Falcons 26-24 Saints (September 29, 2024) Game Recap

ATLANTA – When the flag flew for pass interference, Younghoe Koo knew he would have a chance to win the game for the Atlanta Falcons.

Koo hit a career-best 58-yard field goal with two seconds left as the Falcons cruised to a 26-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday without scoring an offensive touchdown.

Koo made a total of four field goals and also scored from 53, 44 and 42 yards to give the Falcons (2-2) a much-needed home win. It was his eighth game-winning kick in the final 10 seconds since the start of the 2021 season – the most in the league in that span.

“We have been in this situation many times and you know it is like that in this league,” said the 30-year-old South Korean. “In a lot of games, most games in this league, it comes down to one possession. Every point counts and our team is very proud of it.”

The Falcons lost their first two games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and appeared to be on the verge of falling to 3-0 in Atlanta when Alvin Kamara scored on a 1-yard run with a minute left to give the Saints a 2-2 lead brought a 24-23 lead.

A 30-yard pass interference penalty on Paulson Adebo gave the Falcons hope at the New Orleans 40. Kirk Cousins ​​threw three straight incomplements, but it didn’t matter.

Koo hit the longest field goal in the stadium’s seven-year history with a wide margin, handing the Saints their second narrow defeat in a row after two dominant victories to start the season.

Koo threw both arms in the air before being mobbed by his teammates.

“I did that in practice,” he said. “When we hit 40, I knew I had a chance.”

Taysom Hill scored two touchdown runs for the Saints before exiting and appeared to be aggravating a chest injury that kept him from playing in the previous week’s 15-12 loss to Philadelphia.

On the Saints’ final possession, Derek Carr connected with Chris Olave on a couple of big third-down passes before Kamara finally punched in the ball on the Saints’ third attempt from the 1, dragging Kaden Elliss into the end zone.

The Falcons won without the Cousins-led offense producing a touchdown. It was the special teams and defense that got to the end zone.

Early on, Rashid Shaheed inexplicably made a fair catch on a punt at the Saints 2, then let the ball bounce off his shoulder pads and into the end zone, where KhaDarel Hodge fell on it for Atlanta.

Linebacker Troy Andersen also scored a pick-six for the Falcons after a pass from Carr was deflected by Matthew Judon. Andersen hauled in the fluttering ball for an interception and showed off his impressive speed, racing 47 yards down the sideline to give Atlanta a 17-14 halftime lead.

“These are losses that rip your heart out,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “I know we have a good football team in the locker room. Now we have to play better. We can’t do that.’ Recognize a team with 14 points – a good team – and expect to win games like that.”

New Orleans scored in a more conventional manner, although a Falcons turnover helped. Cousins ​​was picked off by Adebo at the New Orleans 47, sparking an 11-play, 53-yard touchdown drive.

Hill managed a 7-yard run on 4th-and-1 to keep the drive going and completed it by crashing up the middle after a handoff from Carr for a 5-yard score.

Hill’s first TD came on the second.

Mooney’s move

Receiver Darnell Mooney has been a key weapon for Atlanta’s offense through the first four games and made one of the best plays on Sunday without catching the ball.

It was Mooney who called the pass interference penalty on Adebo and made the split-second decision to show his hands as if to catch the ball, enticing the cornerback to make contact before the ball arrived.

“The way the ball was in the air, I knew I had to draw something,” Mooney said. “I was able to get Adebo to push me a little earlier than he wanted.”

Mooney finished the game with three catches for 56 yards. Still, he’ll remember this game for the pass he didn’t make.

“Your decision-making kind of changes from ‘I’m going to make this catch’ to ‘I’m going to put myself in a position to work for the private investigator,'” he said with a smile.

Injury report

Saints: In addition to the loss of Hill, LB Willie Gay Jr. was sidelined in the first quarter with a hand injury, further reducing the depth at the position. New Orleans was already missing LB Demario Davis (hamstring), who was inactive along with C Erik McCoy (groin) and OG Cesar Ruiz (ankle). Kamara (hip pointer, ribs) was eligible for the Saints after being limited during the week.

Falcons: Andersen left in the final minutes with a knee injury and was replaced by rookie JD Bertrand. C Drew Dalman (ankle) and RT Kaleb McGary (knee) were missing on offense.

Next

Saints: Travel to Kansas City next Monday night to take on the defending two-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs in prime time.

Falcons: Complete a three-game homestand on Thursday night when they host another NFC South rival, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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