all but clinched it.
Philadelphia's turnovers started early.
The first came when Rickey Jackson stripped the ball from Cunningham and Robert Massie recovered at the Philadelphia 35. Four plays later, Fourcade drilled the ball over the middle to Martin, who made a leaping catch at the two and fell over the goal line.
