National Football League
Atlanta 37, New Orleans 34
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 7, 2014
Where: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
Temperature: Dome
Head Official: Bill Leavy
Attendance: 70706

Falcons 37, Saints 34 (OT): Matt Bryant booted through the game-winning 52-yard field goal in overtime after connecting from 51 as time expired in regulation to lift Atlanta past visiting New Orleans.

Matt Ryan went 31-for-43 for 448 yards and three touchdowns for the Falcons (1-0), who overcame a 13-point first-half deficit. Julio Jones hauled in seven catches for 116 yards and newcomer Devin Hester recorded 99 yards receiving while Roddy White, Antone Smith and Levine Toilolo each grabbed a TD reception.

Mark Ingram ran for 60 yards and a pair of fourth-quarter TDs while Drew Brees went 29-of-42 for 333 yards and a score to lead the Saints (0-1). New Orleans had a chance with the ball at the start of overtime but Marques Colston fumbled and Atlanta needed only three plays to set up Bryant’s winning field goal.

Ingram’s 3-yard TD run with 8:46 left put the Saints in front 27-24, but the Falcons came back with an eight-play, 94-yard drive capped by Jacquizz Rodgers’ 17-yard scoring run with 2:50 to play. Brees marched New Orleans right back down the field and Ingram punched it in again for a 3-yard TD with 1:20 remaining before Atlanta knotted it up at the whistle.

The Saints raced out to a 13-0 lead and were up 20-7 after Brees found rookie Brandin Cooks for a 3-yard score with 20 seconds left in the first half, but the Falcons gained some momentum by using that 20 seconds to set up a 40-yard field goal as time expired. Ryan drove the team 80 yards on the opening drive of the third and found Toilolo for a 1-yard TD pass before giving Atlanta its first lead of the game with a 54-yard strike to Smith with 21 seconds left in the third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cooks finished with seven catches for 77 yards and a score in his NFL debut while Colston had five receptions for 110 yards to lead the New Orleans receiving corps. … Ryan, who threw a career-high 17 interceptions while being sacked a career-most 44 times in 2013, did not throw a pick and was sacked once by the Saints. … Stephen Jackson led the Atlanta running attack with 52 yards on 12 carries.
Top Game Performances
Rushing
New Orleans   Atlanta
Mark Ingram Player Steven Jackson
13 Attempts 12
60 Yards 52
4.6 Avg Yards 4.3
2 Touchdowns 0
19 Long 17
Receiving
New Orleans   Atlanta
Marques Colston Player Julio Jones
5 Receptions 7
110 Yards 116
22.0 Avg Yards 16.6
0 Touchdowns 0
57 Long 27
Team Stats Summary
 
  Yards Scoring Defense
Team Tot Rus Pas TD FG INT Sck FF
New Orleans 472 139 333 4 2 0 1.0 1
Atlanta 568 123 445 4 3 1 0.0 1
Upcoming Games
  • Atlanta will play their next game on the road against Cincinnati. The Falcons have a W/L % of 1.000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • New Orleans will play their next game on the road against Cleveland. The Saints have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
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