The Atlanta Falcons came into a pressure-packed primetime rivalry game needing a crisp performance. They put on their ass kicking cleats and got one.
The Falcons led early. They led in the middle of the game. They led late. They were dominant almost wire-to-wire, with a couple of coverage miscues, frustrating penalties, and misses from Michael Penix Jr. the only things slowing them down. They were up 24-7 at halftime and 31-10 at the end of the third quarter, with the absurdly great performance from the ground
game and terrific run defense conspiring to deliver a big win for the second straight week.
It is absolutely striking how well they’re playing, even if the Packers and Saints are a bit depleted. Tommy Rees had the offense rolling, Michael Penix Jr. hit some big time throws, Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson terrorized the defense, Jahan Dotson joined Kyle Pitts and Drake London in the big play party, and the defense harried Tyler Shough and largely shut down New Orleans’ feckless runners. Atlanta has had so many struggles against the Saints over the past two decades that three straight wins against New Orleans and a dominant effort like this one are beyond welcome, and this was simply one of the most lopsided victories in the long history of this rivalry. It was spectacular, wondrous, and one of my favorite watches in recent memory. I hope it was for you, too.
Here’s a play-by-play recap of the game you just watched.
1st Quarter
The Falcons let the opening kickoff roll through the landing zone and into the end zone, giving them the start at the 20 yard line. Drake London got a quick throw from Michael Penix Jr., stiff-armed a Saint into the dirt, and spun his way to a first down. Austin Hooper got a quick screen and picked up nine yards. On the next play, the handoff went to Bijan Robinson, who got nice blocks from Jake Matthews, Ryan Neuzil, and Matthew Bergeron and went untouched for 59 yards and a touchdown. 7-0 Falcons.
The Saints returned the ball to about the 28 yard line. Tyler Shough’s first down throw was behind Chris Olave, who saw the ball knocked down anyways. CJ Henderson was hurt on the play. Under pressure, Shough hit Devaughn Vele for two yards. Shough then tried Bryce Lance way downfield but missed by several yards. CJ Henderson was back, Za’Darius Smith was injured. He thankfully was able to walk off the field on his own power after a scary delay. Zachariah Branch fielded the fair catch, but a holding call on New Orleans backed the Saints up ten more yards. On the re-punt, Branch made a couple guys miss and took it almost the 50 yard line.
Penix hit Branch on the sideline for a quick nine yards. Bijan took the next carry about five yards for a first down. Penix then tried a shot to a diving London, who couldn’t grab it. Robinson then took it another four yards on second down. On third down, Penix backpedaled under pressure and missed Dotson down the sideline. There was a delay of game on the next play, as the ball just wasn’t snapped in time. The Jake Bailey punt was fair caught inside the 15 yard line.
The Saints got the Falcons for an encroachment and five yards, with the call against Maason Smith. Kendre Miller’s carry went for a loss of about a yard, with Sydney Brown flying in. The Saints then got hit with a false start. Shough was nearly brought down for a safety by Zach Harrison, but hit Juwan Johnson working against Henderson for 23 yards. Alvin Kamara then picked up four yards. Shough then hit Kamara for five yards, with Brown flying in to make the tackle. Shough plunged up the middle for a first down. A screen to Kamara went for 17 yards. Kamara then picked up two yards. Shough then threw it away on second down. A screen to Johnson only picked up a couple of yards, and then Daniel Carlson went wide left.
Brian Robinson Jr. took the first carry for three yards. Brian then went for only a yard. Penix was then sacked on third down while looking downfield. Punt, and Barion Brown got nowhere.
Kendre Miller took it for a couple of yards and appeared to fumble with CJ Henderson recovering, though was ruled down. Kevin Stefanski threw the challenge flag, and after review, Henderson got the fumble recovery.
Bijan took the carry for about three yards, and a holding call on the Saints gave Atlanta another five yards. Chase Young then got his hand up on a play action pass to Bijan which would’ve been housed. Bijan then took it about three yards on second down, and followed that up with another three yards on third down. The team needed a timeout to sort things out before trying it on fourth down. On fourth down, Penix threw it in the dirt near London, but a holding call on Kool-Aid McKinstry gave Atlanta a fresh set of downs. Bijan then got the blocks and plunged in for a touchdown. 14-0 Falcons.
The return went out past the 30 yard line, but an unnecessary roughness call on Billy Bowman Jr. gave the Saints 15 more yards. Shough then found a wide open Chris Olave, who made it all the way to the 10 yard line. Shough under pressure then hit Bryce Lance for seven yards.
2nd Quarter
Kamara then got a block, cut inside, and scored a touchdown from three yards out. 14-7 Falcons.
Touchback and the Falcons got it on the 35 yard line. A quick rollout and pass to Kyle Pitts went for nine yards. Brian Robinson Jr. took it for about five yards and a first down. BRJ then took it about seven yards, and followed that up with a two yard delayed plunge. On third down, he worked back inside for three yards and a first down. Bijan went to cut inside, but Jonas Sanker got him for no gain. Penix then found London downfield for a gain of 26. Bijan then picked up a couple, and Penix under pressure got the screen out to Brian Robinson Jr. for six yards. Brian then plunged inside and scored after a nice block by Ryan Neuzxil. 21-7 Falcons.
The kick return was a bit shy of the 30. Miller took it about four yards. A high ball to Vele working against Sydney Brown fell incomplete. Shough then threw a deep ball that was nowhere near Olave. Punt.
