By Don Stone - Football Atlanta
The buildup for this weekend
was incredible. First, you have the Falcons and Saints renewing their
rivalry, then Georgia and Alabama will battle in the same building 36 hours
later for the right to play Notre Dame in the National Championship Game.
An egg beating of the Saints' bus at the airport the
night before by unwelcoming Atlanta fans had set the tone for the intensity
level of the meeting. In the previous matchup in New Orleans, the Falcons
jumped up for a quick 10-0 lead only to be outscored 31-17 the rest of the
game. A fast start was in the cards again as Atlanta made the opening drive
look easy. Every play went for a decent gain. immediately got off to a quick
start with a nine yard completion to
Tony Gonzalez
followed by a 45 yard run by Michael Turner
to the New Orleans 36. rushed for 14 more to the 17. Jacquizz Rodgers
took over with with a pair of 14 yard runs to the 3. Turner punched it in
with his 58th career TD with the Falcons, setting a new team record. The
drive took just six plays and 80 yards in 3:51.
On the Saints first drive, Drew Brees
hit Joseph Morgan for 38 yards to the
Atlanta 40. He tried to go deep again to Marques Colston
but had it picked off in the end zone by Thomas DeCoud.
Following the play, it was announced that Asante Samuel's
shoulder injury had flared up and his return was questionable.
The Falcons went three and out and punted to the Saints' 32. On a
missed catch, Harry Douglas injured
his ankle with his return questionable.
Brees got out of another third and long jam by hitting Colston for
15 yards to the 44. Four more yards were all the offense could get with the
punt pinning Atlanta at their 8 yard line.
Turner got them out of the hole by bursting free for a pair of 12
yard runs to the 32. The drive stalled and the Saints took over at their 12.
New Orleans went nowhere as Brees was knocked to the ground just as
he threw the ball to the ground. Atlanta took over in great field position
at midfield.
Matt Ryan hit TE Mike
Cox for eight yards followed by a ten yard
toss to Julio Jones to put the ball on
the 16 as the first quarter came to an end. In recent games, Atlanta had
been settling for field goals in the red zone. But, no so far on this night
as Gonzalez made a circus catch to put the Falcons up by 14. The scoring
drive took just 5 plays and 49 yards in 2:28...So far, so good.
The Saints found themselves in still another third and long
situation (3rd and 15) at their 20 but couldn't convert but lucked out on a
rolling 52 yard punt to the 27.
A big difference in the game so far was the re-emergence of Turner
who had rushed for just 41 yards in his last 78 carries but had 68 yards in
his first six touches here.
Atlanta could get nothing going on offense and New Orleans took
over on their thanks to a 21 yard punt return by Darren Sproles,
who had missed the first meeting of the two teams. On the first play,
Sean Weatherspoon grabbed a deflected pass
and put Atlanta on the Saints 29 yard line. The offense squandered the
opportunity and settled for a Matt Bryant
45 yard field goal to put them up 17-0.
The Saints offense was in a third and nine when Brees had to call a
time out. Every possession so far had New Orleans in a third and long. But,
as before, Brees got himself out, this time with a 32 yard shot to Moore at
the Falcon 47. On a third and eight, he connected for 12 to Colston to the
33. The Saints failed to convert on a third and three but got a first down
on a neutral zone infraction. Brees took advantage of the new life avoided a
sack and hit for 11 to the ten yard line. Pierre Thomas
covered the rest with a tough rush to the end zone. The Falcons incurred
another penalty after the score on a face mask call. After review, it was
determined that the runner's knee touched down at the two yard line. The
penalty moved it to the one yard line with a first and goal. Mark
Ingram made up the difference on the next
play to put the Saints on the board. The drive covered 11 plays and 80 yards
in 5:35.
The Falcons offense continued to sputter as Ryan was sacked by LE
Cameron Jordan at the 14. The Saints, sensing
an opportunity, took their second time out to stop the clock at 2:28.
Atlanta came up short with a 15 yard pass to Jason Snelling
and New Orleans called its final time out. Matt Bosher
hit it 57 yards to the 29.
Brees went long to Lance Moore
for 29 yards to the ATL 42. The Saints scored but had the TD called back on
an interference call with 45 seconds on the clock, moving them back to a
first and goal at the 17. The earlier time out that had to be called cost
them as they moved the ball to the three yard line but had the clock run out
in the half before they could get set for a field goal.
The Saints actually led time of possession because of the Falcons
two quick strikes, 17:15 to 12:45. They also led in net yards 235 to 176.
But, their rushing attack had been squashed gaining only 38 yards on the
ground. Brees had some nice passing numbers with 197 yards, but most of
those came on a few long completions. Except for those, he had been held in
check. The key at this stage is which team would be more effective in the
second half. A ten point lead for the Falcons didn't hurt. But, it didn't
help in their first meeting either.
