(SportsNetwork.com) - The playoffs start early in The Big Easy on Sunday when the New Orleans Saints play host to the Atlanta Falcons in a game that will go a long way in determining who represents the downtrodden NFC South in the postseason. The Saints lead the NFLs worst division at 6-8 with two games to play but both Carolina (5-8-1) and Atlanta (5-9) remain in the mix with NOLA and the Falcons controlling their own destinies. If either the Saints or the Falcons can win out, they will win the division and host a first-round playoff game. After this contest New Orleans will close the regular season at Tampa Bay in Week 17, while Atlanta will host the Panthers. Carolina, meanwhile, entertains Johnny Manziel and Cleveland this week and needs to win their final two games and have the Saints lose once to repeat as division champions. New Orleans can clinch the South for the first time since 2011 with a victory over the Falcons and a Carolina loss to the Browns. It sets us up for no bigger game than whats coming up against Atlanta, Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. We all understand where were at, Atlanta coach Mike Smith countered. We know we control our own destiny. It doesnt matter what anyone else does. The first thing we have to do is go down and play very well and win the game in New Orleans. The Saints took over first place for now thanks to an impressive 31-15 win over the stumbling Bears in Chicago on Monday night. Brees threw three touchdown passes in what was his 200th career game, completing 29-of-36 passes for 375 yards and setting an NFL record with his ninth straight season with at least 4,000 yards passing. I think theres a sense of urgency that we need to create each week, and we need to be mindful of how important that edge is to play well, Saints coach Sean Payton said. Josh Hill caught two scores, Marques Colston finished with five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown and Mark Ingram ran for a late score. We were pretty balanced and able to make some plays in the passing game, said Brees. It was a great team effort. The Falcons, meanwhile, suffered their second straight tough loss against a prolific offense, losing to Pittsburgh 27-20 as LeVeon Bell scored twice and set the Steelers franchise record for yards from scrimmage. Bell did not find much running room against an uncharacteristically stingy Atlanta front, but he did reach the end zone twice among 20 carries for 47 yards. He also made five catches for 72 yards and broke Barry Fosters single- season Steelers record for yards from scrimmage with 2,042. Matt Ryan threw for 310 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Falcons, who were coming off a 43-37 shootout loss in Green Bay. Harry Douglas filled in admirably for an injured Julio Jones, making 10 catches for 131 yards. Jones, who was coming off a career-high 259 yards against the Packers, was unable to play through a hip pointer injury he suffered late in a loss to the Packers. We felt we had lots of chances to have a different outcome, said Smith. Atlanta leads the all-time series by a 47-43 margin, including a 37-34 overtime win back in September at the Georgia Dome when Ryan threw for a franchise-record 448 yards and three TDs, and Matt Bryant booted a game- winning 52-yard field goal in the extra frame. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Brees has been the Falcons biggest nemesis ever since he came to New Orleans from San Diego back in 2006. The veteran signal caller has amassed a 7-1 mark over Atlanta in the Superdome, compiling a stellar 103.8 passer rating in those contests. Of course Atlanta is hardly the only team that has had a difficult time containing Brees, who leads NFL with 43,091 passing yards and 314 TD passes since he took over the Saints. The veteran destroyed the Bears, who rank 31st in the NFL in passing defense, on Monday night and the Falcons have the only secondary giving up more yardage than Chicago, a league-worst 292.5 yards per game. I think weve shown a couple times we can handle adversity, lets make sure we can handle success, too, Brees said. The tendency after success is to relax, and its not time to relax. Brees threw for 333 yards in the loss in Atlanta earlier this season but was outdone by Ryans Herculean performance, which may have to happen again here. Ryan has been putting up big numbers recently, tossing for 1,046 yards and eight TDs over the last three weeks but has also been throwing the game- changing pick at inopportune times. We know whats in front of us, Ryan said. We know what weve got to do. Its a playoff-type mentality. Weve got to win next week. Weve got to have the best week of