Michael Perez/Associated Press
Nick Foles being sacked by Akiem Hicks and Cameron Jordan in the second half, during which the teams scored 37 points. More Photos »
PHILADELPHIA — The New Orleans Saints joined the N.F.L. in 1967 and did not make the playoffs for 20 years. It took the Saints another 13 years to win a playoff game. And Saturday night, 46 seasons after their debut in the N.F.L., they finally won a road playoff game.
The Saints' 26-24 win Saturday in an N.F.C. wild-card game in Philadelphia, sealed with a 32-yard field goal by Shayne Graham on the game's final play, was more than a franchise playoff milestone. To the players, it helped them begin to move away from a 2012 season marred by a bounty scandal.
"It's a new team and a new year," said New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who has been with the Saints through the bad and the good, including the team's Super Bowl victory after the 2009 season. "We're not living off the glory or the mistakes of the past. We're making a new history and hopefully we're only going to get better."
Saints Coach Sean Payton, who was suspended last year by the N.F.L., was also eager to look forward.
"This team has the resolve to overcome many distractions," Payton said. "With all the other stuff that's gone on, including last year, we've now got 12 wins. And we won on the road. I thought we traveled pretty well tonight."
An uneven game that began sleepily suddenly turned electrifying and tense in the fourth quarter as Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles and Brees dueled throughout a seesaw final quarter. The outcome left the Saints (12-5) on their way to face the Seattle Seahawks next weekend. The Eagles' season ended but not after a surprisingly successful year that saw them win 10 games and go to first place in the N.F.C. East from last.
"We're all proud of how far we went," Philadelphia wide receiver Riley Cooper said. "But everybody wants to win more — win everything. All I can say is that we're headed in the right direction."
With the Saints leading by 23-17 midway through the fourth quarter, Foles led the Eagles on a 77-yard scoring drive. The key sequence was a pass interference penalty on Saints cornerback Corey White that netted Philadelphia 40 yards and gave them a first down at the New Orleans 3-yard line. Two plays later, Foles threw to Zach Ertz for the go-ahead touchdown and a 24-23 Eagles lead with less than five minutes to play.
But the Saints' Darren Sproles returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards and there was a 15-yard penalty for a horse-collar tackle tacked onto the end of the return. Two plays later, the Saints had advanced to the Eagles 35-yard line.
The Saints methodically worked the football closer to the end zone, trying to use up as much clock as possible. With three seconds remaining in the game, the Saints took their final time out setting up the winning kick, Graham's fourth field goal of the game.
Graham was another new face of the New Orleans turnaround. Three weeks ago, he was not on the roster. That was when Graham was brought in to replace the slumping place kicker Garrett Hartley.
"He's been unbelievable," Payton said. "Each one of those kicks tonight was down the middle. He was a rock out there."
With the final score of the game, the teams had combined for 16 points in the fourth quarter and 37 in the second half.
Trailing by 7-6 at the start of the second half, the Saints seemed intent on establishing the run game and it was a successful strategy. As much as Brees played well in the second half, and completed 20 of 30 passes for 250 yards over all, the Saints running backs rushed for 185 yards and averaged more than 5 yards per carry.
Mark Ingram, playing for the injured starting running back Pierre Thomas, ran for 97 yards on 18 attempts and had pivotal runs in the Saints' first scoring drive of the second half. That series culminated with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Brees to Lance Moore. It was a typically intricate Saints play. With multiple receivers working the sidelines, Brees waited in the pocket as Moore, releasing late and working underneath the other receivers, sprung free in the middle of the field for the touchdown.
That score put New Orleans ahead and Brees helped extend the lead with some effective deep downfield passing that led to a 4-yard touchdown run by Ingram that gave New Orleans a 20-7 advantage in the third quarter.
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