Atlanta Falcons Lose 1st Game of 2015, Fall to Saints 31-21

The Atlanta Falcons suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of their bitter rivals, falling to the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night by a final score of 31-21.

The Atlanta Falcons made numerous mistakes in the first half, missing out on opportunities to score and take control of the game. The Falcons’ three turnovers doomed their prospects, especially a fumble in the first half by Tevin Coleman during a drive deep in Saints territory. Without starting center Mike Person on Thursday, James Stone struggled snapping the ball to Matt Ryan all night. One such errant snap ricocheted off the center’s body, causing another turnover on a drive on the Saints’ side of the field. Stone looked uncomfortable all night snapping the ball, forcing Matt Ryan to go out of his way to catch the ball cleanly, giving the Saints defense time to collapse the pocket.

Devonta Freeman was once again the best offensive player for the Atlanta Falcons, rushing for 100 yards on 13 carries. After scoring two more touchdowns on Wednesday, Freeman now has 10 TD’s in his last 5 games. Freeman’s two fourth quarter touchdowns closed the gap for the Atlanta Falcons, but were ultimately unsuccessful in stopping a seemingly rejuvenated Drew Brees and Saints’ offense.

After looking listless against the Philadelphia Eagles last week, Brees torched the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, throwing for 312 yards and 1 TD, while completing 30-39 passes. Saints’ TE Benjamin Watson looked like Jimmy Graham against the Atlanta Falcons, recording 127 yards on 10 receptions, including a TD from Brees. Though the Saints’ rushing attack was lackluster, the Atlanta defense had difficulty containing Mark Ingram in the red-zone, as the former Heisman trophy winner scored 2 TD’s on the night.

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On top of turnovers, penalties killed the Atlanta Falcons in the second half, as the Saints’ offense had multiple second chance opportunities because of mental mistakes on the part of the Atlanta Falcons’ defense. On the night, the officiating crew assessed a total of 7 penalties against the Falcons, totaling 41 yards. Not even another 4th quarter comeback could have mitigated the effect of mental mistakes tonight for the Atlanta Falcons.

The offensive line provided limited protection for Matt Ryan against the Saints, whose defense recorded 5 sacks on the Falcons’ QB. It looked as if fans were watching a repeat of a game from the Mike Smith regime, as Matty Ice had nearly no time at any point to drop back into the pocket and find an open receiver.

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Julio Jones, listed as Probable before Thursday night’s contest, played the entire game, but was for the most part contained by Rob Ryan’s secondary. Julio Jones finished the game with 93 yards on 6 catches, but had no touchdowns, and did not possess the same explosiveness that he had during the season’s first three games. Roddy White also played a more active role on Thursday, recording 3 receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown. Though it’s a far cry from the days when Roddy led the Atlanta Falcons in receptions, it’s great to see the veteran finally getting some touches.

This loss is difficult for the Atlanta Falcons, who for the last 5 games have demonstrated such resolve and grit on both sides of the ball. Head Coach Dan Quinn now has 11 days to re-assess the status of his club and to make the necessary adjustments to prevent a similar debacle in the future. This extended time off will also prove beneficial to members of the Atlanta Falcons who are ailing, such as Justin Durant, Mike Person and Julio Jones. Durant and Person were sorely missed on Thursday, and their return will no doubt help the Falcons rebound.

Next: Justin Durant Out Thursday vs. Saints