The New Orleans Saints came into this game fresh off a bye week and got back both Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook. Instead of an offensive explosion, the Falcons kept the Saints out of the end zone and got the 26-9 victory.
Penalties were the story today. 11 penalties for 90 yards.
With the loss, New Orleans is now 7-2 overall on the season. Atlanta is 2-7 on the year.
How It Happened:
The first quarter both teams marched down the field and traded field goals.
The Falcons took their 2nd possession 75 yards down the field and scored on an 8-yard Matt Ryan touchdown pass to Austin Hooper giving Atlanta the 10-3 lead.
New Orleans and Atlanta would trade 3 and outs.
The Falcons would get their biggest play, a 54-yard pass to Julio Jones all the way to the Saints 18-yard line. That drive would stall out due to a Demario Davis sack. The Falcons made the 36-yard field goal, extending their lead to 13-3.
The Saints get the ball back with just under 2 minute and went down the field quickly but a couple big penalties keep them out of the end zone so they settled for a 47-yard field goal to cut the Falcon’s lead to 13-6 going into halftime.
New Orleans receive the ball first in the 3rd Quarter and quickly went 3 and out. A good Thomas Morstead punt pinned Atlanta back to their 10-yard line.
The Saints get things going once again with good field position and drive 28-yards on 9 plays. Will Lutz split the uprights to once again cut into the Falcon’s lead, 13-9.
The 4th Quarter started with Falcons driving 75-yards down the field capped off by a 10-yard Matt Ryan touchdown throw to Ryan Hill. Atlanta leads 20-9.
On the next drive, the Saints squander a big 46-yard kickoff return from D. Harris with a 3 and out.
The Falcons capitalized on a roughing the punter call to extend their next drive and are able to extend their lead 23-9 on a Koo field goal.
After a big Marcus Williams interception, the Saints turn the ball over on downs.
Atlanta’s Foo added another field goal to extend the lead to 26-9.
The Saints take one final drive and and come up just inches short of the end zone on the final play of the game.
Big Number: 90 penalty yards
That was the total amount of yardage the Saints were penalized today. The yellow flags extended the Falcons drives and killed any momentum the Saints tried to build.
Atlanta received 6 First Downs by penalty.
Player of the Game: Michael Thomas
Micheal Thomas caught 13 for 13 targets for 152 yards with an average of 11.7 yards per catch.
Next Up: Sunday away against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kickoff at noon.