Scoring Plays:
1Q - KC - Patrick Mahomes to Tyreek Hill 5 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | KC 7, NO 0
End of Quarter Score - Kansas City Chiefs 7, New Orleans Saints 0
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2Q - KC - Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce 1 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | KC 14, NO 0
2Q - NO - Taysom Hill 1 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | KC 14, NO 7
2Q - NO - Demarcus Robinson fumbles punt return out of back of end zone for Safety | KC 14, NO 9
End of Quarter Score - Kansas City Chiefs 14, New Orleans Saints 9
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3Q - NO - Drew Brees to Latavius Murray 24 yd TD pass (2PC No Good - Drew Brees pass incomplete) | KC 14, NO 15
3Q - KC - Patrick Mahomes to Mecole Hardman 5 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | KC 21, NO 15
End of Quarter Score - Kansas City Chiefs 21, New Orleans Saints 15
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4Q - KC - Le'Veon Bell 13 yd TD rush (2PC Good - Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce 2 yd pass) | KC 29, NO 15
4Q - NO - Alvin Kamara 14 yd TD rush (PAT Good) | KC 29, NO 22
4Q - KC - Harrison Butker 22 yd FG GOOD | KC 32, NO 22
4Q - NO - Drew Brees to Lil'Jordan Humphrey 17 yd TD pass (PAT Good) | KC 32, NO 29
Final Score - Kansas City Chiefs 32, New Orleans Saints 29
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Hello Who Dats & Who Datettes and welcome to the Saints Week 15, Game 14 Thread.

Well... last week didn't go as planned and now you have the NFL's star of stars coming to your place for what many consider a potential Super Bowl preview.

You know the Saints whole team will be looking to redeem itself following the uninspired performance the team put up last week in Philadelphia, and will get that chance with its future Hall of Fame quarterback back in the line-up.

While there's no other way to take Drew's return to the line-up other than as a positive, it comes at the same time as the team loses its all-pro wide receiver again in Michael Thomas. Can Brees get the offense moving at its torrid pace again, even without Thomas in the line-up, against a defense that is by definition a 'meh' defense at 17th in yards allowed (358.8), 14th vs. the pass (230.5), & actually pretty bad against the rush (26th, 128.4)?

Meanwhile, the Saints defense reverted back to its early season, bad form last week and now needs to pick itself back up quickly and get back to looking like the #2 total defense in the league or it could be a bad day with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and the rest of the league's best offense in town.

The Chiefs do almost all of it through the air, averaging a league best 317.5 passing yards per game this season, almost 40 yards per game more than the 2nd best passing team (Packers), but are only middle of the pack in rushing with 111.7 yards per game on the ground. Lattimore, Jack Rabbit, Gardner-Johnson, as well as the pass rush will all have to be on the top of their game today if the Saints want to keep pace with the aforementioned Packers for the 1-seed and the lone postseason bye in the NFC.

The last time these 2 teams played, October 23rd - week 7 of the 2016 season, Drew Brees threw for 367 yards (130 of them to Michael Thomas) and three TDs, but also threw one costly INT that was returned for a KC TD, and the former Tulane Greenie Cairo Santos iced it for the Chiefs with a late field goal as the Chiefs defeated the Saints 27-21 in Arrowhead Stadium. One of my favorite stats for whatever reason, this game marks the last time the Saints have lost in the month of October, with the Saints having won 15 straight and counting in the month of spooks & goblins. By the way, the Chiefs QB on this day was Alex Smith, so this will be the Saints first look at Patrick Mahomes in the NFL. Also, the Saints haven't defeated the Chiefs since 2008, a 30-20 Saints win in Arrowhead, meaning the Chiefs have won 2 straight meetings against the Saints.

LET'S CHOP THE CHIEFS AND CLINCH THE NFC SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP AGAIN!!!

Injury Report: (Players only currently on the 53-man roster who have a game designation from the Friday injury report listed here)
KC-
Mike Remmers (Back/Neck) DOUBTFUL
Eric Fisher (Back) QUESTIONABLE
Damien Wilson (Knee) OUT
Darwin Thompson (Illness) OUT

NO- (Neither Michael Thomas nor Deonte Harris [on Injured Reserve] will appear here)
Malcolm Brown (Shoulder/Calf) OUT
Nick Easton (Concussion) OUT

Weather: Back in the Dome for the 1st time in a month, but it'll feel a lot different with 12,000 less fans in attendance this time thanks to 'she who shall not be bullied'. Capacity will be at 3,000 inside the Dome after 15,000 was in there for the Falcons game on November 22nd.

Uniforms: Back home means the boys will be back in black

Saints Playoff Clinching Scenarios:
The New Orleans Saints have clinched a playoff berth

The New Orleans Saints can clinch the NFC South Division Championship today with:
1) Saints Win
2) Buccaneers Loss
3) Saints Tie + Buccaneers Tie

Relevant Games:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31 @ Atlanta Falcons 27 | Final

Current Standings:
AFC West:
Chiefs 12-1
Raiders 7-7
Broncos 5-9
Chargers 5-9

NFC South:
Saints 10-3
Buccaneers 8-5
Falcons 4-9
Panthers 4-10

Betting Line: Chiefs (-3) O/U 52.5 (FWIW... some places are already showing the Saints at -6.5 for Friday vs. Minnesota)

Want to listen to Zach Strief, Deuce McAllister, & Steve Geller instead of Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, & Tracy Wolfson?
Find your local Saints Radio Network affiliate at this link

Today's Officials: (all officiating crews are subject to change)
Referee: #1 Scott Novak

Umpire: #54 Steve Woods
Down Judge: #79 Kent Payne
Line Judge: #24 David Oliver
Field Judge: #117 John Jenkins
Side Judge: #3 Scott Edwards
Back Judge: #111 Terrence Miles
Replay Official: TBA
Replay Assistant: TBA
**Due to "regionalization" of crews due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott Novak only has one member of his 2019 crew with him in 2020, back judge Terrence Miles.**

Inactive Lists:
KC-
CB BoPete Keyes
RB Darwin Thompson
LB Damien Wilson
OT Mike Remmers
TE Ricky Seals-Jones
DE Tim Ward
DT Khalen Saunders

NO-
DT Malcom Brown
CB Ken Crawley
OL Derrick Kelly
RB Ty Montgomery
OL Nick Easton

This post was edited on 12/25/20 at 4:03 pm