Falcons vs. Saints: NFL Week 18 Live Updates and Notes

The Saints have to take care of their own business with the Falcons before worrying about anything else.

Author:
John Hendrix
Updated:
Jan 7, 2024 4:01 PM EST
Original:
Jan 7, 2024

In this story:

NEW ORLEANS -- By now, everyone should know what's at stake and what needs to happen for the Saints to get into postseason. None of that matters unless they start things off with a win over the Falcons, however. Stay tuned here for all of the latest and greatest from the Superdome, which will include live notes and observations from Week 18's game.

Pregame

Not having Alvin Kamara for the regular season finale is a bummer. No, I don't think he's played his last game for the Saints either. However, we do wonder if we'll see Michael Thomas or Marshon Lattimore in New Orleans next season.
The reactions from another report on Dennis Allen returning for 2024 as the head coach has been something to see. While a vast majority are disappointed, here's the long and short of it. Allen brought in Derek Carr and Carr will be their guy next season. They aren't giving up on it after just one year. Don't expect a quarterback to be drafted either, not that they would have in the first place with their top two picks.
Again, the rooting guide for today: Panthers, Cardinals and Bears. We'll know where New Orleans stands after the first slate of games.
No Taylor Heinicke for the Falcons today should mean a lot of running for Desmond Ridder and company. They gashed New Orleans the last time these two met in Week 12.
Regardless of how today plays out, some things to look for in the next day or two: Opponents for 2024, offseason calendar, draft position, reserve/future deals, free agents and much more from us.
Saints will be introducing their defense today. If they can play like they did last week, this should be a pretty good day.
Could be nothing, could be something, but Michael Thomas is no longer a part of the Saints introduction video.

First Quarter - Falcons 14, Saints 7

Scoring

Falcons, 8:42 - Jonnu Smith 15-yard reception from Desmond Ridder. (7-79, 3:39)
Saints, 5:01 - A.T. Perry 18-yard reception from Derek Carr. (7-75, 3:41)
Falcons, 4:13 - Bijan Robinson 71-yard reception from Desmond Ridder. (2-75, 0:48)

Notes

Really loved that personnel grouping to open the game. Saints had all their tight ends out on the field with Taysom Hill and Rashid Shaheed. Hill was in the backfield and got the quick pass to go for 11 yards with some great blocking.
Falcons came with some good pressure off the right side to get to Derek Carr on 3rd-and-6. New Orleans was fortunate to pounce on the forced fumble.
Johnathan Abram gets the start with Tyrann Mathieu for a second straight week. He had a really nice game against the Bucs last week.
Nice read and tackle by Demario Davis on Bijan Robinson to start defensively.
Someone whiffed on their assignment on the Scotty Miller hookup. He was wide open as everything and picked up 56 yards.
MyCole Pruitt picked up a unnecessary roughness penalty after Robinson got the Falcons inside the 5-yard-line on a run. He got in Carl Granderson's face after the play and gave him a little face mask contact.
Saints defense looked pretty rough aside the first play. Ridder had a pretty easy time finding Jonnu Smith for the touchdown.
Offense picks up a false start penalty to begin the ensuing drive via Max Garcia. This is not how you want to respond following the Falcons scoring drive.
Nice hookup on 2nd-and-11 from Derek Carr to Rashid Shaheed. It went for 20 yards and then Clark Phillips III came in with an extra shot to give New Orleans 15 more.
That's some effort by Taysom Hill to pick up some extra yards after Kaden Elliss had him wrapped up.
Kendre Miller got his first touch in a long time and picked up 9 yards on the ground.
That was a pretty hookup from Derek Carr to A.T. Perry over A.J. Terrell Jr. Seriously a great throw and catch.
It took the Falcons two plays to respond. I don't know what is going on with the Saints defense, but someone like Bijan Robinson got wide open and took it to the house on a 71-yard catch and run. Marshon Lattimore might be a player you miss right now.
Expected to see a lot more Taysom Hill on the ground in this game. That element has been missing for the past few games.
Big time hookup to Chris Olave on 3rd-and-7 to keep the drive going. Carr found him after some good protection to pick up 14 yards.

Second Quarter - Saints 17, Falcons 17

Scoring

Saints, 11:04 - Kendre Miller 3-yard run. (16-75, 8:09)
Saints, 0:56 - Blake Grupe 24-yard field goal. (8-32, 1:32)
Falcons, 0:00 - Younghoe Koo 30-yard field goal. (10-63, 0:56)

