What happened in Falcons’ Week 4 home win over Saints

When Falcons punter Bradly Pinion came onto the field after the offense’s first drive stalled at the Saints’ 46-yard line, it appeared the eight-play, 24-yard drive would result in zero points. Instead, Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed dropped the punt after calling for a fair catch inside the 5-yard line. It rolled into the end zone, where Falcons wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge jumped on it for a special teams touchdown.

NOTE: That was the Falcons’ first muffed punt returned for a touchdown since at least 2000, per TruMedia.

Atlanta had been moving the ball during its opening offensive possession, but a facemask penalty on left guard Matthew Bergeron put the Falcons 15 yards back on a second down that they weren’t able to make back.

The Saints’ offense answered with a touchdown of its own when tight end Taysom Hill scored on a 2-yard run. It capped off a nine-play, 70-yard drive that saw the Saints run the ball effectively against the Falcons. That was clear in two 13-yard rushes, one from Shaheed and another from running back Alvin Kamara.

The Falcons, meanwhile, struggled early to get the ground game rolling in comparison. After an offensive drive apiece, the difference between the two team’s success rate was obvious. Only Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had run the ball, with two carries for 2 yards, whereas the Saints had three players combine for six carries for 41 yards. This wasn’t a sustainable way for Atlanta’s offense to operate.

Neither was turning the ball over, which it did on the next series. This is a continued issue for the Falcons in 2024.

On the fifth play of the Falcons’ second drive, Cousins attempted a second-and-3 pass to wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III. McCloud fell on his route, and Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo was there to pick off the pass.

New Orleans took over at its own 47-yard line and was at Atlanta’s 15-yard line when the quarter concluded. The Saints converted a fourth-and-1 on a 7-yard run by Hill in the process of getting there. New Orleans closed out the first period with 59 rushing yards on 11 carries compared to the Falcons’ 9 yards on three. The score was tied, but the Saints were moving the ball at a much better clip on offense.

Falcons: KhaDarel Hodge muffed punt recovery … 7-0, ATL

Saints: Taysom Hill 2-yard run; PAT good … 7-7, ALL

END Q1: Falcons 7, Saints 7