By Guy Curtright, Contributing writer
ATLANTA — Coming off a feeble ground performance in a 30-24 loss at Baltimore, the New Orleans Saints were without leading rusher Chris Ivory again for their showdown with the Atlanta Falcons on “Monday Night Football” at the Georgia Dome.
Ivory, a rookie who has 683 yards on 130 carries for a 5.3 average and five touchdowns, was inactive for the second consecutive game because of a hamstring injury.
By Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
Atlanta — The New Orleans Saints got their revenge on the Atlanta Falcons and stayed alive for the NFC South championship.
A great defensive effort and a nice fourth quarter drive sealed the deal as the Saints won 17-14.
Drew Brees was 35-of-49 for 302 yards and touchdown and two interceptions — both of which appeared to be costly. But it was that one touchdown, to cap a seven minute drive in the fourth quarter, that was the key.
With the win, the Saints are 11-4 and Atlanta drops to 12-3. If the Saints beat Tampa Bay on Sunday and Atlanta loses to Carolina, the Saints will win the NFC South.
By Nakia Hogan, The Times-Picayune
Perhaps in a way to get under the skin of the hated Atlanta Falcons, loquacious former New Orleans Saints receiver Joe Horn, in 2002, boastingly said the Saints and Falcons were not a true rivalry.
His reasoning was simple. Horn deduced that in order for it to be a true rivalry both teams needed to win. And since the Saints were 3-1 against the Falcons since Horn had signed to the team in 2000, winning was something the Falcons hadn’t done often.
But later during the season, the Falcons beat the Saints twice, forcing Horn to eat his words: “It’s a rivalry now,” he said. “They whipped our butt twice.”
James Varney, The Times-Picayune
Two things – one that could lengthen the game; another that may shorten it – should become apparent Monday night when the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons tangle in the Georgia Dome, according to Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
The first is Atlanta’s willingness to go for it on fourth down. When the Falcons beat New Orleans on Sept. 26, Atlanta converted two of three fourth downs to go with their 50 percent conversion rate on the 18 third downs they faced. Admittedly, those numbers were compiled in a game that lasted nearly five quarters, but since then the Falcons have gone on to lead the NFL by converting 11 of 13 fourth down attempts this season.
By James Varney, The Times-Picayune
New Orleans Saints coaches reportedly did not stick lumps of coal in defenders’ stockings this morning, but that doesn’t mean the players aren’t aware they were more nice than naughty when it came to tackling last Sunday.
“You can’t try to deflect or act like it didn’t happen. It did happen. They rushed for more than 200 yards on us, and they deserved it the way we tackled, the way we played,” linebacker and defensive captain Jonathan Vilma said. “You look at it, you take it for what it is, and you be honest with yourself and look to improve.”
By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski said he suggested during a production meeting this week that Monday night’s game between the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons would be the best they’ve had all season.
At the same time, Jaworski conceded, these two NFC South rivals are “kind of the Rodney Dangerfields of the NFL” because neither is getting enough respect for what they’ve accomplished.
Jeff Duncan
The New Orleans Saints lose a game, and everyone mines the summary and game film for answers and explanations.
Who’s at fault?
What went wrong?
Where’s the weak spot?
Why did the Saints lose?
There were a lot of lessons to be learned from New Orleans’ 30-24 loss at Baltimore on Sunday.
By Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune
Momentum was a huge factor in this game. And most of it belonged to the Baltimore Ravens.
Each time the New Orleans Saints seemed to take control, Ray Rice would make a big play to wrest it back in Baltimore’s favor.
The Saints pulled within 21-17 early in the third quarter and had scored 10 straight points when Rice took a screen pass and rambled 32 yards down the left sideline to energize the crowd and his teammates. Eight plays later, the Ravens scored a field goal.
BALTIMORE (AP) – By breaking two alarming trends, the Baltimore
Ravens snapped the six-game winning streak of the defending Super
Bowl champions.
Ray Rice ran for 153 yards, caught five passes for 80 yards and
scored two touchdowns to carry the Ravens over the New Orleans
Saints 30-24 on Sunday.
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