Brooks Puts Best Feet Forward as Saints Rally

Aaron Brooks ducked, dodged and ran for his life all afternoon. When he finally caught his breath, the New Orleans Saints were on the verge of an unlikely playoff berth.

Terry Allen scored on a one-yard run with 46 seconds to play, and Brooks led two late touchdown drives as the Saints clinched only their sixth winning season in 34 seasons with a 31-27 victory over the San Francisco 49ers Sunday.

“I think we were due to win a game like this, because this franchise has lost a lot of tough games against this team,” Saint defensive tackle La’Roi Glover said. “We’re enjoying it. We’re feeling like anything is possible now.”

Until the closing minutes, it looked like another disappointing day for this perennially downtrodden franchise. The 49ers dominated the first three quarters, sacked Brooks five times and scored two touchdowns in the fourth.

But Brooks, who was terrible through the air but deadly on the ground, rushed for 108 yards and led the Saints (9-5) on two late scoring drives. It was their third consecutive victory over the 49ers (5-9).

“We felt like I had to make some plays with my feet,” Brooks said. “It got us out of a couple of jams, and we were able to stay alive.”

New Orleans trailed, 27-17, with six minutes to play, but the rally kept their NFC West title hopes alive. The Saints can clinch their first playoff berth since 1992--the last time they had a winning season--with a victory over Atlanta next week.

The San Francisco defense that held its previous three opponents to 30 points was unable to cope with Brooks’ scrambling. Brooks led New Orleans to 17 points in the fourth quarter and constantly stayed just inches away from a sack or an interception.

“He didn’t get rattled. He was determined not to go down,” 49er defensive tackle Brentson Buckner said.

Brooks completed only two of his first 12 passes and finished 12 for 29 for 203 yards. But he and Allen, who got his first significant action since signing with the Saints last month, proved to be more than adequate replacements for injured starters Jeff Blake and Ricky Williams.

New Orleans also weathered a huge game from 49er quarterback Jeff Garcia, who passed for 305 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for two touchdowns. The 49ers’ winning streak ended at three games.

Garcia, who completed 25 of 38 passes but had two intercepted, connected with Terrell Owens for a 69-yard play for a touchdownwith 8:27left that put San Francisco ahead by 10, with Wade Richey missing the extra point attempt . New Orleans cut the lead when Brooks nimbly sidestepped two rushers and passed to Willie Jackson for a 22-yard touchdown with 5:46 left.

After San Francisco punted, Brooks engineered a 68-yard drive, converting a fourth-and-four with a 10-yard run and passing toKeith Poole for a 22-yard gain one play before Allen’s one-yard touchdown.