New Orleans @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 16, 2014 ) Cincinnati 27, New Orleans 10

Drew Brees has achieved a pair of major milestones this season and another is within his reach when the New Orleans Saints visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. Winners of seven in a row, the red-hot Saints have to be mindful of a letdown after handing the Los Angeles Rams their first loss last weekend to move into a tie for the NFC's top record.

New Orleans also could unveil its latest acquisition with the potential debut of wide receiver Dez Bryant, who was signed by the club on Tuesday. "We’re welcoming all dogs, all beasts to the Saints,” running back Mark Ingram said after Bryant practiced for the first time with the club on Thursday, although coach Sean Payton was non-committal over whether the former Dallas Cowboys star would play. While New Orleans was beefing up its passing game, the Bengals are trying to figure out how to deal with the absence of No. 1 wideout A.J. Green, who is expected to miss at least two games due to a toe injury sustained in a win over Tampa Bay before last weekend's bye. “You’re losing the best player on our team,” Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said. “We’ll have to see the plan and what teams are going to do now with him not out there, and we’ll have to adjust.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Saints -5.5. O/U: 54

ABOUT THE SAINTS (7-1): Brees threw for 346 yards and four touchdows in last week's 45-35 win over the Rams to give him 18 scoring passes (versus one interception) for the season and leave him two shy of tying Brett Favre (508) for second place on the all-time list. The addition of Bryant will provide a complement to Michael Thomas, who erupted for 12 catches for 211 yards and a TD last week, pushing his season totals to 70 receptions and 880 yards. Running back Alvin Kamara rushed for a pair of touchdowns and added one through the air against the Rams to give him 12 scores on the season. The Saints are No. 1 against the rush (76.4 yards per game) but are vulnerable versus the pass (311.4).

ABOUT THE BENGALS (5-3): Despite a second-half collapse, Cincinnati averted a third consecutive defeat entering its bye on a last-second field goal in a 37-34 victory over the Buccaneers. Running back Joe Mixon rushed two touchdowns and 114 of his season-high 123 yards in the first half and Dalton threw for 280 yards and a pair of scores. While Green had five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown, Dalton hooked up with Tyler Boyd nine times for a season-high 138 yards and a score, marking the third 100-yard game of the year for Boyd. Dalton will have to find another target to compensate for a defense that is yielding a NFL-worst 447.8 yards giving up an average of 29.6 points.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kamara needs 82 yards rushing and 47 receiving to join Herschel Walker as the only players with 1,300 yards in each category in their first 25 games.

2. Boyd has at least 100 yards receiving in his last three against NFC opponents.

3. Brees leads the NFL in completion percentage (76.3) and passer rating (120.6).

PREDICTION: Saints 30, Bengals 22