by LES EAST; Special to The Advocate; , The Advocate

They have averaged an NFL-best 39.7 points in rolling to a 6-0 record, having won every game by at least 12 points. That's put them on pace to score about 635 points, which would break the NFL record of 589 set by New England when it went 16-0 two seasons ago.

New Orleans has scored 238 points - the second-most in NFL history through six games, trailing only the 262 scored by St. Louis in 2000. It scored 45 in the season opener against Detroit and came back with 48 a week later at Philadelphia, giving the Saints back-to-back 40-point games for the first time. They also became the fourth team in NFL history and the first in more than 40 years to open a season with back-to-back games of at least 45 points.

The Saints had scored 45 or more points in a game just five times in the franchise's 42 years before this season, and now they've done it four times in six games.

Last season the Saints' scoring burden fell almost exclusively on the offense as the defense didn't score any points. In fact, from the middle of the 2003 season through the end of last season the defense had scored just four touchdowns in the last 87 games, all coming in 2007. Last season, though, the special teams did kick in three touchdowns on punt returns by Reggie Bush.

Already this season the defense has scored five touchdowns. Darren Sharper has three interception returns for touchdowns and Tracy Porter has one. Defensive tackle Remi Ayodele fell on a fumble in the end zone after end Will Smith caused a fumble by Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Additionally, takeaways by the defense - it has a league-leading 18 - and big plays by the special teams have set up 41 other points.

"If you charted the 18 takeaways and the five that have been for touchdowns and then look at the other 13 and the kind of points that they led to, it's significant," coach Sean Payton said. "That statistic is one area that's glaringly different for all of us. It has helped us a bunch as a team.

"You hear each week talk about this Saints team is scoring 39 points per game, and I think the myth initially is that the offense is scoring all those points. The reality of it is that there are turnovers involved in there. There's a lot that goes into a number like that that can get skewed."

Linebacker Scott Shanle has three takeaways that have led to three touchdowns - an interception against the Eagles and fumble recoveries against the Giants and the Dolphins, both of which were caused by safety Roman Harper. The defense also deserves credit for stopping the Bills on downs at their 25, setting up a touchdown.

"I think something we've learned the hard way over the last three years is the turnover ratio," quarterback Drew Brees said, "and I think (Payton's) ability to really help guys understand how much that means, the difference between winning and losing according to that statistic, taking care of the Football and being able to take it away on defense, is critical and it's something this year we've done a great job with."

The special teams have yet to contribute a touchdown and in fact they have hampered the scoring tally as John Carney has missed a 49-yard field goal, a 34-yarder was blocked, and Carney missed a PAT, which later led the Saints to go for two and they failed. A little better efficiency would have yielded seven more points, but that's nit-picking.

On the positive side from the special teams, rookie Malcolm Jenkins has had a hand in setting up 10 points. He caused a fumble that Chris Reis recovered in kickoff coverage against the Eagles, setting up a touchdown. Jenkins caused and recovered a fumble on punt coverage against the Bills, leading to a field goal.

Courtney Roby's 87-yard kickoff return against the Dolphins last Sunday set up a field goal.

All the help from the defense and the special teams is nice, but it's still Brees and the offense that are the primary force at work here. Eleven different Saints have scored touchdowns on offense through six games.

The Saints have averaged 8.5 points in the first quarter, 10.8 in the second, 8.0 in the third, and 12.3 in the fourth. The only quarters in which it has not scored was the third against the Bills and the third against the Jets.

The fourth is the highest-scoring quarter even though most games have been in hand by then. New Orleans had never trailed until last week.

"Our mentality is always an aggressive one," Brees said. "Even in the third and fourth quarters when it's a three-possession game, we're still firing away, which is what we'd be doing anyway, regardless of the situation, just because that's our mentality."

By the numbers

The Saints are on pace to score 635 points this season, which woud break the NFL record of 589 set by the New England Patriots in 2007.

Points this season: 238.

Points per game: 39.7.

Games scoring 45 or more: 4.

Average margin of victory: 18.5

Defensive touchdowns: 5.

Record against point spread: 6-0.

Falcons at Saints

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Monday.

WHERE: Superdome, New Orleans.

TV: ESPN.

RADIO: WYPY-FM, 100.7

Injury report

ATLANTA Falcons at NEW ORLEANS Saints - Falcons: DNP: DT Thomas Johnson (calf), RB Jerious Norwood (hip), RB Jason Snelling (hamstring). LIMITED: DE John Abraham (foot), DT Jonathan Babineaux (ankle), T Sam Baker (ankle), S Antoine Harris (knee), CB Christopher Owens (shoulder). FULL: LB Tony Gilbert (knee), C Mike Schneck (back). Saints : DNP: DT Sedrick Ellis (knee), LB Scott Fujita (calf), CB Tracy Porter (foot). LIMITED: S Usama Young (glute). FULL: T Jermon Bushrod (thumb), K John Carney (left hip), LB Jonathan Casillas (hip), G Jahri Evans (toe), C Jonathan Goodwin (ankle), CB Malcolm Jenkins (ankle), LB Marvin Mitchell (foot), TE Jeremy Shockey (shoulder), T Jon Stinchcomb (knee), CB Leigh Torrence (hamstring).

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