FINAL SCORE---- Saints 13-23 Falcons
Top performers:
| NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | ||||
| Passing | Cmp | Att | Yds | TDs |
| D. Brees | 28 | 50 | 341 | 0 |
| Rushing | Car | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| P. Thomas | 14 | 84 | 6 | 0 |
| M. Ingram | 6 | 13 | 2.2 | 1 |
| Receiving | Rec | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| L. Moore | 7 | 123 | 17.6 | 0 |
| M. Colston | 6 | 71 | 11.8 | 0 |
| ATLANTA FALCONS | ||||
| Passing | Cmp | Att | Yds | TDs |
| M. Ryan | 18 | 33 | 165 | 1 |
| Rushing | Car | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| M. Turner | 12 | 83 | 6.9 | 1 |
| Jz. Rodgers | 8 | 43 | 5.4 | 0 |
| Receiving | Rec | Yds | Avg | TDs |
| T. Gonzalez | 4 | 58 | 14.5 | 1 |
| J. Jones | 5 | 48 | 9.6 | 0 |
:25 seconds.... With that knee the Falcons clinch playoff berth! GAME OVER
:45 Ryan takes a knee...
1st & 10 1:26 remaining.... Ryan takes a knee!
2nd & 6.. Rodgers with teh first down!!!
1st & 10 Falcons get ball at OWN 18 ... Four yard gain...
WIlliam Moore with the interception!!!! Came up with grab as he was running from midfield and Moore of Saints was down the sideline. Came up for the interception.
==================2 MINUTE WARNING======================
Saints still have ball as we go to two-minute warning. Interception is erased.
2nd & 10 Cory Peters runs right up to Brees! Intercepts the ball... WAIIIT! Abraham was offside!!! Saints still have ball!
1st & 10 OWN 45... Down the middle. Broken up by Nicholas... 2:06 remaining
1st & 10 .... Moore 15-yard catch... First down.... Saints in the hurry up
Saints with two timeouts and two-minute warning remaining
Refs reviewing the play. . . Refs on the field... Player down by contact. Saints ball at 29.5 yard line. 2:33 left to play.
2nd & 10 Turner takes it to the left. Won't go down! FUMBLE!!! Bush with the TD!!! ....A whistle blew, Bush kept running. Main official doesn't blow whistle to end play as Turner's forward progress had ended.... Will review the play.
1st & 10 for Falcons from Saints 35... Turner for no gain
3rd & 10 Brees pressured! Falcons lineman recovers the ball!!!! INTERCEPTION! Owens on the blitz.
2nd & 10 3:42 left in the game .... Owens knocks down the pass! Avoids a first down!... Brees took too long to throw
1st & 10 incomplete pass... Throw shorthopped to Moore. Injured Saint on the ground. Getting out of field
2nd & 10 complete pass for the first down!
Saints at OWN 21... 1st & 10... incomplete pass...
KICK IS GOOD!!! This game is in the fridge... 4:25 left to play.
Bryant gets on the field 55 yarder--- SAINTS CALL TIMEOUT
3rd & 14 "screen" to Snelling. Was confronted by two Saints.. FG coming for the game...
2nd & 8 short dump to Rodgers... WHOA! Lofton jumped on Rodgers... no gain
1st & 10 Saints 39 any score by Atlanta will put the game away as we are inside six minutes
3rd & 8 (0/8 in third down conversation in the game) shotgun drops back. JONES GETS THE FIRST DOWN!
Halfway done with the 4th quarter... 2nd & 10 shotgudraw to Rodgers. Gets two
1st & 10 OWN 48 Drops back. Ball tipped. Intended receive White
2nd & 4 FIRST DOWN! Turner with the run of six.
1st & 10 OWN 38 Drop back. Turner with six on short pass
2nd & 6 Gonzalez with the first down grab and more! Gain of 11
1st & 10 complete pass to White gain of four...
PUNT... SAINTS down it at the one! ... Foot of Saint was on the goal line as he reached out and got the ball... Falcons might take over on OWN 20 instead of OWN 1
3rd & 5 shotgun... SACK!! Brees sacked by Abraham, beat blocker around the corner. Wow! Dude is fast
2nd & 1 William Moore reads the play! Gets in there for the draw... Loss off about four
1st & 10 Sproles breaks tackle gains 9 and runs out of bounds on screen
1st & 10 at OWN 35 Graham in Falcons territory after 25-yard gain!
