Atlanta Falcons: 4 Things Learned vs. Saints

Oct 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson (82) is pursued by Atlanta Falcons strong safety

(25) in the third quarter of their game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

DEFENSIVE MISSTEPS

Head Coach Dan Quinn and Defensive Coordinator Richard Smith have transformed the Atlanta Falcons defense from a bottom of the league squad into a respectable one. Going into this game, the New Orleans Saints scored only 10 points last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, and many (myself included) believed that this boded well for the Atlanta Falcons defense.

That was not the case, as Drew Brees threw for 312 yards and 1 TD, carving up the Atlanta Falcons secondary. TE Benjamin Watson made Saints fans forget about Jimmy Graham, recording 127 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions. A balanced passing attack on the part of the Saints kept the Atlanta Falcons off-balance the entire game, and perhaps portends struggles in the future for the Atlanta defense.

Next: Running Amok