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(SportsNetwork.com) - The simple fact is that regardless of record, one team from the NFC South is going to get into the playoffs. Both the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers still have a chance at grabbing that spot by way of a division title and the two rivals meet this Sunday at the Superdome with a lot on the line. No team in the division has a winning record, with New Orleans being tied with the Atlanta Falcons for first place with matching 5-7 records. Carolina is an unimpressive 3-8-1 on the campaign, but there are still four games to be played and a victory over the Saints would keep the Panthers in the running for first place. Only Tampa Bay at 2-10 figures to have no shot at winning the NFC South crown. Whichever team gets into the playoffs there is going to be no apologies for it, said Panthers head coach Ron Rivera. Thats part of the game. You play the game that you play, they fall the way they may. Believe me, I think New Orleans is a good football team, as I do Atlanta, and I think were still a good football team. The Panthers didnt look like a very good football team when they lost their sixth game in a row last Sunday with a 31-13 setback to the Minnesota Vikings, who blocked a pair of punts they returned for touchdowns. Cam Newton completed 18-of-35 passes for 194 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Carolina, which is 1-8-1 since beginning the season with consecutive wins. Carolina tallied 348 yards, outgaining Minnesota by 138, but its first six points of the game came on Graham Gano field goals before Newton completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Philly Brown in the third quarter. We need to do a better job of scoring touchdowns when we get into position, said Rivera. We had two chances early in the game, but had to settle for field goals. Touchdowns in those situations could have changed the complexion of the game. The Saints had little trouble scoring touchdowns this past Sunday in Pittsburgh as Drew Brees threw five scoring passes to five different receivers in a 35-32 win over the Steelers. Brees finished with 257 yards for the Saints (5-7), who put a three-game losing streak to rest. He recorded the seventh five-touchdown, zero- interception game of his career, an NFL record. My process doesnt change regardless of whether people are singing my praises or telling me I cant play anymore. I really dont care, said a defiant Brees, addressing rumors from earlier in the week that the Saints are looking to draft his replacement. Mark Ingram racked up 122 yards on 23 carries, while Kenny Stills posted 162 yards and a score on five receptions. Marques Colston, Benjamin Watson, Nick Toon and Erik Lorig added a TD catch apiece. The Saints trail 20-19 in their all-time series with the Panthers despite a 28-10 victory in Carolina on Oct. 30. New Orleans hasnt swept its season series with Carolina since 2011. Ingram keyed the Week 9 win with 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Brees once again has the Saints offense in top form, with the club ranking second in the NFL with 430.3 yards per game. New Orleans also is third with 303.9 passing yards per game, but the emergence of Ingram, who leads the NFL with 608 rushing yards since Week 8, has balanced out the attack. Brees has thrown for over 300 yards with at least four touchdown passes in three straight home games versus the Panthers, posting a 129.8 passer rating. One key to slowing down the Saints offense is the play of Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, who leads his team with 125 tackles and posted two sacks against the Vikings. Brees said it is rare that a middle linebacker like Kuechly can impact a quarterback, but the young playmaker does it well. And for being such a young player too, you can see just how knowledgeable he is about the game and about his opponent, added Brees. On each and every snap he is getting guys lined up. He is making adjustments. He is anticipating where the ball is going, run pass hes as good as he is in the run game. Really he is a total player. Carolinas 21st-ranked offense has not been as effective, with Newton posting a 78.9 passer rating on the season while getting picked off 11 times to 13 touchdown passes. He also ranks second on the team in rushing with 342 yards behind only Jonathan Stewart (408 yards). Stewart had 85 yards on 12 carries versus the Vikings, good for a 7.1 average per carry and Newton added 49 yards on nine carries, but DeAngelo Williams suffered a fractured right hand in the game after logging 21 yards on seven carries. Williams