New Orleans took the opening kick to their 14 and converted on a
reception by Colston. A nice 11 yard rush from Thomas took them to the 39.
Moore caught one for 12 to midfield. The running game was picking up as
Thomas added 13 more, then six more to the 30. A false start made it third
and nine at the 35. Sproles converted for ten. TE Jimmy Graham,
who had only one catch the whole game, pulled one down at the seven. Two
failed plays made it third and goal from the eight. The defense made an
important stop holding the Saints to a 22 yard field goal to bring them to
within seven. The drive covered 15 plays and 83 yards in 6:36.
Momentum had definitely shifted. It was time for the offense to get in
gear again. They had attained just 36 yards since going up 14-0 in the first
quarter. Missing in action so far was Roddy White,
who had no catches in the game. Ryan tried to hit the WR but had it batted
down, forcing another punt. The Saints started their drive at their 30. The
defense also needed to start stepping up.
Moore immediately gained 12 on the first play. Thomas continued his
success on the ground with 8 more to the 50. William Moore
made a big play breaking up a pass for Sproles at the 25, but Thomas easily
converted the third and two with 8 more to the 42. This game was starting to
resemble the first matchup where Atlanta got off to the lead and watched as
the Saints controlled the rest of the game. The Falcons offense and defense
had both struggled for most of the second and third quarters. A 52 yard
field goal brought New Orleans to within 4.
My sense here was that the Falcons were in desperate need of a score to
reverse the trend. It seemed like if they didn't, the Saints would go ahead
on their next drive. It didn't start off well as Ryan barely avoided a sack
bringing up a third and ten from the 20. White again couldn't bring in the
pass attempt forcing still another punt. Sproles got a 22 yard return on the
57 yard kick putting the Saints in good field position at their 43. In a
possible game changer, Brees had Graham wide open but didn't see him and
instead went to the other side of the field where William Moore was waiting
for the Falcons second interception returning it 16 yards to the Saints 41.
Atlanta was in perfect position to change the momentum back. Ryan connected
for 18 to Gonzalez and finally found White at the four. A false start made
it second and goal from the 11 as the third quarter came to an end.
They needed seven, they settled for three as the Falcons couldn't
score on a first and goal at the four.
New Orleans took over at their 20. Brees converted a third and long
on a nine yarder to Moore to the 34. He put up 25 to Graham on the next pass
to the Falcons 41, then added nine more on a pass to Sproles. John
Abraham came up with a big sack as The
Predator put Brees down at the 42 forcing a punt.
It was time for Atlanta to assert themselves and eat up clock
getting some points along the drive to make it a two score game as they
still led by just a touchdown with 10 minutes to go in the game. Even a
field goal would make it a two score game.
This is where Ryan has shined this season, late in games needing to
put the other team away. Passes to Jones and Gonzalez gave them a first down
at the 39. A handoff to Turner got them another set of downs at the 48. On a
third and eight, the QB found Jones for 11 at the Saints 39. 6:38 remained.
A third and 14 came up short bringing up a big 55 yard attempt by Bryant.
The Saints called their first time out with 4:30 to go. It was a crucial
kick. Make it and you're up by two scores. Miss it and Brees has great field
position to try to tie it. He made it making the score 23-13. After all the
Saints had done, the 10 point lead was back.
The defense had improved their play in the third quarter and needed
to continue here. The drive would start at the 21. Brees hit Moore for 14 to
the 35. RT Zach Strief had to leave
the field with an injury. Kroy Biermann
was all over Brees forcing him to get rid of the ball, but it landed in
Jonathan Babineaux's hands giving Atlanta the
ball at the 35 with just over three minutes to go.
A possible game changer happened as Turner fumbled the ball at the
30. It was picked up by Rafael Bush
and run all the way back to the end zone for an apparent Saints touchdown.
On review, a collective sigh of relief went through the crowd as the TD was
reversed, giving the Saints a first and ten at their 29 with 2:33 to go.
Brees, knowing he had to score fast, hit Moore for 15. At the two
minute warning, a Cory Peters
interception was called back on a penalty giving the Saints a second and
five at the 50. Another Falcons interception by William Moore ended the
drama at the ATL 19.
Brees did what Ryan did a few weeks earlier, throw five
interceptions. The Falcons amazingly overcame it. The Saints couldn't.
For the Saints, the realization that they have to win out and even that
will be tough. Only five teams in NFL history have had a record of 5-7 or
worse and made it to the playoffs. For the now 11-1 Falcons, it was
frustrating at times, but ultimately satisfying. A loss by Tampa Bay on
Sunday and they would clinch the division. Not the main goal at this point
as they play for home field advantage throughout the playoffs with at least
a two game lead over San Francisco with four to play.
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