NEW ORLEANS – With Michael Vick out for Atlanta, the New Orleans Saints remained in playoff contention.

Aaron Brooks threw for a touchdown and ran for another and the Saints kept their postseason hopes alive with a 26-13 victory over the Falcons on Sunday.

Brooks, Vick’s cousin, completed 12 of 24 for 227 yards. With New Orleans trailing 6-5 in the second quarter, Brooks scored the go-ahead touchdown after New Orleans pulled the kicking team on fourth down and sent the offense back in. His 1-yard leap put the Saints up 12-6 and they never trailed again.

Michael Lewis’ 96-yard kickoff return with 5:32 left in the third quarter put the Saints (7-8) up 26-13, sealing their third straight victory.

The Falcons (11-4) were without Vick, who was resting an injured shoulder, and two other key offensive weapons – tight end Alge Crumpler and running back T.J. Duckett.

Vick and Crumpler had terrorized the Saints in recent meetings. Vick is unbeaten in three starts against New Orleans, averaging 249 yards total offense – 178 passing, 71 rushing while passing for four touchdowns and running for four. Crumpler had 103 yards receiving including the 20-yard, game-winning touchdown in Atlanta’s 24-21 victory over New Orleans last month.

The Falcons could afford to rest the trio. Atlanta already had clinched the division title, and last week wrapped up the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.

Vick was replaced by rookie quarterback Matt Schaub, who completed 17 of 41 passes for 188 yards. He was sacked three times and intercepted twice.

Atlanta’s victory over Carolina helped the resurgent Saints move into a tie with the Panthers and St. Louis Rams for the NFC’s final playoff spot.

Atlanta, which led the NFL in rushing with 169.6 yards per game, had 93 yards against New Orleans. Warrick Dunn rushed for 52 yards on 18 carries.

Saints running back Deuce McAllister had 128 yards on 18 carries, making him the third player in franchise history to rush for 4,000 yards.

The Saints went up 2-0 on a first-quarter safety. John Carney made it 5-0 with a 22-yard field goal with 11 seconds left in the first quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Schaub tossed the ball to Dunn, who ran 59 yards to the New Orleans 7. Jay Feely’s 25-yard field goal pulled Atlanta to 5-3. Feely’s second field goal, set up by an interception, gave Atlanta a 6-5 lead.

The Saints then staged an 80-yard drive with Brooks and Joe Horn connecting for 58 yards. It appeared to have stalled on the 1 and the New Orleans’ kicking team came on. But as they were lining up, coach Jim Haslett called a time out. As he talked to the coaches on the sideline, Brooks, Horn, McAllister and center LeCharles Bentley huddled with them. Seconds later, Haslett called the kicking team off the field and sent the offense back out.

Brooks leaped over center for the TD, giving New Orleans a 12-6 edge at halftime.

The Saints stretched the lead to 19-6 on the first series of the second half on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Donte’ Stallworth.

Dunn had his first big run of the game, a 16-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, to pull Atlanta within six at 19-13.

AP-ES-12-26-04 1702EST