can play through the injury as long as the swelling isnt too bad, but its another blow to an inconsistent ground game. Fozzy Whittaker would see more carries behind Stewart if Williams cant perform. Not only that, but the Panthers started a different offensive line for a sixth week in a row versus the Vikings, with Mike Remmers making his first start at right tackle with Nate Chandler lost to a knee injury. Carolina, though, was able to post 178 yards rushing against Minnesota and New Orleans ranks 23rd against the run. He played to his strengths, Rivera told his teams website of Remmers. Hes got good footwork, good hand placement and he moves well. Hes a smart, crafty guy. He understands what were doing. He did some good things. We did some things to help him as well, and as a whole I thought the unit did a nice job. Two of the leagues top tight ends will be on the field in New Orleans. The Saints Jimmy Graham is tied for the NFL lead among tight ends with 65 catches, is second with nine touchdowns and fourth in yards with 670. Graham has a touchdown in six straight versus Carolina. Greg Olsen of Carolina, meanwhile, is second in his position with 778 yards and fourth in receptions with 61 to go along with five TDs. He is on the verge of a third straight 800-yard season. The Panthers held the Vikings to 210 yards last weekend, but will be better tested by Brees this weekend. Playing in the (Superdome) is a challenge and we will have to be at our best, noted Rivera. We have shown the ability to play well, but have not been able to do it consistently enough and will need to do that against a very good football team. OVERALL ANALYSIS Its a miracle that both of these clubs still have a shot at the playoffs, but that is how the cards have fallen. Though a Dec. 21 home test with Atlanta figures to be the key game down the stretch, New Orleans cant look past Carolina. It starts with this game. You want to build on the way we played this week, said Saints coach Sean Payton. I think that as we hit this final four game stretch, paying attention to details, correcting mistakes, film study, its all the little things I think that go into the overall success. Success hasnt followed the Panthers, who havent won since Oct. 5, and asking their struggling offense to keep pace with the Saints may be too much to ask. Sports Network predicted outcome: Saints 31, Panthers 17 . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil. . -- Thirty years ago, the Detroit Pistons beat the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime, a game that remains the highest scoring in NBA history. http://www.brazilsoccerproshop.com/c-54 ... ersey.aspx. -- Mississippis Andrew Ritter said his game-winning, 41-yard field goal felt good off his foot. . Sterling was banned for life and fined US$2.5 million by the NBA on Tuesday for racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation. Nash, who plays for the rival L.A. Lakers, spoke as a representative of current NBA players at a press conference assembled by Sacramento mayor and National Basketball Players Association adviser Kevin Johnson. . Hall had a goal and three assists in a 5-4 loss to San Jose on Tuesday, had an assist in each of Edmontons next two games the capped the week with a goal and two assists in the Oilers 4-2 win over Anaheim on Sunday. TORONTO -- Casey Janssen was hit hard. And the result hit the Toronto Blue Jays even harder. Sent into the game in the ninth inning to protect a 4-2 lead, the Blue Jays closer allowed home runs to Nick Castellanos and Eugenio Suarez as the Detroit Tigers pulled out a 5-4 victory on Friday. It was Torontos sixth loss in their past seven games as the club scrambles to remain in both the American League East and the American League wild-card races. "They got me tonight," said Janssen. "It stings. I feel bad, I feel bad for the boys. Were in a race, those things burn a little bit more." The Blue Jays opened up a 4-0 lead after two innings but could not add any more runs despite outhitting the Tigers 13-9 on the night. Janssen (3-1) was trying for his 19th save when he came in for the ninth. He allowed a leadoff double to J.D. Martinez, the Tigers left fielder who had a bad game in the field. A groundout to first by Alex Avila moved the runner to third and Castellanos tied the game with his seventh homer of the season. "Castellanos is an aggressive guy early, I wanted to throw a curveball in there," said Janssen. "It wasnt terrible and he blasted it out of there." Suarez put the Tigers ahead with his fourth homer of the season. "It was down and away, my bread and butter, and he blasted the thing out to