NEW ORLEANS - Running, throwing, or throwing on the run, Donovan McNabb has still got it. McNabb passed for 263 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 38-23 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (5) is pursued by New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Hollis Thomas (99) in their NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

In losing, the Saints (7-8) would be eliminated from playoff contention if the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Washington Redskins later Sunday night.

McNabb no longer showed any effects of his rehabilitation from knee surgery over the summer or an ankle sprain in midseason.

His 40-yard scramble on the third play led to a bizarre touchdown after his fumble was recovered in the end zone by Kevin Curtis. McNabb also used his scrambling ability to neutralize the Saints' pass rush.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 289 yards and a touchdown, but lost his best receiver when Marques Colston left the game in the first half with a chest contusion.

Still, the Saints were in position to tie the game at 21 on the opening drive of the second half when David Patten nearly scored on a short first-down pass.

Coach Sean Payton thought Patten had crossed the goal line and challenged the ruling, but the call was upheld, setting up second-and-goal from the 1. The Eagles then stuffed New Orleans on three straight running plays to preserve their one-touchdown lead, taking over possession at their own 2.

Philadelphia followed with a 15-play, 98-yard, seven-minute scoring drive that McNabb capped with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis, giving the Eagles a 31-17 lead late in the third quarter.

McNabb also had touchdown passes of 31 yards to Reggie Brown and 7 yards to Curtis. Correll Buckhalter scored the Eagles' other touchdown on a 20-yard run in the first quarter.

Curtis had six catches for 78 yards, while Brown caught six passes for 73 yards.

Aaron Stecker scored both New Orleans touchdowns on short runs in the first half.

Both teams entered the game with highly ranked run defenses. The Eagles came in fifth in the league, giving up an average of 94.6 yards rushing, and the Saints came in eighth (97.6).

Philadelphia finished with 184 rushing yards, 100 coming on Brian Westbrook's 17 carries.

New Orleans managed only 65 yards rushing, with Stecker gaining 49.

Still, the Saints drove inside Philadelphia's 30 twice in the fourth quarter. Touchdowns on those possessions could have tied the game, but the Eagles responded to force Martin Gramatica's field goals of 35 and 46 yards, leaving New Orleans down 31-23 with 7:19 left.

Philadelphia needed one more scoring drive to put the game away and got it. Buckhalter started with a 34-yard kickoff return to the Saints 44. McNabb got the Eagles inside the 20 with a 26-yard pass down the sideline to Curtis, then used a short pass to Brian Westbrook to convert a third-and-2 play. Three plays later, McNabb found Curtis again for the score, which sent fans streaming for the exits with 2:33 to go.

The game got off to a wild start, with five combined touchdowns in the first quarter, the first being the strangest.

McNabb ran a bootleg on third-and-short on his own 36 and ended up running to the Saints 24 before Saints safety Josh Bullocks punched the ball loose. Saints cornerback Mike McKenzie was the first to the ball, but it squirted away and into the end zone, where Curtis recovered for an Eagles touchdown.

Making matters worse for New Orleans, McKenzie sprained his knee on the play and left the game.

New Orleans stormed back to take a 14-7 lead on Stecker's runs, the first set up by Brees' 52-yard pass to Devery Henderson, the second by Will Smith's fumble recovery on the Eagles 33.

The Eagles responded with the next two scores, however, the first on Buckhalter's run and the second on McNabb's pass to Reggie Brown, who beat McKenzie's replacement, rookie Usama Young.