Saints vs. Falcons: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2014 Regular Season

On the foot of Matt Bryant and behind the arm of Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons scored a crucial overtime win, 37-34, over the division-rival New Orleans Saints in Week 1 of the 2014 NFL season. After pushing the game into overtime with a 51-yarder, Bryant booted a 52-yard field goal to win it in the extra quarter.   

With Atlanta looking to win the division one year removed from a brutal 4-12 season, the victory puts the team on track after just one week. The Falcons' Twitter account provides a look at the final result after the tight game:

Both offenses went down the field in under two minutes to send the game into overtime at 34-34, but a crucial fumble by Marques Colston on the Saints' opening drive in OT led to Bryant's game-winning field goal. The win moves the Falcons to 1-0 and gives them a huge victory over the Saints, who they went 0-2 against in 2013.

Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune notes Colston's reaction to the fumble and subsequent field goal:

The matchup was built around the performance of the two quarterbacks.

For Drew Brees, it was about putting together another consistent season. Ryan, on the other hand, was looking to reignite his rapport with wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White after both players experienced a down season in 2013 due to injuries.

On Sunday, Ryan overshadowed Brees statistically. The Falcons signal-caller went 31-of-43 for 448 yards and three touchdowns, hitting Jones and White for a combined 12 receptions, 188 yards and a touchdown.

Along with the two top receivers, Devin Hester finished with five receptions for 99 yards in his Falcons debut. Michael Schottey of Bleacher Report and Chris Wesseling of NFL.com provided their thoughts on Ryan's electric performance during the game:

Leading up to the season opener, the seventh-year Boston College product spoke about the pressure put on his shoulders, per The Associated Press (via Fox News):

"As a quarterback, you certainly feel responsible for doing your part," Ryan said. "It's a production-based league. You've got to produce. You've got to play well."

Though the Falcons struggled due to injuries last year, Ryan still managed to throw for 4,515 yards and 26 touchdowns. With a full offensive supporting cast around him yet again, he proved that the Falcons offense is still explosive and can compete with one of the best defenses in the league.

Ryan also set the career touchdowns record for the Falcons during the contest, as Craig Sager II of SCORE Atlanta points out:

As for Brees, it was an up-and-down start for the typically consistent quarterback. He finished 29-of-42 for 333 yards and a touchdown, showing his cool demeanor during the fourth quarter as he helped the Saints reclaim the lead with less than two minutes remaining.

Unfortunately, even leading the team down the field for Mark Ingram's second touchdown of the day wouldn't be enough once the game went into overtime.

Along with Brees, wideout Brandin Cooks shined in his rookie debut. The first-round pick for the Saints built plenty of hype during the offseason and proved to be one of the biggest offseason weapons for the Saints.

Jimmy Graham and Colston ended the day with more receiving yards, but Cooks showed flashes of brilliance in his first game. The Oregon State product finished with seven receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon along with 18 rushing yards on an end-around play.

Schottey and Will Brinson of CBS Sports praised the excellent showing from Cooks: 

Moving forward, both teams still have a tough road ahead to win the NFC South. With the likes of the 2013 NFC South champion Carolina Panthers and resurgent Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the division could shape up to be one of the best in the NFL this season.

In Week 2, the Falcons will travel to take on the tough Cincinnati Bengals before another division contest against the Buccaneers on a short week. But with Ryan and the offense thriving on Sunday, the future looks bright for the Falcons franchise.

The Saints next take on the Cleveland Browns on the road in Week 2 before their first home game against the Minnesota Vikings. After a rough defensive showing against Atlanta, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will need his unit to regroup to take down both teams.

Since the start of the NFC South division in 2002, no franchise has ever repeated as the winner. Despite the tough loss for the Saints on Sunday, both teams clearly have the talent to emerge as the division champion.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.