Dickey Keeps the Packers’ Playoff Hopes Alive : Quarterback Returns to Play Starting Role in 38-14 Victory Over New Orleans

Lynn Dickey, returning to his starting job after two weeks as a sub, threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns Sunday to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 38-14 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

The win improved Green Bay’s record to 5-6 and kept the Packers in the hunt for a wild-card playoff spot. It was the Packers’ seventh straight victory over New Orleans, including four straight at Milwaukee County Stadium.

“We caught them at a down time,” said Packer offensive lineman Greg Koch. “Every win’s a must win for us. Every game’s a must game. For some reason, this team plays best with its back against the wall.”

New Orleans lost its sixth consecutive game and dropped to 3-8, despite Coach Bum Phillips’ declaration after last week’s game that he would volunteer to quit if the Saints did not win five of their final six games.

“I was kind of surprised that they weren’t a little more fired up,” said Packer linebacker John Anderson, who was credited with two of the team’s six sacks on NFL rookie Bobby Hebert.

Said Phillips of his coaching status: “All I have said is that I won’t stay someplace that I’m not wanted. Now that might mean that my magic number is one or even three or four. But . . . if we win the rest of our games, and I’m still not wanted, it will be simple.”

Dickey completed 22 of 35 pass attempts. But he was intercepted twice, and Terry Hoage returned the second one 52 yards for New Orleans’ first score at the end of the third quarter.

“That ruined my whole day,” Dickey said. “I was not real thrilled overall with the way I threw.”

Nevertheless, the Packers broke the game open with 17 points in a five-minute span in the second quarter.

Al Del Greco started it by kicking a 27-yard field which was set up by a 10-yard punt by New Orleans’ Brian Hansen.

Green Bay increased its lead to 10-0 on its next possession. Dickey hit running back Eddie Lee Ivery over the middle for 23 yards. Three plays later, Dickey tossed a three-yard scoring pass to Blake Moore, a guard who lined up at tight end.

The Packers then capped the 17-point spurt as Dickey completed three straight passes on a 51-yard scoring drive. He hit back-to-back passes of 24 and 16 yards to James Lofton and then found Epps for an 11-yard touchdown.

Later, Dickey took the Packers 75 yards in eight plays on their first possession of the second half. Gerry Ellis capped the drive with an 11-yard scoring run.