centre," said Janssen. "I tip my cap to them." After Ian Kinsler hit a two-out double, the fourth extra-base hit of the inning allowed by Janssen, left-hander Aaron Loup entered to finish the inning. "It was definitely a big adrenalin boost," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Weve been scuffling to score runs. Im hoping we can look back at this as a bit of a trigger point." "Caseys been so good this year," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "They just came out swinging and got to him pretty quick there. Thats a tough one, no question about it, thats a tough one." The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the home ninth before Joe Nathan was able to nail down his 24th save of the season. Jose Bautista led off with a single. Colby Rasmus and pinch-hitter Juan Francisco walked with two out before Josh Thole fouled out to left field to end the game. "We came back, were still looking for that little magic," said Gibbons said. "We havent been able to get that this year at home." Right-handed reliever Al Alburquerque (3-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings to get the win. The Blue Jays wasted a solid outing from knuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey. The right-hander allowed five hits, four walks and two runs in six innings. He struck out six before Dustin McGowan took over in the seventh. "Theyre all tough," said Dickey. "Any time you lose a game its tough. You feel for Casey, Ive been out there and done the same thing in an inning, and it hurts. Were teammates and were going to pick each other up. I can certainly empathize with his pain. Its no time to pout, thaats for sure.dddddddddddd "You have to start thinking outside of that line of this is a must win or does it hurt that much more? They all hurt. From here on in, it all matters. It mattered back in May when we were losing a game or winning a game. It matters, it always matters." Tigers right-hander Anibal Sanchez left the game with a runner at first and two out in the fifth with a right pectoralis strain after he threw over to first to hold Munenori Kawasaki. Left-hander Blaine Hardy replaced Sanchez. Sanchez, who will return to Detroit for an MRI on Saturday, allowed 10 hits, one walk and four runs while striking out three in 4 2/3 innings. Janssen, who was one of the players who expressed disappointment that the team did not make additions at the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers, admitted that he has not been at his best since the All-Star Game break. He fell ill during the break. "Sometimes things can streaky," said Janssen. "Right now, it doesnt seem like its streaking in the right direction for me. But I have to just continue to work, continue to execute pitches and maybe at times mix up what Ive been doing. The hitters might be adjusting to me so now its my turn to adjust to them. Im not quitting and we have a long ways to go." The Blue Jays (61-56) scored once in the first. Bautista walked, took third on a single by Dioner Navarro and a scored on a single by Danny Valencia. Toronto added three runs in the second. Kawasaki led off with a double on a fly to left centre that popped in and out of the glove of left fielder J.D. Martinez. Thole sacrificed Kawasaki to third. Ryan Goins put down a squeeze bunt to score Kawasaki and was given credit for a single when he reached first safely - a call that withstood a Detroit challenge. Jose Reyes singled to right. Melky Cabrera singled to left to score Goins with Reyes taking third on an error by Martinez. Bautista hit an RBI single to make the score 4-0. The Tigers (63-50) cut the lead in half in the third. Dickey walked the No. 9 hitter, Suarez, and former Blue Jay Rajai Davis followed with his second double of the game. Kinsler scored both runners with a single. Left-hander Brett Cecil took over from McGowan in the eighth inning and the Tigers went down in order for the third inning in a row. NOTES: Attendance at Rogers Centre was announced as 36,237. ... LF Melky Cabrera (right elbow) was back in the Blue Jays lineup on Friday. He left Thursdays 2-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles after he was hit by a pitch in the first inning. à DH Adam Lind (right foot fracture) was given the day off on Friday after he experienced a tight back in going 2-for-2 on Thursday in the first game of his rehabilitation assignment in the Gulf Coast League. He is still expected to rejoin the Blue Jays next week. à RHP Marcus Stroman (7-3, 3.49 earned-run average) will start the second game of the series on Saturday for the Blue Jays against RHP Max Scherzer (13-4, 3.24 ERA). ' ' '