Week Eight Review-Falcons Find It Tough In The Big Easy

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Anyone that watched this game Monday night must admit it was exciting until the end. Both teams came in and played a physical, hard fought game.

The Falcons struck first on the opening possession culminating with a Michael Turner 13 yard touchdown scamper. Turner showed surprising speed to get to the edge for the score.

The Falcons kicked off to the Saints and five and a half minutes later, running back Pierre Thomas scampered in the end zone from 22 yards out. Game tied, the shootout began.

The next Falcons possession they stalled and ended up punting. They downed the ball inside the Saints ten yard line. Two plays later, Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud came in on a delayed blitz rocking Brees and forcing a fumble. The ball was recovered in the end zone by defensive end Kroy Biermann. For the second time in the first quarter, the Falcons took the lead.

The Saints got the ball back and methodically drove downfield, ending their series with an 18 yard touchdown to Marques Colston. The game was tied at 14 with eleven minutes still remaining in the second quarter.

This was the rivalry I expected and wrote about in my pre-game column. These games typically turn into physical battles and this was no disappointment.

On the next possession Turner broke loose a 37 run yard run and put the Falcons into field goal position to take a 17-14 lead. Kicker Jason Elam came out and hit the upright, no good. This is where it became obvious the Falcons were in trouble. They hadn't really stopped Drew Brees and the Saints offense so far so the only way to stay in this game was to produce another big play from the defense.

Ask and ye shall receive.

After Saints running back Pierre Thomas did his best Turner impression and broke loose for 30 yards, Drew Brees took a shot down-field to Devery Henderson. Corner back Brent Grimes, who is 5'8" in stacked shoes, had to vertically leap three feet off the ground to bring in the pass and the big play the Falcons required to stay in control.

With four minutes left in the half, the Falcons went three and out and that was the last time they threatened the Saints in the half. The Saints got the ball back and abused the weak secondary of the Falcons. Drew Brees needed only four passes to go 76 yards down-field and setup a one yard Reggie Bush run.

Up 21-14 with one minute remaining in the half, the Saints were looking forward to going into the half with a touchdown lead. That's when Matt Ryan made one of his mistakes.

Ryan dropped back and tried to force a pass into receiver Roddy White that corner Jabari Greer read perfectly. He stepped in front of White and returned the pass 48 yards putting the Saints up by two scores.

After being tied with four minutes remaining to being down by 14 points going into halftime, it appeared the game was all but won. Wrong...

In the third quarter, the Saints received the kickoff and the Falcons defense forced a three and out. Once the Falcons got the ball, they wasted no time getting back into the game. Ryan aired the ball out to White down-field and Roddy turned it into a 68 yard touchdown.

Suddenly as that, the Falcons were back in the game.

The rest of the third quarter was pretty uneventful. Neither team really gaining any further ground on the other. It was more defensive than the previous two quarters.

The fourth quarter started off with the Falcons marching down field and scoring the game tieing touchdown to Roddy White with 11:36 left in the game. Or did they?

Coach Sean Payton challenged the play and replay showed White allowed the ball the hit the turf. The Falcons had to settle for a field goal and a four point hole. It appeared on the replay White was hit well before the pass reached him but officials didn't throw any flags so it must have been clean. Officials don't make mistakes.

On the ensuing possession, Saints running back Pierre Thomas fumbled after being hit by safety Eric Coleman and the Falcons had the ball right back. Down by four, ten minutes left in the game. This was the momentum the Falcons needed to take the game away from the Saints.

That's why they play the game.

On the third play of the drive, Ryan tossed a ball at Tony Gonzalez from the Saints 11 yard line that was tipped by linebacker Jonathan Vilma resulting in a second interception for Jabari Greer.

With ball in hand, the Saints marched downfield and milked the clock down to three minutes before scoring on a one yard touchdown by Pierre Thomas. That effectively put the Saints up by two scores and the game too far out of reach for the Falcons.

Once again, that's why they play the game.

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