Morning Report: Will Saints go marching on?

The leaders in the NFC East, those hated New York Giants (5-0) finally will begin playing NFL football this week. After a collection of the same winless slop the Eagles have been feasting on, the Giants run into the New Orleans Saints (4-0) on Sunday.

Since the Gints are the team the Eagles have to beat to win the division, it will be an interesting measuring stick.

The Saints routed the Birds, 48-22, and it wasn't really that close. The Saints could have gotten 60 if they had really wanted to give Drew Brees' arm a workout.

The Giants are ranked second in the NFL in offense and first in defense, which, given their schedule (Washington, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, and Oakland), means nothing.

The Saints were off last weekend, but beat up on the New York Jets the previous week, forcing quarterback Mark Sanchez into four turnovers, and scoring on a fumble recovery in the end zone plus a 99-yard interception return.

Given the amazing number of bad teams in the NFL this season, a matchup of quality teams is a rarity to savor.

The Giants will be at Lincoln Financial Field on Nov. 1. There's a legitimate chance the Eagles could be 5-1; the Gints (who have Arizona at home on Oct. 25) could match that.

Who will be last? Indianapolis, Denver, and Minnesota also are undefeated (and all are 5-0).

That brings up the interesting question of who will be the last unbeaten team? The Colts are off this weekend; but the Vikings host Baltimore on Sunday and the Broncos play at San Diego on Monday night.

It's possible both could go down this weekend, leaving just the Saints and the Colts undefeated.

In fact, the Vikings could go from 5-0 to 5-3 really fast, since they play at Pittsburgh and at Green Bay (in Brett Favre's return to Lambeau Field) the next two weeks.

The same could be true for the Broncos. If they survive in San Diego, they have a bye week to prepare for a game at Baltimore, then they host Pittsburgh on Monday night.

If the Saints beat the Giants, they could keep rolling for a while. They play at Miami (2-3), then host Atlanta (3-1) on Monday night, Nov. 2, before returning to the banquet table to feast on Carolina (1-3), St. Louis (0-5), and Tampa Bay (0-5).

The Saints host New England (3-2) on Nov. 30, but the Patriots have lost their mojo and, worse, their aura of invincibility.

New Orleans closes out its schedule with Washington (2-3), Atlanta, Dallas (3-2), Tampa Bay, and Carolina.

If you had to pick the week for the loss, the Dec. 13 game at Atlanta might be the one.

Indy comes off the bye to play St. Louis, San Francisco (3-2), and Houston (2-3), then hosts New England on Nov. 15.

The Colts could trip at Baltimore the next week, then run through Houston, Tennessee (0-5), Denver (at home), Jacksonville (2-3), the Jets (3-2) and Buffalo (1-4).

That team could run the table.

So what are the odds of a Super Bowl between a pair of 16-0 teams?

Astronomical. But it would be fun to watch a pair of 15-1 clubs decide the title, too.

dmckee@phillynews.com.

This article contains information from the Associated Press.