Brees leads Saints to big win over Packers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Quarterback Drew Brees threw four touchdown passes to lift the New Orleans Saints to a 51-29 rout of the visiting Green Bay Packers on Monday.

Lance Moore caught two of the passes, one for 70 yards, and Pierre Thomas rushed for another two touchdowns.

Deuce McAllister set a franchise record with his 54th career touchdown as the Saints delighted a capacity crowd at the Louisiana Superdome with an impressive offensive performance, blowing open the game with 21 points in the third quarter.

"We spread the ball around pretty good," New Orleans coach Sean Payton told reporters. "We moved the ball well all night, Drew (Brees) was very comfortable out there and we did a lot of good things out there tonight."

The Saints improved to 6-5, keeping their playoff hopes alive despite being last in the NFC South.

"We had to have the win obviously," Payton added. "It was the right time to get the offence going."

Brees was 20-of-26 for 323 yards as New Orleans tied a team record for points scored in a game while getting back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

McAllister received a tumultuous ovation after the touchdown in what may have been his last game in New Orleans. He is appealing against a four-game suspension handed down by the NFL after he tested positive for a banned diuretic.

"We couldn't be happier for him," Payton said of the record- breaking touchdown. "His team mates, all the fans here had a chance to witness that. It was pretty special."

Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes and ran for another but was intercepted three times as the Packers (5-6) fell out of a first place tie in the NFC Central with Chicago and Minnesota.

"We didn't slow them down at all tonight," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. "Give credit to the Saints and the play of their quarterback. He was on fire coming into the game and we didn't cool him off any."

(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto; Editing by Ed Osmond)