3rd & 6 shotgun... Moore in motion.. Moore with the catch!
2nd & 5 FALSE START! ---- 2nd & 10 gain of four on pass to Graham
Saints will start at OWN 20... 1st & 10 Thomas gets the draw and gains five
14:48 left to play in the game--- Saints get ball
29-yard FG coming GOOD!--- 7-point lead for Falcons
Pass to Roddy White incomplete... FG unit on the field
3rd & GOAL -------------------END OF THE THIRD QUARTER-------------------------
2nd & GOAL from 11 shotgun Overthrows Snelling
2nd & GOAL Looks like Ryan will pass FALSE START! Falcons... Tony Gonzalez penalized....
1st & GOAL Turner gets the sweep. Loss of two yard
1st & GOAL TIMEOUT! 1:08 remaining in the 4th... Falcons talk it over.--
1st & 10 Ryan in No Huddle. at Saints 26... WHITE WITH HIS FIRST GRAB! Inside the five! Diving grab as he slid out of bounds!
2nd & 11 shotgun... Laser to Tony Gonzalez! FIRST DOWN!
1st & 10 shotgun. Rodgers goes nowhere on run... Casillas on the tackle.
2nd & 6 BREES INTERCEPTED BY WILLIAM MOORE!!!! Falcons catch a break! Brings it back to OWN 40.
1st & 10 Colston gains four...
Saints get ball with chance to take lead
Sproles brings it up to OWN 43... 3:20 left in the third
4th & 10 3:34 left.. Only takes 19 seconds for the Saints to get on the field.
3rd & 10 ... fans heard booing, some whisteling trying to cheer Falcons on-- White drops it!
2nd & 10 shot gun Steps up.. throws to NOBODY!
1st & 10 from OWN 20 ... Ryan has to step it up. HIT! Doesn't go down, throws ball away
3:53 left in the third -- Falcons to receive... TOUCHBACK
52-yarder is GOOD!
3rd & 2 Brees with time, then pressured! Ball dropped by Colston. Too high... FG coming. Hartley 1-2 from 50+
2nd & 2 Brees fakes deep pass. Throws it short for no gain
1st & 10 at Falcons 42-- Thomas gains 8 again
3rd & 2 Sproles with the sweep left... First down and more..
2nd & 2 empty backfield. SPROLES DROPS THE PASS!!!! Would have been huge!
1st & 10 Thomas at midfield for gain of eight! ... The run is killing the Falcons
Play action.. Moore wide open.. First down!
6 minutes left in the third quarter--- 1st & 10 from OWN 30 coming up...
Sproles to receive-- Makes first man miss! ... Then gets tackled.
3rd & 7 pass intended for Roddy White! Incomplete pass! Saints will receive the ball!
2nd & 15 Jones runs behind Gonzalez's block on the screen. Gain of 8
2nd & 5 Turner stuffed... Holding call against Falcons. McClure with the penalty
1st & 10 Turner gets the ball gains five yards
Falcons to receive--- 1st & 10 from OWN 17!
21-yarder good! --- Saints burn almost seven minutes from third quarter in first possession of 2nd half
3rd & GOAL Brees steps up and hits Thomas. No touchdown. FG unit takes over
2nd & GOAL Drops back.. Ingram loses footing!... Loss of one
1st & GOAL play action! Moore with the grab!... No! He drops it! Would have had the TD
2nd & 10 Graham and Brees hook up and get inside the Saints' 10
1st & 10 Thomas is finally stopped. No gain
3rd & 4 FLAG! False start offense. 3rd & 9 4/7 in first down situations. SPROLES FIRST DOWN! 10 yards on catch and run.
2nd & 4 (play action coming?) straight back drop... ALMOST INTERCEPTED! Grahama was intended receiver
1st & 10 Thomas goes down to the 30 for a gain of six
1st & 10 at Falcons' 49... Thomas gains 13 on run play!
2nd & 10 shotgun with protection-- Moore stiffarms Robinson and picks up 12
1st & 10 from OWN 39 Shotgun... Abraham gets 2nd deflection!
