Observations from Saints Thanksgiving blowout vs. Falcons
Nov 23, 2018, 12:00 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 11:37 am
NEW ORLEANS, LA - NOVEMBER 22: Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints hands the ball to Alvin Kamara #41 against the Atlanta Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 22, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
By: Kyle Madson
The Saints are the best team in the NFL. They downed the Falcons 31-17 in New Orleans on Thanksgiving to move to 10-1 on the season. The Falcons dropped to 4-7 and likely fell out of the playoff race.
Here were our observations from throughout the Thanksgiving night cap:
– That didn’t take long. The Saints went 75 yards on seven plays for a touchdown to open the scoring. Drew Brees has to be the MVP this season, if for no other reason than he hasn’t won one yet in his incredible career.
– The Falcons stormed down to to the Saints 3-yard line, but quarterback Matt Ryan fumbled. That is a brutal turnover against an offense like New Orleans.
– Well that was unexpected. Just as the NBC broadcast shows a stat about Drew Brees throwing only one interception all season, he tossed one to Falcons safety Damontae Kazee. Kazee returned it for a touchdown, but he was marked down where he intercepted it. That’s a tough rule, and a significant bummer for a Falcons offense that just fumbled on their first possession.
– Matt Bryant is still kicking in the NFL it turns out. He booted a field goal to make it 7-3. Naturally the Saints answered with a field goal. They’re incredible.
– Saints coach Sean Payton is a wizard. The Saints went run heavy before going play action to tight end Austin Carr for a touchdown. That was the kind of drive that makes New Orleans a championship contender.
– The Falcons went for it on fourth-and-7 from their own 49 and made it on a Matt Ryan scramble. Sure. That’s a thing that happens.
– Julio Jones fumbled as the Falcons were going in to score before the half. He has two fumbles and three touchdowns this season.
– Brees to Dan Arnold makes it a three-touchdown game. Apparently Dan Arnold is an NFL player and not a person the Saints found in the crowd.
– Ryan threw an interception on a batted pass. That’s an inexcusable error against the Saints. Also, the Saints defense is the best of the top three teams. The Chiefs and Rams defenses aren’t on the same level as New Orleans.
– Someone named Keith Kirkwood scored a touchdown for the Saints after the interception, because apparently that’s an NFL player.
– Calvin Ridley nearly had his second touchdown of the night, but he fumbled just before reaching the end zone. It’s extremely clear now how Atlanta is going to fall to 4-7. This is pathetic.
– It turns out an onside kick where nobody pursues the kick is super funny.
– Turnovers were the story of this one. The Falcons gave away the ball too many times against a Saints offense that’s going to take advantage every time.