practice that weve had this year and prepare as best we can. Getting Jones, perhaps the best receiver in all of football, back should help. The All-Pro is second in the NFL with 1,428 receiving yards despite missing last weeks game. Its tough when (Jones is) not in, Ryan said. Hes such a special player. New Orleans defense hasnt been much better than the Falcons this season but did show a little life in Chicago, stopping a four-game string in which they had allowed at least 400 yards. The Saints stop unit limited Jay Cutler and Co. to 278 total yards while amassing seven sacks and three interceptions. OVERALL ANALYSIS Facing a Payton-coached team in the Superdome used to foreshadow certain demise but the Saints 19-game run with the veteran coach on the sideline in NOLA ended against San Francisco on Nov. 8. Since then the Saints have lost three more in what used to be their cozy confines. Conversely they have won their only two on the road over that span. Translation: you never know what to expect with this New Orleans team. If anything, though, the Falcons are even less consistent and just dont have the horses on defense to contend with Brees. You want to be playing for a lot at the end of the season and we are right now, Brees said. No bigger game than the one coming up. Sports Network predicted outcome: Saints 27, Falcons 20 Grant Hill Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. Vince Carter Jersey . With his father watching from the stands, Harrison homered, doubled, single and drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Pirates to a 8-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. http://www.magicauthenticshop.com/Authen...a-Magic-Jersey/. -- The Sacramento Kings have signed first-round pick Nik Stauskas to his rookie contract. Jason Williams Jersey . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Evan Fournier Jersey .J. -- Jaromir Jagr has hit so many NHL milestones this season for the New Jersey Devils that he is starting to downplay them.Phoenix, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Chris Paul nearly recorded a triple-double and the Los Angeles Clippers continued to control their division rival, the Phoenix Suns. Paul posted 23 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in the Clippers sixth straight win over the Suns, a 120-100 decision on Sunday. Blake Griffin also contributed 23 points, while J.J. Redick chipped in with 20 points and DeAndre Jordan deposited an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double. Los Angeles has won four straight overall. Isaiah Thomas paced the Suns with 25 points, Eric Bledsoe had 17 points with seven assists and Alex Len added 15 points in the loss. Until we show these referees that we are not going to argue, they are going to continue to do this, Suns coach Jeff Hornacek noted of his teams recent bout with technical fouls. Markieff Morris, who entered the game second in the NBA in technical fouls, received another technical in the third quarter of this one. Phoenix had two such fouls called in its last game. Los Angeles brought a 12-point lead into the fourth, but Phoenix opened the quarter on an 11-3 run. Thomas scored eight points during the run to help the Suns cut their deficit to 92-88. It was a two-point spread following a Gerald Green 3-pointer just over a minute later. However, the Clippers made sure they cllaimed victory by ripping off 15 straight points.dddddddddddd Redick closed the surge with a pair of free throws that pushed Los Angeles ahead 111-94 with under four minutes left. (The Suns) are one of those teams that are never out of a game, Paul said. It was good that we put them away. Paul and Griffin combined for nine points during a 13-3 run midway through the third. Paul capped it with a jumper for a 74-65 lead. Spencer Hawes then buried consecutive 3-pointers, each assisted by Paul, later in the third to stretch Los Angeles margin to 85-72. The Clippers entered the second quarter with a 23-16 advantage, then Jamal Crawford stretched the margin to double digits with a layup around 3 1/2 minutes in. Los Angeles held a 10-point lead on a couple of occasions during the period until the Suns used a 14-4 run to tie the game at 43-43. Marcus Morris and Goran Dragic accounted for 21 points in the second to help Phoenix, which shot 63.6 percent in the frame, grab a 57-55 lead at the half. Game Notes The Suns have lost two straight following a four-game winning streak ... The Clippers made 49.4 percent of their shots ... Each team scored 14 points off turnovers ... Hawes had 11 points off the bench in the win ... LA outrebounded Phoenix 50-31. 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