1st & 10 Thomas goes about 8 yards untouched and gets 11 yards for first down. Went right up the gut!
2nd & 2--- Colston brought down after catching first down
1st & 10 Thomas carries it for a gain of eight
Saints return it up to about the 14
Second half beings! Saints will receive. Not scoring in closing seconds of 1st half proves pivotal
| ATLANTA FALCONS | ||||
| Passing | CP/AT | YDS | TD | INT |
| M. Ryan | 8/16 | 81 | 1 | 0 |
| Rushing | CAR | YDS | TD | LG |
| M. Turner | 7 | 71 | 1 | 35 |
| J. Rodgers | 4 | 30 | 0 | 14 |
| Receiving | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
| J. Snelling | 3 | 22 | 0 | 15 |
| T. Gonzalez | 2 | 26 | 1 | 17T |
| J. Jones | 2 | 25 | 0 | 18 |
| M. Cox | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Defense | T-A | SCK | INT | FF |
| W. Moore | 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D. Robinson | 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T. DeCoud | 4-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| S. Weatherspoon | 1-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| C. Owens | 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C. Matthews | 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| V. Walker | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| K. Biermann | 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| S. Nicholas | 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A. Dent | 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| R. McClain | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | ||||
| Passing | CP/AT | YDS | TD | INT |
| D. Brees | 13/23 | 197 | 0 | 2 |
| Rushing | CAR | YDS | TD | LG |
| P. Thomas | 4 | 21 | 0 | 9 |
| M. Ingram | 6 | 13 | 1 | 5 |
| C. Ivory | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Receiving | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
| M. Colston | 4 | 59 | 0 | 21 |
| D. Sproles | 3 | 28 | 0 | 14 |
| L. Moore | 2 | 61 | 0 | 32 |
| J. Morgan | 1 | 38 | 0 | 38 |
| J. Graham | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| J. Collins | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| M. Higgins | 1 | -3 | 0 | -3 |
| Defense | T-A | SCK | INT | FF |
| C. Jordan | 3-0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| M. Jenkins | 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| R. Harper | 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P. Robinson | 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J. Vilma | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D. Hawthorne | 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C. Lofton | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| A. Hicks | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| E. Mack | 0-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NO | ATL | ||
| First Downs | 12 | 9 | |
| Total Yards | 235 | 176 | |
| Passing Yards | 197 | 75 | |
| Rushing Yards | 38 | 101 | |
| Penalties (Yds) | 3(20) | 2(5) | |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 | |
| Punts (AVG) | 3(42) | 4(43) | |
| Time of Pos. | 17:15 | 12:45 |
Stick around while we bring you stats of the game. Team stats come first....
The Saints just wasted a golden opportunity!
2nd & GOAL Brees short. NO TIMEOUTS! DIDN'T GET THE SPIKE!!!!!! HALFTIME!
1st & GOAL from 17 punk fake to Sproles, cuts and makes the catch and runs down inside the five. GETS HIT! stays up.
1st & GOAL from the seven... Sproles WIDE OPEN! TOUCHDOWN! ... Interference on Saints. No touchdown.
2nd & 10 shotgun at Falcons' 21 Brees pressured. Sproles with a crossing route FIRST DOWN!
1st & 10 incomplete pass throws ball away
1st & 10... First down after about 17-yard gain
================2-MINUTE WARNING==============
1st & 10 Brees steps up! Moore with the catch! In Falcon territory. Down at around the 40!
Bosher to Punt.... Sproles at the 14. Running to the middle. 14-yard return
4th & 1 2:24 left to play Saints about to receive. Half no timeouts but have the 2-minute warning...
3rd & 16... 2:35.... Snelling takes it for 15 yards! Almost gets first down. 2nd time Lofton cleans up play and avoids receiver from getting first down!
2nd & 10 RYAN TAKEN DOWN! Jordan wtih the sack!
1st & 10 Snelling fights to get back to line of scrimmage on screen. Ex-Falcon Lofton with the stop
TOUCHBACK.. Falcons start at OWN 20
3:17 left to play in the half
1st & GOAL Ingram leaps! ... No call yet... TOUCHDOWN!
