One spoiled party in the Big Easy

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NEW ORLEANS -- The stage was set for yet another dismal Sunday afternoon with the Washington Redskins.

The New Orleans Saints, coming off a nationally televised rout of the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys, stood ready to clinch their first division title in six years. The Saints were playing in front of a raucous home crowd ready to celebrate and cheer away some of the pain from Hurricane Katrina.

The Saints' underdog opponent, however, decided to spoil the party. The Redskins, 4-9 and losers of seven of their past nine games, took the lead less than five minutes into the game and never trailed.

The Saints got their division title anyway thanks to a loss by the Carolina Panthers. But the postgame party wasn't quite as hearty after the Redskins' stunning 16-10 victory at the Superdome.

Q: Did the Saints party too much on Bourbon Street on Saturday night? That sure wasn't the same team I saw crunch the Cowboys.

A: No, it wasn't. The Saints got off to a sluggish start on offense, gaining only 29 yards and picking up only one first down in the first 13 minutes. They never snapped out of it, either: The offense produced just one decent series until the fourth quarter. Drew Brees, the top passer in the league, and Reggie Bush, last year's Heisman Trophy winner, looked average.

Q: OK, the Saints had an off day. Still, how did the Redskins pull this off?

A: They used the same formula that almost beat the Eagles the previous week: plenty of Ladell Betts, a gorgeous touchdown pass by Jason Campbell and solid defense. One big difference was that the Redskins didn't turn the ball over. They lost it twice against the Eagles, including an interception that was returned 84 yards for a touchdown.

Q: I have vague memories of Clinton Portis being the Redskins' main man on offense. Will he be Betts' backup when he's healthy again next season?

A: Portis likely will remain the No. 1 back if the Redskins don't trade him, and a deal remains a possibility. Still, Betts has been terrific the past four weeks. He certainly has earned a greater share of the workload next season.