NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans failed to score an offensive touchdown on Sunday, as the Atlanta Falcons came into the Caesars Superdome and left with a 24-10 victory.
With the victory, Atlanta now holds an advantage in the all-time rivalry series 57-56 that began in 1967.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After forcing a three-and-out by Atlanta to open the game, New Orleans’ offense took the field but quickly gave the ball right back to the Falcons. Tyler Shough fumbled the ball while trying to hand it off Alvin Kamara, and Dee Alford recovered it. New Orleans’ defense held, and Atlanta had to settle for a 56-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez.
Saints’ Mason Tipton took the ensuing kickoff for 75 yards to the Falcons’ 16-yard line. New Orleans was unable to take advantage of the great field position as three plays combined for minus five yards. The team had to settle for a 38-yard field goal by Blake Grupe, but he pushed it wide right.
Early in the second, Atlanta found the end zone with an eight-play, 77-yard drive, highlighted by a 32-yard run by Bijan Robinson. The Falcons capped the drive with Kirk Cousins finding David Sills, who got behind Alontae Taylor for a nine-yard touchdown.
With the offense struggling, New Orleans’ defense put points on the board later in the second as Justin Reid intercepted a tipped pass intended for Kyle Pitts and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown.
Atlanta would add 41-yard and 54-yard field goals by Gonzalez before halftime, while New Orleans could only muster a 47-yard field goal attempt by Grupe, who pushed it wide right.
At the break, Atlanta led 16-7.
New Orleans took the opening possession and went 74 yards on 15 plays, as the Saints got the ball all the way to the one-yard line. Kellen Moore opted to go for it, but Taysom Hill’s pass to Devaughn Vele was incomplete.
After forcing a quick three-and-out, New Orleans had a lengthy drive that reached the one-yard line, but the Saints were again unable to score a touchdown.
Shough was stuffed on a designed run on second down, and then the center snapped it early and over Hill’s head on third down. Instead of falling on it, Hill picked it up and threw it towards the end zone. The play was reviewed, and Hill was flagged for intentional grounding, which resulted in a loss of downs.
The Saints had to settle for a 33-yard field goal by Grupe.
The Falcons answered and did so quickly through the air as Cousins found Robinson open for a 32-yard pickup, and then found Darnell Mooney, who had beaten Kool-Aid McKinstry, for a 49-yard touchdown. Robinson punched it in the two-point conversion to make it 24-10.
New Orleans was unable to mount a comeback as the team’s final possession ended with Shough being picked off in the end zone.
BIG NUMBER: 126
With the strip-sack of Kirk Cousins in the first quarter on Sunday, Cameron Jordan reached 126 career sacks. That surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney for 19th all-time in NFL history.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: JUSTIN REID
The Louisiana native was second on the team with seven tackles and scored the lone Saints touchdown, as he returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown.
UP NEXT: The New Orleans Saints (2-9, 1-2) returns to action next Sunday when it travels to South Beach to take on the Miami Dolphins. Kickoff is set for noon.