Ball will be placed at the .5 yard line as penalty was assessed. Thomas was down at the one.
Personal foul on Falcons which will be enforced at kickoff. . . Play will come back!
1st & 10 Thomas goes 10 for the touchdown!!!! Flag on the field... Gotta check replay since Thomas look like his knees contacted the ground.
1st & 10! Brees once again bumped, steps up and hits Colston firs the first down!
3rd & 2 Flag on the play, Brees throws it into the end zone, incomplete pass... Neutral zone infraction...
2nd & 9 Ivory gains seven
1st & 10 Ingram geains a yard
3rd & 8 Brees steps out of the pocket and was bumped, completes pass to Colston! First down!
2nd & 8 Play action.. loads up!!! Beautiful defense by Owens No. 21 knocks ball away preventing a score
1st & 10 at Falcons' 47.. Ingram gains 2 yards
FIRST DOWN! Deep pass sandwiched in between two Falcons!
3rd & 9 TIMEOUT! Play clock was running out
2nd & 9 Ball tipped by Falcons and almost intercepted!!! Brees goes down
Saints have sandwiched 3 punts in between two INTs in first five possessions
TOUCHBACK! 1st & 10 from OWN 20--- Gain of a yard
Saints to receive.... Brees 5/12 with 64 yards and two INTs
8:53 left to play in the half
FG coming Bryant in to kick 45-yarder-- More than enough! FG GOOD!
3rd & 8 overthrows Douglas... Ryan has been wide and high in a lot of his throws.
2nd & 8 Ryan gets blitzed... Gonzalez can't bring down the ball. Off his fingertips
1st & 10 from OWN 29... Turner can't cut the corner. Only gains two
Brees' 2nd interception in the game... Ball off Ivory's shoulder pads and goes into the hands of Weatherspoon
1st & 10 Play action. With time. INTERCEPTION!! Weatherspoon interceps a short pass!
PUNT-- Bosher with a towering punt. Sproles at the 13... Runs it up to the Saints 34.
3rd & 9 shotgun Snelling tried to get the first. Settles for nine. Punt unit gets on the field
2nd & 9 White in motion. Play action! White drops it!
1st & 10 for Falcons after the break.... Turner gains just about a yard. Looked like regular Turner on that one
Falcons to receive... BAD PUNT! Downed at the Falcons' 28. Punt turned out respectable. Went 53 yards
The Saints' offense has been non-existant so far in this game
3rd & 15 shotgun Brees with time. Quick gets chased. Incomplete pass to Colston
3rd & 10 Whistle before the snap... Delay of game. Move further back
2rd & 7 Tightend Hagans gets HIT!... Loss of three
1st & 10 at OWN 25... Hurry up for Brees and Saints... Thomas gains three on run
1st & 10 first down grab by Jimmy Graham
Saints receive... Bring it up to OWN 14
14:08 to play in the second quarter
PAT IS GOOD!!!--- 7th TD catch for Tony Gonzalez
2nd &10 shotgun TOUCHDOWN!!! TONY GONZALEZ! He reverse layups the ball over the FG post
1st & 10 loss of a yard on run to the right
1st & 10 from around Saints 16 when we return
---------------------------------END OF THE FIRST!-------------------------------
1st & 10 Jones with reception... fumbles and recovers!
Short, quick passes working for the Falcons
2nd & 2 Ryan behind center. 2 players in back field... Quick slant to Jones. FIRST DOWN!
1st & 10 1:38 left in the 1st ... Gain of 8 yards on pass to fullback. Second pass completed by Ryan
Quickly.... Saints have to punt.... Falcons will take over in Saints territory
1st & 10 Ingram gains six
3:10 left in the first quarter
4th & 10 PUNT Sproles back to receive... Sporles knocked down by own man! Ball advanced to about the 12... Refs review to see fi there was a fair catch called .....
3rd & 10 shotgun. Ryan aims for Jones... Right through his hands! Incomplete
2nd & 10 Douglas covered well as Ryan went for the deep pass! Incomplete pass
1st & 10 Ryan drops back.. pumps left... Throws incomplete pass as it was slightly deflected
1st & 10 12-yard gain! Turner first down with another run up the middle!