On the next play, Penix hung back and found London, who was wide open after McKinstry committed a penalty and fell over, and London got to midfield. Bijan took it ten yards on first down. Bijan then cut it back and evaded tacklers for eight yards. He then picked up a first down. On the next play, Penix got Branch for just a yard. Then Penix hit Pitts over the middle and he picked up a first down. Bijan then cut it in for three yards. Then Penix tried to hit Charlie Woerner, but it was incomplete. Penix then tried Olamide Zaccheaus, but put it out a little too far in front of him and it fell incomplete.
Barion Brown’s return went to about the 25 yard line. Shough hit Kamara, who got two yards before Divine Deablo drilled him. Shough then hit Juwan Johnson for 18 yards. A high ball to Johnson went for a couple of yards. Shough then threw it while falling down into the dirt to bring up third down. Shough then hit Olave on a sideline ball for a first down. Xavier Watts then blew into the backfield for a sack. A quick pass to Olave went for six yards. Shough then rolled away from pressure and missed Lance. Punt, but a delay of game backed the Saints up a bit, and the Falcons got it deep in their own territory after the punt.
BJR took it five yards on a first down. A swing pass to London went for a first down. Then we were at the half.
3rd Quarter
Barion Brown took it past the 30 yard line. Kamara then toted it for four yards. Brandon Dorlus then jumped offsides. Miller then picked up two yards and a first down. Olave then made a sliding catch on a low ball from Shough for a first down. Maason Smith got Miller for a loss of one yard. Shough then threw a swing pass to Kamara, who got seven yards before Henderson got him. Shough then got Johnson, working against Watts, for another first down. Shough tried to connect with Kamara downfield, but Harold Perkins Jr. was smothering him. Kamara then picked up three yards. Olave then reeled in a first down grab on the sideline. On the next play, Shough was way off target but Bowman was called for pass interference, which was a terrible call. Mike Hughes then took Barion Brown on a reverse down for a loss of four yards. The Falcons then picked up a neutral zone infraction. A quick catch by Miller got another five or six yards before Perkins got the tackle. Then Shough had it batted down by Cameron Thomas on third down. The Saints tried the field goal, and got it. 24-10 Saints.
Branch got it back past the 25 yard line. Penix then hung in there and delivered to Jahan Dotson for 20-plus yards, and a defensive offsides was declined. Bijan got eight yards on the next carry. Bijan then took it up the middle for 10 yards. Brian Robinson Jr.’s next handoff was doomed, as he lost two yards. A quick pass to Bijan had nowhere to go after two yards. Penix hung in there with pressure coming and got London for a first down. Bijan then picked up six yards. Brian Robinson then made a nice cut, got some blocking, and scored his second touchdown of the day. 31-10 Falcons.
Barion Brown got a decent return. Shough then slipped multiple sacks and got rid of it, and on the next play saw pressure again and threw it off. Shough then tried the deep ball to Lance and Avieon Terrell got called for pass interference. First down, Shough missed. Shough then threw it to Olave, but they appeared to have a miscommunication. The Shough deep ball to Lance was just a little too far, with the Falcons playing good defense on the play. Unfortunately, Shough got Vele for 18 yards and a first down. Shough then rolled away from pressure and connected, but a holding call on the Saints backed New Orleans up. Shough missed badly to Johnson, but an illegal shift backed the Saints up five more yards. Shough rolled away from pressure to Miller, but Perkins got him for a minimal gain.
4th Quarter
Shough then threw a swing pass to Kamara for a few yards. Vele then made a diving grab working against Henderson—who had good coverage—but the booth saw no catch. The Saints hurried up and got a first down plunge from Kamara. Perkins nearly had an interception on the next pass. Shough then hit Vele for nine yards over the middle. Kamara then had a throwback run up the middle for his second touchdown. 31-17 Falcons.
Branch took it back to about the 28 yard line, and was thankfully down before he fumbled. A rollout and pass to Kyle Pitts went for 28 yards after a really nice post-catch run. Bijan then took it a few yards, and picked up another five yards on second down. Bijan made a cut outside for a few yards. Penix then stood in and delivered a 31 yard touchdown to Jahan Dotson on the next play. 38-17 Falcons.
On first down, Jessie Bates knocked away the ball to Johnson. Shough scrambled away from a sack again and ran for about three yards. Shough hit Johnson over the middle to get the Saints within about a yard of a first down. A false start then backed the Saints up. Samson Ebukam then sacked Shough, giving Atlanta the ball back.
The Falcons got a first down on a pair of carries from Brian Robinson Jr. On the next play, he got away from multiple tacklers to score his third touchdown of the night, putting the Falcons up 45-17.
CJ Donaldson (?) picked up nine yards on first down. A quick first down followed, and then Shough aired it out to Olave and DeMarcco Hellams nearly picked it off. A quick pass to Vele picked up a first down. Another quick pass to Vele went for no gain. Shough then missed a deep shot to Vele. Olave then made a big first down grab over the middle for a first down. Another quick hitter to Olave followed. A quick hitter to Donaldson followed that. Shough hit Olave for another five yards. Shough then tried to hit Juwan Johnson in the end zone, but Sydney Brown was called for pass interference. Shough then hit Vele in the back of the end zone for an impressive touchdown. 45-24 Falcons.
After Branch slid down on his return, the Falcons kneeled it out.
