Saints win, 1st to clinch playoff berth

Taysom Hill finally threw a touchdown pass.

Two of them, in fact.

The Saints defense finally gave up a touchdown.

But not two, which ensured the Saints are headed back to the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

Hill, above, won another start filling in for injured Drew Brees and the Saints got the big defensive stop they needed in the closing minutes to preserve a 21-16 win over the Falcons on Sunday in Atlanta.

The Saints (10-2) became the first team to clinch a playoff berth with their ninth straight victory and the Bears’ 34-30 loss to Lions.

“Our work’s not done yet,” Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson said.

The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs were in position to also secure a return trip to the postseason with a victory over the Broncos on Sunday night in a game that ended too late for this edition.

Hill connected with Tre’Quan Smith on a 15-yard touchdown in the opening quarter — the quarterback’s first scoring pass since his senior year at BYU in 2016.

He added another before halftime, zipping an 11-yard pass to tight end Jared Cook in tight coverage.

Hill was 27 of 37 for 232 yards passing. He tacked on 83 yards rushing on 14 carries, including a 43-yard scamper that was the longest run of his career, setting up his first TD pass.

The Falcons drove 85 yards capped by Matt Ryan’s 10-yard TD pass to Russell Gage with 7:43 remaining. The Saints hadn’t allowed a TD since the opening drive of a game against 49ers on Nov. 15.

The Falcons (4-8) got the ball back and again pushed deep into Saints territory. On second-and-2 at the Saints 13, Todd Gurley was stuffed for no gain. He got the ball again on third down for a sweep, but Demario Davis caught him for a 7-yard loss.

Ryan threw into the end zone on fourth down, but the pass fell incomplete to finish off the home team’s best chance at pulling off an upset.

KEVIN C. COX/GETTY