The Washington Redskins entered the game strongly, with a solid drive straight down the field, but blitz, a fumble, and a penalty all worked against the Redskins, and forced a 37-yard field goal. However, they stifled the Saints offense and scored a quick touchdown later. The Saints answered back with a touchdown from the goal line, and limit the Redskins to a field goal. The surprising Redskins offense was hindered in the second quarter, as were the Saints, but in the beginning of the fourth, the Saints opened up with a field goal, which the Redskins quickly answered.  In a key play, the Saints converted a 4th-and-5 play late in the fourth quarter, down 16-10, which led to another key 16-yard throw on third down on the 2 minute warning. Reggie Bush made a dash to the twenty-yard line two plays later, and the Saints took their second time out with 1:01 left in the 4th quarter. On 4th and 8 with 53 seconds left, Carlos Rogers knocked the ball down and sealed the Saints' fate.  With the loss, the Saints fell to 9-5, but because the Carolina Panthers fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers (along with the Atlanta Falcons falling to the Dallas Cowboys), they clinched the NFC South and a spot in the playoffs.
Who clinched the NFC South despite losing the game?
the Saints