Drew Brees and the Saints controlled the game at home against Atlanta in a Week 6 win. (Getty)
Final Score
Atlanta Falcons 0-7-0-14 — 21
New Orleans Saints 14-0-10-7 — 31
Saints Win Convincing Game Over Falcons at Home
Mark Ingram had a big night against the Falcons. (Getty)
Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints beat the Falcons at the Superdome on Week 6’s Thursday night game, 31-21. The Saints moved to 2-4 on the season, while the Falcons suffered their first defeat and dropped to 5-1 on the year.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees had a stellar night, going 30-39 for 312 yards and a touchdown pass to Benjamin Watson. Watson, for his part, had a career-high 127 yards receiving in the win. New Orleans running back Mark Ingram added two touchdowns of his own.
The Falcons, who appeared out of synch in the first half with three fumbles, got things together a little too late offensively. Fantasy football stud Devonta Freeman scored his league-leading ninth and tenth touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull the Falcons within 10, but Ingram followed Freeman’s second score with his own second touchdown on the evening.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was solid if not sharp, finishing 30-44 for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Falcons star wideout Julio Jones had 6 receptions for 93 yards. Veteran Roddy White caught his first touchdown of the season for Atlanta in the loss.
Watch all of the highlights below.
Devonta Freeman Scores 2nd Touchdown Late
Devonta Freeman had another monster fantasy night, scoring his second touchdown of the night with a little over a minute to go in the game. It may have been too little, too late for Atlanta as they trailed New Orleans 31-21 after the score.
Mark Ingram’s 2nd Touchdown of the Night Puts Saints up 17 Late
Mark Ingram scored on a 1-yard run, his second touchdown of the night, midway through the fourth quarter to give the Saints a comfortable 31-14 lead.
Devonta Freeman Scrambles for Touchdown to Pull Falcons Closer
You didn’t really think Devonta Freeman would go a game without a TD, did you?
Did you?
Mercy. #ATLvsNO #TNF http://t.co/HfrQC1PYGy
Falcons stud running back Devonta Freeman got free for a 25-yard touchdown run, his NFL-leading ninth of the season, as the Falcons cut the Saints’ lead to 24-14 early in the fourth quarter at the Superdome.
Benjamin Watson Touchdown Catch Gives Saints Big Cushion
Saints tight end Benjamin Watson caught a short 2-yard touchdown from Drew Brees on a fourth-and-goal play following an Atlanta offsides penalty to give New Orleans a 24-7 late in the third period over the Falcons.
The pass extended Brees’ run to 41 straight games with a passing touchdown. It also gave Watson nine catches on the night for 113 yards, a career-high.
Zach Hocker Increases Saints Lead Midway Through Third
Saints kicker Zach Hocker is now 1-of-2 on the game on field goal tries. (Getty)
Saints kicker Zach Hocker, who missed a 51-yarder near the end of the first half, connected on a 31-yarder in the third quarter to give New Orleans a 17-7 lead over Atlanta.
Saints Lead Sloppy Falcons at the Half in New Orleans
Saints RB Mark Ingram scored his third touchdown on the season for New Orleans in the first half. (Getty)
The New Orleans Saints, desperate for a win at 1-4, lead the Atlanta Falcons at the break, 14-7. In a game that has been sloppy at times, Drew Brees and the Saints have moved the ball well enough and capitalized on the Falcons’ miscues just enough to have a firm grasp on the first half.
Undefeated Atlanta, uncharacteristically, appeared careless and out of synch, fumbling three times, including twice on back-to-back possessions late in the second quarter which resulted in turnovers. The Falcons actually own the offensive edge in yardage, at 265 to the Saints’ 174, but have never gotten into an offensive rhythm thanks to the turnovers.
Mark Ingram scored the first touchdown of the game for the Saints, while linebacker Mike Mauti blocked a punt to increase the lead to 14-0. Matt Ryan and the Falcons finally broke through with a 7-yard pass play for a touchdown reception by veteran Roddy White, his first of the year. Saints field goal kicker Zach Hocker missed a 51-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is 16-21 for 176 yards and a touchdown, while the Saints’ Drew Brees is 16-20 for 164 yards so far. Brees really connected with tight end Benjamin Watson, completing six passes to him for 72 yards.
Watch all of the highlights below.
Matt Ryan, Roddy White Hook Up to Get Falcons on the Board
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan hit veteran wide receiver Roddy White for a 7-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons cut into the Saints’ lead to open the second quarter and trailed, 14-7.
The score was White’s first touchdown of the season.
Blocked Punt Gives Saints Two-Score Lead After One
Linebacker Mike Mauti made a play on special teams for the Saints that resulted in a touchdown and a 14-0 lead for New Orleans.
Mauti blocked Falcons punter Matt Bosher’s punt at the 4-yard line and fell on the ball in the endzone for the big play and special teams touchdown. It was the Saints’ biggest lead of the year.
Through the first quarter, the Falcons have not looked like the team that has began the year at 5-0; Matt Ryan is out-passing Drew Brees, as Ryan had 89 yards to Brees’ 64. But a Ryan fumble on the Falcons’ first drive, which he recovered on a fourth down play, and the Mauti blocked punt have given New Orleans all of the momentum in the Superdome.
The rivalry game is the first of the season within the division for the Falcons.
Saints Draw First Blood on Ingram Plunge
Mark Ingram scored his third touchdown of the season, a two-yard scramble, to cap a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive and give the Saints a 7-0 lead early at home.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees was 5-7 for 64 yards on the drive.
Game Preview
Benjamin Watson could have a big-play impact for New Orleans. (Getty)
The Falcons vs. the Saints. In the Superdome. In recent years past, the matchup would have brought people from far and wide in a likely nationally-televised game gather to watch the two NFC powerhouses duke it out.
This time around, their game is on national TV, but the two teams are not exactly sitting in similar circumstances. The Falcons (5-0) look to remain undefeated, while the Saints (1-4) have been facing questions related to their starting quarterback’s potential injuries and head coach’s future more than they have about gameplans for winning.
The Falcons expect to fly high, with the news that their star receiver Julio Jones will likely play, despite his hamstring injury. Devonta Freeman, who has emerged as one of, if not the best, fantasy and reality running backs in the league, will also be coming out of the Birds’ backfield.
The Saints, meanwhile, are down, but not out. They still do have Brees playing, albeit possibly through injury. They do have Sean Payton, widely regarded as one of the best head coaches in the league, on their sideline. And they are staying optimistic about their 2015 chances. It should, as usual, be a great contest between these rivals on Thursday Night Football in Week 6.
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Falcons vs. Saints: Score, Stats & Highlights