1st & 10 what a run by Turner... Gives them breathing room. First down at the 20
PUNT! Franks in to receive for ATL-- Fair catch, let's it bounce... Saints downed at around OWN 7!
3rd & 2 shotgun slant goes to Moore, pass goes behind him. Incomplete.. Colston was wide open on the left
2nd & 4 Ivory gains maybe two with run to the left
1st & 10 Thomas and Sproles in backfield. Thomas POPPED! Moore with the stop at midfield. Gain of about six
3rd & 13 from the shotgun. Brees has protection. Brees hits Colston! FIRST DOWN! 15-yard gain!
2nd & 13 incomplete pass to the right!
1st & 10 Ivory gets the hand off... Immediately pressured and dropped for a loss!
Fair catch at OWN 33. Half way done with the quarter. 7:47 left to play
PUNT! Bosher to kick. Sproles receives
3rd & 7 Roddy White looks for a flag! Was dragged down before pass got to him. No call
2nd & 7 8:10 to play ... Ryan looks left and right. Nobody there. Opts to throw ball away
1st & 10 from OWN 20 for the Falcons, Rodgers gains three on run to the right.
2nd & 7 Brees goes deep! In the end zone! INTERCEPTION!! No. 28 DeCoud with the interception!
1st & 10 from Falcons' 38 Thomas gains two yards on run up the middle
3rd & 10 from the shotgun... FANS ARE LOUD! just got snap away! Deep middle! COMPLETE BY MORGAN IN FALCONS TERRITORY!!! WHAT A PASS!
2nd & 10 Weatherspoon and Robinson hold Saints to no gain on pass to the left!
1st & 10 from OWN 20-- Ball tipped! Abraham got a hand on it. Incomplete pass.
TOUCHBACK for the Saints
Let's see if Saints can respond to Brees' comments in the huddle "This is our division and we know it!"
11:09 to play in the first quarter. Saints to receive.
PAT COMING--- GOOD!!
1st & GOAL from the three-- TOUCHDOWN ATLANTA! Turner rushes for the three-yard TD!
1st & 10 in the Red Zone at the 17... Rodgers patiently waits for blockers. ANOTHER FIRST DOWN! Inside the five!
2nd & 5 Ryan changes something. Rodgers makes a cut up the middle! First down 14-yard gain!
1ST & 10 Turner gets five yards in run up the middle.
2nd & 2 what a hole! Turner finds the gap and gets into the secondary, breaks two tackles and is in Saints' 36!!
1st & 10 from OWN 20-- Ryan drops back to throw... gets hit! Ball floats in the air Gonzalez somehow makes the catch!
Falcons receive--- Touchback!
Only Marshall Faulk picked the Saints to this one saying they would run the ball better than the Falcons
Atlanta Falcons fans egged Saints bus yesterday.
------- Welcome to the live blog of the Saints vs. Falcons--------
Just three weeks after both the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons met in Week 10, they will meet in Thursday Night Football for their second matchup of the year with kickoff a little after 8:30 p.m. ET and we will bring you all the scores.
The Falcons don't need any extra motivation to get riled up for this game. The Saints beat them back in Week 10 and took away their hopes of a perfect season.
Since then, the Falcons have gone 2-0 and are 10-1 in the season after close matchups versus the Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Had they lost to the Bucs, then the Falcon would have really ignited Tampa's playoff hopes. Tonight, the Falcons not only have a chance to get even with the spoiling Saints, but they have a chance to really extinguish their playoff hopes as the Saints are now 5-6.
For the Falcons, they can punch a ticket in the playoffs with a win tonight, which is probably what they are focusing on.
The Saints simply have their season on the line as a loss tonight means the best they can finish their season is 9-7. A record like that does not look like it will get anybody into to the postseason, especially via the NFC Wild Card.
Check out the injury report for both squads.
These are the players that are definitely out tonight.
For the Saints, Isa Abdul-Quddus (safety), Courtney Roby (WR), Charles Brown (tackle), Tom Johnson (defensive tackle) and Junior Galette (defensive end).
Join us for the live blog of this matchup where we will bring you anything and everything that occurs on the football field.
Refresh the page and scroll to the top of the page for the latest scoring and play-by-play updates.
We will also bring you fantasy gurus stats at the end of the game and at halftime, so stick around.
