'Stack Wins!': Atlanta Falcons Reveal Goal After 'Important' Win vs. New Orleans Saints
The Atlanta Falcons (5-6) are back atop the NFC South after their 24-15 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in a game that felt like a must-win.
“I think this game is always going to be a big game just because of the rivalry," Calais Campbell said after the win. "I think with where we’re at in our season, the way things have gone, this was an important game, and we knew the potential that it had for us. I think that this team is a team that has underachieved for a while. We could’ve been playing so much better than we’ve been playing. But all of that does not matter anymore. ... We need to keep going forward, keep building on it, and stack wins."
Coming out of their bye week, the Falcons sat at 4-6, which put them second in the division behind only the Saints. After kicking off the season 2-0, Atlanta stumbled, losing six of their next eight games, which included a three-game losing streak. Despite that, a win on Sunday meant they moved to first in the division, in part thanks to their 3-0 record versus NFC South opponents.
Amid the struggles, the Falcons had uncertainty at quarterback. Second-year starter Desmond Ridder came under fire as turnovers plagued the former third-round pick's play.
Nov 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) and safety Richie Grant (27) react after defeating the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
It wasn't until after halftime of the Falcons Week 8 loss to the Tennessee Titans that a switch was made at quarterback, which saw Ridder benched in favor of Heinicke. However, even with the switch under center, the Falcons couldn't pull off the comeback versus the Titans. At the same time, they let leads get away in losses to the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals.
During that loss to the Cardinals right before the bye week, Ridder got his first snaps since his benching as Heinicke was sidelined with a hamstring injury. While the Falcons ultimately didn't beat the Cardinals, Ridder's performance off the bench was enough to warrant him regaining the starting role coming out of the bye week.
While Ridder's first start since being benched did see him throw two interceptions in the win over the Saints, he did show flashes of the Falcons' hopes he could be their long-term starter, like his early 25-yard completion off play-action to Drake London, and his 26-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson that extend Atlanta's lead to 21-12.
The Falcons will undoubtedly need more of the good and less of the bad from Ridder as they hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The Falcons' quest to make the postseason will see them go on the road Sunday to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Jets (4-7). Kickoff inside MetLife Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
