By By BRETT MARTEL, AP Sports Writer
NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees trotted to the sidelines saluting the crowd as the chant ‘‘M-V-P’’ resonated throughout the Louisiana Superdome.
More than five minutes still remained in the first quarter, but a celebration of the Saints’ storybook return to New Orleans — and the playoffs — had already begun.
In a game without postseason implications, the Saints’ regular-season finale against the Carolina Panthers became more of a massive pep rally for New Orleans fans, who on New Year’s Eve had more to cheer about than most would have anticipated a year ago.
That the Saints lost 31-21 on Sunday, playing mostly backups, hardly mattered.
With the revamped Saints (10-6) set to host their first playoff game in the rebuilt Superdome, coach Sean Payton removed a number of starters early in hopes of keeping his club as healthy as possible.
Jake Delhomme and the Panthers’ starters pulled away against the Saints’ reserves, but there would be no booing of the home team this time. Brees, Reggie Bush and numerous other players shook hands and socialized with cheering fans along the edge of the field before finally heading into the locker room.
Brees played only one full series and was 4-of-5 for 46 yards. He led a scoring drive that ended with Bush’s short touchdown run that put New Orleans up 7-0.
Coming back from complicated offseason throwing shoulder surgery that left his future in doubt, Brees finished the regular season with career-best 4,418 yards passing and MVP credentials. His 26 touchdown passes were one short of tying his career regular-season best of 2004.
The Saints ‘‘had that confidence in me and that belief in me,’’ Brees continued. ‘‘The reason I’m here is because they had as much confidence in me as I did.’’
Payton gave running back Deuce McAllister the day off. New Orleans, which was 3-13 last year, will be the second seed in the NFC playoffs.
Bush played little more than a quarter. On defense, New Orleans rested several starters, including Pro Bowl defensive end Will Smith.
Carolina (8-8), the preseason favorite in the NFC south, was out of postseason contention by the time they took the field Sunday.
Yet, with a chance to avoid a losing season and sweep the season series against the NFC South champs, the Panthers kept most of their starters in late into the fourth quarter.
Returning from a thumb injury that had kept him out for three games, Delhomme completed his first four passes and hit Steve Smith with a 22-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7.
Delhomme was 23-of-27 for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Smith, who had 85 yards receiving.
New Orleans regained the lead early in the second quarter, when Jamaal Branch, an NFL Europe prospect who had spent most of the season on the practice squad, turned a short pass into a 7-yard touchdown from Jamie Martin.
The Panthers went ahead 28-14 in the third quarter after Chris Gamble’s 18-yard interception return TD and Delhomme’s 15-yard scoring pass to Smith.
Delhomme, a Louisiana native and former Saint, paused and smiled when asked if he was happy the Saints were playoff bound in their first season back in New Orleans after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina.