Week 11 By the Numbers: Falcons vs. Saints
The New Orleans Saints (8-2) defeated their NFC SOUTH rivals, the Atlanta Falcons (3-7) by the score of 24-9 Sunday afternoon, inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. With the victory, the Saints have won 7 consecutive games and move to 6-0 without QB Drew Brees over the last two years.
Here is a look inside the numbers from the Saints' Week 11 victory of the Falcons.
4: Alvin Kamara - The first NFL player to have 500+ yards rushing and 500+ yards receiving his first 4 Seasons.
© Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
What more can you say about Alvin Kamara's young NFL career? It has been nothing short of spectacular. Through 11 Weeks in 2020, Kamara is second in the NFL in scrimmage yards, railing only Vikings RB Dalvin Cook, and is on pace to finish with 850 rushing yards, 1,037 receiving yards, and 19 total TDs.
With 45 rushing yards on Sunday afternoon, Kamara surpassed 500 rushing yards on the season making him the first player in NFL history to post 500 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in each of his first four NFL seasons.
7: Taysom Hill's 78.3% completion rate is 7th Best in a QB's 1st start
© Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
No one knew what to expect this week when Taysom Hill was reported to be the Saints' starting quarterback. The Swiss Army Knife entered Sunday with only 18 career pass attempts and no meaningful starts at QB since BYU in 2016. Entering Week 11 there were no doubts about what Hill was capable of running the football but his accuracy and touch were in question.
Hill silenced the critics completing 18 of 23 passes for 223 yards, 0 TDs, and 0 INT. The former UDFA's completion rate of 78.3% against Atlanta is the 7th highest for a QB in their first NFL start (Min. 20 attempts).
Despite the question marks coming into the game, Hill pieced together a very good outing accounting for 284 yards of offense and finding the end-zone twice with his legs.
8.3: Saints Defense is allowing 8.3 Points/game over the last 3 weeks
© Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Just two weeks after holding Tom Brady the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to 3 points, the Saints hold Matt Ryan and the Falcons to 9 points en route to their 7th consecutive victory. The New Orleans defense over the last three weeks has been one of the best in the NFL. Since Week 9, the Saints are allowing just 8.3 Points per game, 238 yards per game, 9 forced turnovers, 13 sacks, and 21 tackles for loss.
The Saints defense looks to have turned the corner and are playing their best football to date. From the ferocious pass rush to the blanket coverage of the secondary the defense's intensity is at an all-time high and should be in the conversation of one of the best defenses in football.
21: Cameron Jordan records 21st Sack against Matt Ryan
© Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Some stats are just mesmerizing and you cannot seem to wrap your head around it... that is the case with Cameron Jordan's career sack total against Falcons QB Matt Ryan. No one has sacked a single NFL QB more than Saints DE Cameron Jordan has sacked 2016 NFL MVP, Matt Ryan.
Entering Sunday's action, Jordan had 18 career sacks in 18 games against the Falcons. Jordan added three more sacks to his total, all in the first half, moving him to 21 career sacks of Matt Ryan. The All-Pro DE has an opportunity to add on to his sack total of Ryan as the two sides will meet in Atlanta on December 6th.
482: Michael Thomas passes Jarvis Landry for Most Receptions in 1st 5 NFL Seasons
Nov 22, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) catches a pass over Atlanta Falcons free safety Ricardo Allen (37) during the second half at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Despite an injury-plagued start to the season, Saints All-Pro WR Michael Thomas has set another NFL record. In the first quarter of Sunday's contest, Thomas reeled in his 482nd career reception, surpassing former LSU star Jarvis Landry for the most in NFL history through a player's first 5 NFL seasons.
Thomas put together his best game of 2020 against Atlanta finishing the game with a team-high in catches (9) and yards (104). The 2019 Offensive Player of the Year has played only 4 games this season and still awaits his first touchdown grab of 2020.
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