FINAL: Atlanta Falcons Retake First Place in NFC South After 24-15 Win vs. New Orleans Saints
It is gameday again as the Atlanta Falcons come off their bye week with a chance to retake first place in the race for the NFC South with a win over the New Orleans Saints.
While both teams will take the field inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium coming off a loss, the Falcons are the team looking to end a three-game losing streak that saw them surrender control of the division. After losing six of their last eight, the Falcons are two games below .500 (4-6), and being fresh off the bye week, a win could go a long way in getting the season back on track.
On the other hand, the Saints had a two-game winning streak broken in their Week 10 27-19 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, despite the loss, which dropped them to 5-5, they still maintain a one-game lead over the Falcons in the division.
Dec 18, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (4) but it called back for a fack mask penalty during the second half at Caesars Superdome.
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
The Falcons could turn the page on a struggle some last eight weeks with a win at home over the Saints, in a game where they had extra time to prepare and decide who their starting quarterback would be.
After a hamstring injury knocked Taylor Heinicke out of the loss to the Arizona Cardinals, second-year signal caller Desmond Ridder was forced to come off the bench to save the Falcons from suffering their third-straight defeat. While Ridder ultimately led Atlanta on a lead-changing touchdown drive that saw him find the endzone on a 12-yard run, it wasn't enough to beat the Cardinals.
However, the performance off the bench from the University of Cincinnati product, who was benched at halftime of the loss to the Tennessee Titans loss in favor of Heinicke, who would start the next two games, did enough to earn the starting job back.
This brings Ridder's two-year stint with the Falcons full circle, as it was against the Saints last year that he made his first career start.
However, the Falcons will be hoping for more from their now more experienced quarterback and their team that came into the season with expectations of making the postseason.
Kickoff between the Falcons and Saints is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
WHAT: New Orleans Saints (5-5, 3-3 Road) at Atlanta Falcons (4-6, 3-2 Home)
WHERE: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA (75,000)
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, 1 p.m. ET
TELEVISION: FOX / FuboTV (try it free)
RADIO: WZGC-FM 92.9 The Game
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Betting via SI SportsBook
SPREAD: Falcons +1.5
TOTAL: 41.5
MONEYLINE: Saints -125, Falcons +100
First Quarter
The Saints went three-and-out after a completion to Chris Olave and only picked up a yard on third-down.
Change of Possession
The Falcons also saw their first drive end after just three plays, as Ridder couldn't find a completion on either of his two throws, even after a five-yard Bijan Robinson run.
Change of Possession
The Saints opened the drive with a 50-yard strike from Derek Carr to Chris Olave, which set them up on the Falcons' side of the 50-yard line. From there, the Saints would march all the way down to the Atlanta seven-yard line, where two straight incompletions from Carr forced them to settle for a field goal.
FIELD GOAL SAINTS
Saints 3, Falcons 0
Change of Possession
The Falcons had a promising drive going as Robinson picked up 11 yards on the first two plays before Ridder found London for a gain of 25 yards. However, despite being inside the range of Younghoe Koo, the Falcons decided to go for it on fourth-and-two, where a read option quarterback keeper for Ridder was stuffed for a loss.
Change of Possession
Carr found both of his tight ends Juwan Johnson for a gain of 23 yards and later Tayson Hill for 36, before safety Jessie Bates intercepted Carr's pass intended for Shaheed. Bates returned the pick 92 yards for a touchdown.
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS
Falcons 7, Saints 3
Change of Possession
Second Quarter
The Saints managed to tack on another field goal as a 15-yard penalty on the Falcons for taunting helped set them up in scoring position.
FIELD GOAL SAINTS
Falcons 7, Saints 6
Change of Possession
The Falcons offense finds the endzone as Ridder led a 10-play drive that spanned 78 yards. Ridder completed all four of his passes for 34 yards while adding another 27 with his legs before Robinson took a run 10 yards for a touchdown.
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS
Falcons 14, Saints 6
Change of Possession
Another long drive for the Saints yielded only three points as Carr had two straight incompletions on second and third down.
FIELD GOAL SAINTS
Falcons 14, Saints 9
Change of Possession
The Falcons had another very promising drive as veteran back Cordarrelle Patterson got going on the ground. Patterson had three rushes for 31 yards as he helped set up Atlanta in the redzone. However, a Ridder interception saw the drive end on the Saints' 10-yard line.
Change of Possession
The Saints took a knee to go to halftime.
Third Quarter
The Falcons opened the second-half with an 11-yard completion to Kyle Pitts and a 17-yard run for Robinson as they quickly marched into Saints' territory. After a five-yard Tyler Allgeier run, a run from Ridder was stopped for a loss of three before his pass on third-down fell incomplete.
Change of Possession
The Falcons almost got off the field with a takeaway as, during a Carr scramble, David Oneyemata knocked the ball loose, yet unluckily for Atlanta, the Saints recovered the loose ball. Instead, of leaving the field empty-handed, the Saints offense set up another field goal, this time from 45 yards.
FIELD GOAL SAINTS
Falcons 14, Saints 12
Change of Possession
The Falcons couldn't answer the Saints' score as Ridder threw his second pick to Tyrann Mathieu as he was looking for Van Jefferson.
Change of Possession
Carr found Hill again for 19 yards before Kamara picked up 16 on a run. However, that is where Jessie Bates would create another takeaway as he punched the ball out of Hill's grasp as he gained 10 yards on another completion.
Change of Possession
Fourth Quarter
Following his second interception Ridder bounced back completing all four of his passes including a 26-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson. It is the second touchdown for Robinson as it capped off a nine-play 95-yard drive.
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS
Falcons 21, Saints 12
Change of Possession
A 29-yard run from Lynn Bowden helped set the Saints up inside Falcons territory before Carr found Kamara for a 16-yard gain. Then, an offensive holding penalty backed up the Saints as they were forced to settle for a fifth field goal.
FIELD GOAL SAINTS
Falcons 21, Saints 15
Change of Possession
The Falcons managed a field goal as they pushed their lead to two scores as Younghoe Koo drilled the 39-yard attempt.
FIELD GOAL FALCONS
Falcons 24, Saints 15
Change of Possession
A nine-play drive for the Saints ended in a missed field goal as kicker Blake Grupe missed the 54-yard attempt.
FINAL: Falcons 24, Saints 15
