FIRST QUARTER
When Falcons punter Bradly Pinion got here onto the sector after the offense’s first drive stalled on the Saints’ 46-yard line, it appeared the eight-play, 24-yard drive would end in zero factors. As an alternative, Saints vast receiver Rashid Shaheed dropped the punt after calling for a good catch contained in the 5-yard line. It rolled into the tip zone, the place Falcons vast receiver KhaDarel Hodge jumped on it for a particular groups landing.
NOTE: That was the Falcons’ first muffed punt returned for a landing since at the least 2000, per TruMedia.
Atlanta had been transferring the ball throughout its opening offensive possession, however a facemask penalty on left guard Matthew Bergeron put the Falcons 15 yards again on a second down that they weren’t capable of make again.
The Saints’ offense answered with a landing of its personal when tight finish Taysom Hill scored on a 2-yard run. It capped off a nine-play, 70-yard drive that noticed the Saints run the ball successfully towards the Falcons. That was clear in two 13-yard rushes, one from Shaheed and one other from working again Alvin Kamara.
The Falcons, in the meantime, struggled early to get the bottom sport rolling as compared. After an offensive drive apiece, the distinction between the 2 staff’s success price was apparent. Solely Falcons working again Bijan Robinson had run the ball, with two carries for two yards, whereas the Saints had three gamers mix for six carries for 41 yards. This wasn’t a sustainable method for Atlanta’s offense to function.
Neither was turning the ball over, which it did on the subsequent collection. It is a continued subject for the Falcons in 2024.
On the fifth play of the Falcons’ second drive, Cousins tried a second-and-3 move to vast receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III. McCloud fell on his route, and Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo was there to choose off the move.
New Orleans took over at its personal 47-yard line and was at Atlanta’s 15-yard line when the quarter concluded. The Saints transformed a fourth-and-1 on a 7-yard run by Hill within the means of getting there. New Orleans closed out the primary interval with 59 speeding yards on 11 carries in comparison with the Falcons’ 9 yards on three. The rating was tied, however the Saints have been transferring the ball at a significantly better clip on offense.
Falcons: KhaDarel Hodge muffed punt restoration … 7-0, ATL
Saints: Taysom Hill 2-yard run; PAT good … 7-7, ALL
END Q1: Falcons 7, Saints 7