Saints send Falcons to first loss
NEW ORLEANS – The Atlanta Falcons can forget about perfection, thanks to their resurgent rivals from the City that Care Forgot.
Of all the teams to end Atlanta’s unbeaten run, it had to be the New Orleans Saints. And it had to be a memorable, drama-filled game that left the Falcons frustrated by the 1 meager yard they could not get to take a lead inside the final 2 minutes of a 31-27 loss Sunday.
“It’s very frustrating,” said Falcons coach Mike Smith, who is 2-7 against the Saints and 49-15 against the rest of the NFL in his four-plus regular seasons as Atlanta coach. “We were close. … This will be something we will learn from.”
If the Falcons (8-1) want to beat the Saints (4-5) in their rematch in Atlanta on Nov. 29, it would help to learn how to stop dynamic young tight end Jimmy Graham, who caught seven passes for a career-best 146 yards and two touchdowns.
Still, Atlanta might have pulled it out, but Jabari Greer made a diving, touchdown-saving pass breakup on a late fourth-down pass intended for Roddy White.
“It’s not like they came out here and won a game today,” White said. “I think we kind of gave it to them. … We play them in three weeks and we’ll be ready.”
Greer’s play represented a measure of redemption for the veteran, who’d given up two long passes earlier in the game that led to Atlanta scores.
“I was kind of depressed before that play,” Greer said. “I saw my name on the waiver wire. … Being able to go out there and make a play for our team and be able to celebrate after everything that happened and just to win that way, it’s a gift.”
New Orleans rushed for 148 yards, highlighted by former Washington State running back Chris Ivory’s career-long 56-yard scoring run that gave the Saints a spark after Atlanta had a 10-0 lead.
Saints 31, Falcons 27
| Atlanta | 10 | 7 | 0 | 10 | — | 27 |
| New Orleans | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | — | 31 |
Atl—Johnson 1 pass from Ryan (Bryant kick)
Atl—FG Bryant 37
NO—Ivory 56 run (Hartley kick)
NO—Graham 29 pass from Brees (Hartley kick)
Atl—Gonzalez 2 pass from Ryan (Bryant kick)
NO—Graham 14 pass from Brees (Hartley kick)
NO—Colston 7 pass from Brees (Hartley kick)
Atl—Gonzalez 6 pass from Ryan (Bryant kick)
Atl—FG Bryant 20
NO—FG Hartley 31
A—73,126.
| Atl | NO | |
| First downs | 25 | 21 |
| Total Net Yards | 454 | 440 |
| Rushes-yards | 18-46 | 29-148 |
| Passing | 408 | 292 |
| Punt Returns | 3-9 | 1-2 |
| Kickoff Returns | 0-0 | 2-45 |
| Interceptions Ret. | 1-13 | 1-0 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 34-52-1 | 21-32-1 |
| Sacked-Yrds Lost | 1-3 | 1-6 |
| Punts | 3-46.7 | 5-50.0 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Penalties-Yards | 6-53 | 5-35 |
| Time of Poss. | 32:35 | 27:25 |
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Atlanta, Rodgers 3-29, Turner 13-15, Ryan 2-2. New Orleans, Ivory 7-72, Ingram 16-67, P.Thomas 5-10, Brees 1-(minus 1).
PASSING—Atlanta, Ryan 34-52-1-411. New Orleans, Brees 21-32-1-298.
RECEIVING—Atlanta, Gonzalez 11-122, White 7-114, Jones 4-75, Douglas 4-49, Rodgers 4-33, Snelling 2-12, Palmer 1-5, Johnson 1-1. New Orleans, Graham 7-146, Moore 7-91, Colston 3-26, Cadet 2-16, Ivory 1-13, P.Thomas 1-6.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.