Brees breaks mark, Saints top Falcons

When New Orleans took the field Monday night to face the Atlanta Falcons, the host Saints looked to secure the NFC South title and Drew Brees hoped to become the single-season passing yardage record-holder. Both feats were accomplished.

Brees broke Dan Marino's record with 307 yards in the Saints' 45-16 win. The Saints (12-3) won their second NFC South title in three years and improved to 7-0 at home, marking the first time in franchise history that New Orleans has won seven regular-season home games.

Atlanta, which secured a wild-card berth when the Bears lost Sunday night, dropped to 9-6.

Brees came in with 4,780 yards and needed 305 to break Marino's record of 5,084 set in 1984. Brees also became the first NFL quarterback to throw for more than 5,000 yards in two seasons (2011, 2008).

Good news for RomoAll the negative tests on quarterback Tony Romo's bruised throwing hand are positives for the Cowboys. Coach Jason Garrett said Monday that the swelling is going down and that a number of different tests have confirmed the original diagnosis that nothing is broken in Romo's right hand. The Cowboys hope he can practice Wednesday, and all indications are that Romo will be ready for Sunday night's game against the Giants.

"It looks like it is getting better. All the X-rays and tests that have come back are negative," Garrett said. "We hope in the next couple of days with treatment he'll be able to take a snap and hold a football and throw it the way he needs to."

When asked if Romo can grip a football, Garrett said, "He has a relatively firm handshake."

Garrett said it's not complicated what he wants to see this week from Romo. He wants to make sure he can take a snap, grip the ball, throw it and hand it off. "[The snap] is the first thing you have to evaluate, and then how's he gripping it?'' Garrett said. "How accurate is he when he's throwing it? Does everything have to be perfect for him to throw it well? Because as you know, that position is a spontaneous one, and he's certainly a spontaneous quarterback."

Peterson to start 2012?

The Vikings expect star running back Adrian Peterson to be recovered from surgery to repair the ACL and MCL in his left knee in time to start the 2012 season. He will undergo surgery within the next seven to 10 days, trainer Eric Sugarman said.

-- AP