Saints and Texans make it through NFL wild-card play-offs

The Detroit Lions cannot keep up with Drew Brees and his offence, while Houston win their first ever play-off game, against the Bengals.

New Orleans Saints running back Darren Sproles (R) avoids Detroit Lions outside linebacker Justin Durant during the third quarter of their NFL NFC wildcard playoff football game in New Orleans, Louisiana, January 7, 2012. REUTERS/Jeff Haynes (UNITED STATES  - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL) *** Local Caption ***  NEW133_NFL-PLAYOFFS_0108_11.JPG
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Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints are pouring on the points, racking up the wins and rewriting the record books nearly every time they play.

Things sure are rollin' on the river.

Brees led an unstoppable offence by throwing for 466 yards and three touchdowns, and New Orleans poured it on in the second half for a 45-28 NFC wild-card victory over the Detroit Lions last night.

New Orleans broke the postseason mark for total yards with 626, beating the record set 49 years ago.

"We were pulling out all the stops," Brees said. "We play aggressive. We're not going to apologise for that. That gives guys in the huddle a lot of confidence. We're not going to pull the reins back. It's pedal to the medal."

Brees hit on 33 of 43 passes while throwing for the most yards in a regulation play-off game. He highlighted his night with three completions of at least 40 yards.

"We just focus on winning. We're not focused on yards and records," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "I'm serious when I say that."

As usual, the quarterback had plenty of help from an offence that set an NFL record for yards from scrimmage this season (7,474). The Saints (14-3) will travel to San Francisco (13-3) for next Saturday's second-round game.

Matthew Stafford threw for 380 yards and three TDs for the Lions (10-7), who simply could not keep pace in their first play-off appearance since the 1999 season. They have lost seven straight postseason games.

"It's a learning experience for the whole team. We'll get better. We'll be back," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "Obviously it hurts right now."

All-Pro receiver Calvin Johnson had 12 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns in his play-off debut for Detroit, but that was not nearly enough as the Saints' defence responded in the fourth quarter with two interceptions by Jabari Greer.

The teams combined for 1,083 yards, tying an NFL play-off record set by Buffalo and Miami on December 30, 1995.

Pierre Thomas rushed for 66 yards and one touchdown, while Sproles added 51 yards, two scores and several other clutch plays.

Marques Colston overcame an early fumble with seven catches for 120 yards, including a 40-yarder to set up Jimmy Graham's short TD grab.

Robert Meachem had four catches for 111 yards, including a 56-yard score. Devery Henderson added a 41-yard touchdown reception.

New Orleans showed guts and got a little good fortune on a decisive 14-play, 80-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter. The Saints ran Sproles around left end on fourth-and-2 at the Lions 40 and gained three yards. Soon after, Brees' pass as he was clobbered by Nick Fairley went right through the hands of defensive back Aaron Berry.

Berry would regret that drop two plays later as Sproles bolted 17 yards to make it 31-21.

Stafford tried to get some of that back quickly, throwing deep for Titus Young, but Greer ran under it and picked it off. Four plays later, Brees spotted Meachem behind blown coverage for his long score to make it 38-21.

The Lions became only the second visiting team all year to lead at half time in the Superdome, where the Saints were unbeaten during the regular season.

'So going into halftime at a deficit, we just realised, 'Listen, just bear down, one play at a time, one drive at a time,"' Brees said, "and I think we scored on every drive in the second half. I guess that's what you hope for."

Earlier in the day, Andre Johnson hugged his coach at the end of Houston's first play-off victory - a moment a decade in the making. "This is something not just for me, but for the whole organisation," the Texans star receiver said.

"It's a very special feeling. That's probably the most I've smiled in a long time." As well he should. Johnson, the face of this 10-year old franchise, scored on a 40-yard pass that powered the Texans to a 31-10 victory over the bungling Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC wild-card game.

Johnson had plenty of help, too, from rookies JJ Watt and TJ Yates to running back Arian Foster's two touchdowns and 153 yards. Watt came through with a leaping interception return for a touchdown late in the first half, Yates threw a pinpoint pass to Johnson in the third quarter and Foster followed with his second touchdown - a 42-yard run in the fourth quarter - to finish off the Bengals (9-8).

Houston will play at Baltimore (12-4) next Sunday, a rematch of a regular-season game won by the Ravens. "I'm just very proud of all the guys, and the job they did," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "Hopefully, there are some more to come."

The Bengals were in the play-offs for the third time in seven seasons, but haven't advanced since beating the Houston Oilers following the 1990 season. They were done in this time by mistakes and a lack of pass protection.

"We have to get beyond this," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "We play in a very difficult division. We have to win games in the division, that is important and it sets up opportunities like this, all the time."