Although this game became a part of the infamous “Bounty Gate,” it didn’t take away from the Saints winning and ultimately marching on to Dolphins Stadium to capture their first and only Lombardi Trophy.

Philadelphia Eagles, 2018-19

This game was mostly a defensive showcase for the Saints who limited the defending champions to 250 yards, including intercepting QB Nick Foles twice. Brees threw for 301 yards and two scores with a pick.

Brees emerged victorious without having to do anything special. He was consistent throughout and hit 73.7% of his passes with a 103.1 passer rating. He did fumble twice but they were both recovered by New Orleans.

With this victory, the Saints snapped a three-game losing streak in the Divisional Playoffs. Unfortunately, their playoff bad luck wouldn’t end with this game as they would lose to the Rams in the NFC Championship thanks to a notorious missed call now known as the “NOLA No-Call.”

Brees’ Divisional Playoff losses

Brees and the Saints lost three straight Divisional Playoff games from 2012-17. Two of the teams who beat them were from the NFC West: San Francisco and Seattle and both made it to the Super Bowl. But despite the losses, Brees posted some big numbers.

San Francisco 49ers, 2011-12

This was the game where Alex Smith outdueled Drew Brees and would probably still be Smith’s best moment. It was another comeback fallen short for Brees and the Saints who were down 20-17 entering the fourth.

Brees would hit RB Darren Sproles and TE Jimmy Graham on separate occasions to put the Saints up 32-29 while all Smith and the Niners could do was have kicker David Akers keep them afloat … until the Niners’ final drive.

Smith would hit TE Vernon Davis to lead the Niners to their first playoff win in 10 years. Brees passed for 462 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Seattle Seahawks, 2013-14

This was to be Brees’ and the Saints’ chance to avenge their infamous loss to “Beast Mode” in 2011. History repeated itself here as Marshawn Lynch still went Beast Mode on the Saints and gashed them for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson only completed nine passes as the Seahawks beat the Saints 23-15. Seattle’s defense controlled the game, shutting out the Saints for the first three periods before RB Mark Ingram got them on the board.

It wasn’t Brees’ best performance. He managed to lead a drive late in the game to put up his passing totals to 309 yards and a touchdown. But it was too little too late as a botched lateral from WR Marques Colston sealed the game for Seattle.

Minnesota Vikings, 2017-18

This was the “Minneapolis Miracle” to most NFL fans, but to Brees and Who Dat Nation, it’d be more apt to call this “New Orleans’ Nightmare.” The Saints had just returned to the playoffs and had their best team since their Super Bowl year.

Many fans and pundits alike picked the Saints to win it all. Then this happened. To the Vikings’ credit, they shut down the explosive Saints offense for most of the game going up 17-0 in the first half.

But Brees was just getting warmed up. The future Hall of Famer caught fire and led the Saints to a furious comeback going up 24-23 on the Vikings with 25 seconds left. Brees was this close to his third postseason fourth-quarter comeback.

Alas, Saints S Marcus Williams blew the tackle against Stefon Diggs. And the rest is as we know it.

Brees leads Saints against Tampa

Brees only needs to be solid to help his Saints overcome the Buccaneers. The less the Saints have to rely on the Brees, the better they’ll be and the Divisional Playoff history supports this theory. As favorites, BetUS is seeing plenty of support for Brees and the Saints. Read our sportsbook reviews and learn how to place the best wagers on the Saints and the NFL Playoffs.