Notes

Like how the Saints are using a lot more motion. That 4th Down play was easy to convert to Juwan Johnson. Falcons were confused.
The last thing I would have expected from the Saints was a Taysom Hill-like run off the snap with Derek Carr, but it picked up 6 yards.
Kendre Miller was put in a pretty bad spot on the pitch out, but what an effort by him to get back inside and stretch for the goal line. It wasn't a touchdown at first and Dennis Allen threw the challenge flag, but it wasn't necessary after John Hussey's crew got together and deemed it a touchdown.
Ugo Amadi started in the slot on the ensuing defensive series. Alontae Taylor is on the sidelines. It's unclear whether or not he got benched or if they're just making some adjustments.
The holding call hurt the Falcons for sure, as New Orleans was able to force their first punt. The 3rd-and-11 play didn't have a chance really.
Kendre Miller had an excellent run on the 1st Down play to pick up 12. That's some confidence building for sure.
For someone like Calais Campbell to get Taysom Hill on a play that could have went for a lot more, that's something. It went down as a 1-yard sack.
Nice response on the next play with Carr finding Olave for a gain of 16.
That's a really odd play call out of a timeout to run up the middle with Kendre Miller on 3rd-and-6. I guess they're playing the field position game, but why not try to take a shot on something?
Alontae Taylor was out there during the commercial timeout at first, but then Ugo Amadi came in for him. Taylor ended up playing on the 1st Down but then Amadi came in for him.
Really nice job by Johnathan Abram on the Desmond Ridder run to the outside. New Orleans got worked by him and the other Falcons rushers last time.
Another week and another shanked punt that benefits the Saints. Bradley Pinion knew it was bad, getting just a 27-yard punt off. Saints have excellent field position on the Falcons 38-yard-line.
Not sure what LaCale London was thinking, but he jumped right before the two-minute warning to give New Orleans a free 5 yards. Calais Campbell did it two plays later.
Didn't look like Jamaal Williams got a good block on the Taysom Hill run. That could have ended differently.
Atlanta has been able to move well in the two-minute offense. Kyle Pitts had a nice sideline catch to help them out. Falcons poised to add at least a field goal late.
At the half, Desmond Ridder is 14/16 for 231 yards and 2 touchdowns for a 158.3 rating.

Third Quarter - Saints 31, Falcons 17

Scoring

Saints, 13:01 - Chris Olave 26-yard reception from Derek Carr. (2-25, 0:35)
Saints, 8:54 - Rashid Shaheed 39-yard reception from Derek Carr. (5-80, 2:41)

Notes

Demario Davis has been flying around out there. He made a nice play on Tyler Allgeier to force a loss on the first play.
For everything Alontae Taylor has gone through today, he was able to pick off a Desmond Ridder pass intended for Kyle Pitts. He also had a nice return on the play. Huge for New Orleans.
That was an outstanding job by Chris Olave to get the touchdown catch from Derek Carr. That's a lot of concentration and focus for Olave, and the Superdome had a tremendous reaction. Getting points off a turnover is big, especially when it's a touchdown.
Great job defensively for the Saints following that scoring drive. Paulson Adebo almost got a second pick on Desmond Ridder on a pass intended for Drake London.
This is the version of Kendre Miller we were waiting to and expecting to see all season. That's a tough 18-yard pickup on the ground to start the drive.
Strong hookup to Juwan Johnson to pick up 20 yards just two plays later. He hasn't been quite the factor he was against the Bucs but has made some big catches today.
Dialing up the Rashid Shaheed bomb at the right time. Derek Carr has been on fire, but what a catch by Shaheed. Saints are really getting a lot from their younger players.
Ridder and the Falcons won't go away, as expected. That's a big hookup to Drake London for 20 to get into Saints territory.
Bijan Robinson has made some pretty crazy plays this game. If Atlanta could use him consistently, that would go a long way for them.
The game was stopped for a medical review with Alontae Taylor putting that big hit on the sideline.
That's some big stop on Cordarrelle Patterson on the 3rd-and-Goal from the 1-yard-line. It resulted in a yard loss and Atlanta ended up going for it but got turned away. Huge defensive play by Ugo Amadi on 4th-and-Goal to have the Saints take over on downs.
Isaac Yiadom (concussion) is out for the rest of the game.
That back shoulder hookup to A.T. Perry was beautiful. It gave New Orleans some major breathing room on the 29-yard pass from the end zone.
Alontae Taylor is back on the bench, so that looks to be a good indication.

Fourth Quarter - Saints 48, Falcons 17

Scoring

Saints, 9:57 - Blake Grupe 24-yard field goal. (12-92, 6:17)
Saints, 9:02 - A.T. Perry 6-yard reception from Derek Carr. (1-10, 0:07)
Saints, 1:10 - Jamaal Williams 1-yard run. (1-1, 0:03)

Notes

Taysom Hill picks up 27 on the first play of the final quarter. That run attack has been pretty good for New Orleans today.
Carolina is down 9-0 with just over six minutes to play. Think we're going to have to worry about the late games.
Kendre Miller continues to look good on the ground. He's up to 73 yards on 12 carries. Jamaal Williams also had a strong run at the end of the drive, but New Orleans had to settle for a field goal. Just a reminder that the drive started at their own 2-yard-line following the turnover on downs.
Meltdown mode for the Falcons. They lost a fumble off a shotgun snap and Payton Turner recovered to set up a Goal-to-Go for New Orleans.
A.T. Perry draws a flag in the end zone to make it 1st-and-Goal from the 1, but a false start by Cameron Erving backed them up.
Derek Carr connected with A.T. Perry for his fourth touchdown toss of the day. The Saints are going to win this barring something insane.
The Bucs have won the NFC South, so now we officially have to wait for the Seahawks-Cardinals and Packers-Bears. Arizona and Chicago both have to win.
This has to be Arthur Smith's last game. I mean you don't come in here and look this bad and expect to return as head coach.
Andrus Peat came up limping on the ensuing offensive series, limping slowly to the sideline. Max Garcia went to left guard while James Hurst went to left tackle.
Falcons put up the white flag and sent Logan Woodside in at QB. Nathan Shepherd got a sack on the first play.
Can't even get Trevor Penning in at jumbo this late. It's Tommy Kraemer. There's something really wrong there.
Tyrann Mathieu got tackled just short of a pick-six at the 1-yard-line. That's certainly the icing on the cake to end the regular season.
Jameis Winston goes in at QB for the final stretch. They handed off to Jamaal Williams for the touchdown. That's a petty rivalry move right there.