What a disgusting game all around. The Atlanta Falcons were able to scrape away with a 27-25 victory over the New Orleans Saints with a last second field way. They had 100 percent deserved to win this ball game despite the last push that New Orleans was sending their way in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 unanswered points for a stretch there. But this loss wasn’t on the shoulders of Trevor Siemian that’s for sure.
This offense was horrific throughout the entire first half, being completely shut out for just the eighth time since Drew Brees first took over this offense all those years ago. Siemian had thrown for 249 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions though he did have a costly fumble on a sack early in the fourth. Taysom Hill came in periodically and completed both of his passes for 33 total yards on top of that. Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram were once again this entire offense, with the two totaling 22 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown. Unsurprisingly, they were the leading receivers also, with Kamara hauling in four receptions for 54 yards and Ingram taking five for 21. Outside of those four players, this offense was a mess. Adam Trautman continues to show that he can’t catch a football consistently, dropping a critical pass on fourth down early in the game. Kenny Stills dropped a few early, Deonte Harris slipped and missed a big one, and Marquez Callaway took one to the numbers. There are seriously zero playmakers in the receiving core without Michael Thomas on the lineup. I love Harris but somebody else has to step up and do it fast. I just hope Odell Beckham is enticing enough for the Saints to make a run at him. Defensively they were alright, about what you would expect from a unit that was on the field the majority of the game. They made a few nice plays but choked it away when Paulson Adebo allowed a 64 catch and run on the final drive to ice it. They did force a fumble to turn it around but couldn’t even recover it.
Atlanta played great. Matt Ryan was sharp all night, throwing for 343 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Their rushing attack was nonexistent. But Cordarrelle Patterson, Russell Gage, Kyle Pitts and Olamide Zaccheaus all made huge plays throughout the game to keep drives alive. Something that the Saints desperately needed the entire time.
New Orleans falls to 5-3 on the season but remains in second place in the division. They are just one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but do have that tie breaker over them which could come in handy down the line. However, the Saints are just one game up from the Falcons who have a tie breaker over them, and a game and a half over the Carolina Panthers. As they sit a 4-5 on the season. They also have a tie breaker over the Saints, so it will be interesting to see how this whole division battles it out down the line.