Bears 33, Saints 25
CHICAGO - Devin Hester raced past the New Orleans Saints and ended their bid for a return to the playoffs.
Hester sprinted 64 yards for a touchdown on a punt return, his NFL-record sixth kick runback for a score this season to break his own mark set a year ago. He also caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Orton as the Chicago Bears beat the Saints.
When the teams met 11 months ago for the NFC championship on the same field, the Bears earned a trip to the Super Bowl with a 39-14 victory. Now they're both going home before the playoffs even start.
New Orleans' slim chances hinged on beating the Bears and hoping the Redkins and Vikings lost.
ADVERTISEMENT
New Orleans 0170825Chicago 10147233
Chi-FG Gould 39
Chi-Bradley 19 pass from Orton (Gould kick)
NO-Colston 3 pass from Brees (Gramatica kick)
Chi-Berrian 9 pass from Peterson (Gould kick)
NO-Colston 21 pass from Brees (Gramatica kick)
Chi-Hester 55 pass from Orton (Gould kick)
ADVERTISEMENT
NO-FG Gramatica 48
Chi-Hester 64 punt return (Gould kick)
Chi-Safety, Evans offensive holding penalty in end zone
NO-Thomas 11 pass from Brees (Thomas run) NOChi First downs 2813Total Net Yards 413275Rushes-yards 20-10527-96Passing 308179Punt Returns 2-161-64Kickoff Returns 6-1224-47Interceptions Ret. 1-22-23Comp-Att-Int 35-60-213-28-1Sacked-Yards Lost 3-122-20Punts 5-41.06-44.3Fumbles-Lost 2-14-2Penalties-Yards 8-725-34Time of Possession 35:0824:52INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-New Orleans, P.Thomas 20-105. Chicago, Peterson 21-91, Wolfe 4-7, Orton 2-(minus 2).
PASSING-New Orleans, Brees 35-60-2-320. Chicago, Orton 12-27-1-190, Peterson 1-1-0-9.
RECEIVING-New Orleans, P.Thomas 12-121, Colston 8-94, Patten 4-39, Johnson 4-25, Miller 3-26, Copper 2-9, Karney 1-5, Moore 1-1. Chicago, Muhammad 3-29, Berrian 3-28, Hester 2-65, Olsen 2-17, Wolfe 1-32, Bradley 1-19, Peterson 1-9.
