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Don’t look now, but the Saints are back in business.
Beset by endless controversy and drama since Bountygate erupted last spring and pretty much left for dead after a 0-4 start, New Orleans has quietly reeled off five wins in its past six games and can complete its improbable climb above .500 Sunday with a victory over the 49ers at the Superdome.
Make no mistake: The Saints still face a steep uphill climb in their bid to join the 1992 Chargers as the only teams in modern NFL history to make the playoffs after losing their first four games. New Orleans’ next four opponents — San Francisco, followed by the Falcons, Giants and Buccaneers — all have winning records.
But it now appears this 5-1 stretch is a much better reflection of the Saints’ talent level than the 0-4 start, mainly because their defense has finally found its footing under former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and is no longer causing New Orleans to waste another terrific year by QB Drew Brees.
Brees is proving to be well worth the NFL’s richest contract that owner Tom Benson gave him in July, shaking off a stream of injuries to his supporting cast and the season-long absence of suspended head coach Sean Payton to throw a league-high 28 touchdowns (against just nine interceptions) and rank second in the NFL with 3,066 passing yards.
“He’s just a phenomenal football player,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said of Brees this week. “Let’s just say that. And that encompasses just about everything. Great leader, great poise, great player, great accuracy, great talent. Everything is ‘A-plus-plus’ with Drew.”
Brees has downplayed it this week, but rest assured the six-time Pro Bowl pick and former Super Bowl MVP will have payback in mind today, too. It was just 10 months ago in San Francisco that Harbaugh’s team put a miserable capper on the Saints’ 13-3 regular season with a 36-32 playoff win despite 462 passing yards and four TDs from Brees.
Though Brees has been his usual steady and sensational self, the Niners will bring a roiling quarterback controversy into today’s game. Harbaugh reportedly is set to go with second-year pro Colin Kaepernick over concussed veteran Alex Smith after Kaepernick stunned everyone by riddling the Bears for 243 yards and two TD passes without an interception Monday night in a 32-7 win in his first career start.
That late-week development changed the outlook considerably for both teams. Brees, who is 5-0 in his career against San Francisco in the regular season, already has lost at home once this season to a first-year starter (Robert Griffin III) and won’t let it happen again.
PICK: Saints, 24-13.
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Falcons (9-1) at Buccaneers (6-4): The Saints aren’t the only NFC South team orchestrating a quiet turnaround story. Tampa Bay has won four in a row after a 2-4 start under former Rutgers boss Greg Schiano, and the rebound is thanks largely to rejuvenated QB Josh Freeman and rookie rushing sensation Doug Martin. With Freeman sporting a 94.6 passer rating and Martin averaging 5.1 yards per carry, the Buccaneers have scored 205 points over the past six games — the NFL’s highest total in that span. Atlanta has won six of the past seven meetings, but Tampa is at home and on a serious roll.
PICK: Buccaneers, 27-20.
Vikings (6-4) at Bears (7-3): Minnesota has stumbled after a 4-1 start but is coming off a division win over the Lions and a much-needed bye week break. Adrian Peterson against a suddenly reeling Chicago defense would give the edge to the Vikings, especially if the Bears are forced to go with Jason Campbell again at quarterback. But if Jay Cutler is back from his concussion, the Bears make it six in a row against their NFC North rivals.
PICK: Bears, 20-10.
bhubbuch@nypost.com