ATLANTA -- Members of the Falcons secondary heard talk about the potency of the Saints passing game all week.
That doesn't mean it affected them.
The Birds (6-3) met the challenges presented by the Saints top-ranked offense Sunday at the Georgia Dome and came away with a 34-20 victory. The win snaps a four-game losing streak to the Saints and keeps the Falcons in the middle of the NFC playoff picture.
Safety Erik Coleman intercepted Saints quarterback Drew Brees on his first attempt of the afternoon to set the tone for one of the best defensive performances of the year.
Nine Falcons finished with at least one pass defensed and Brees was held to his lowest completion rate of the season (53.4 percent). The Birds also recorded two second-half interceptions, one returned 95 yards for a touchdown by rookie Chevis Jackson.
"Going into the game, we wanted to make sure that we didn’t give up explosive plays," Head Coach Mike Smith said. "This is a football team that leads the National Football League in offense, 20-yard plays and 40-yard plays. We did a good job. We got a lot of pressure on the quarterback. Our guys had to play coverage for a long time in terms of Drew being able to improvise and extend plays, but they did a nice job. Most passes were contested. Our guys had a good understanding of how they were going to attack us."
The Saints did not score a touchdown in the first half for the first time this season.
Cornerback Domonique Foxworth knocked away three passes in the first quarter, including a shot to the end zone intended for Marques Coleston with 3:42 left in the opening quarter.
“They are the best passing offense in the league," Foxworth said. "We knew coming into this game that the pressure was going to be on us. We believe in our secondary and we have been playing really well the past several weeks. We are proud to put it on display in front of the world against the best passing offense. More than anything, I’m proud of the young guys for stepping up.”
The Falcons didn't have an issue scoring early and improved to 4-0 at the Dome this season.
Quarterback Matt Ryan finished 16-of-23 for 248 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the game, his first going to wide receiver Roddy White with 9:12 remaining in the first quarter. He also led the Falcons on an 80-yard drive into the second quarter that ended with a Michael Turner touchdown run.
“I thought it was important for us to get off to a fast start," Ryan said. "We didn’t score on the first possession although we had a great turnover from the defense. On the ensuing possession, we were able to pin them back with very good field position. We eventually scored on the next drive which was huge. Overall, it was big for us to get off to a good lead. The Saints’ offense is so powerful and has the ability to score on any given drive. It was important for us to put some points on the board and support the defense as much as possible.”
The Saints managed a pair of field goals in the first half after scoring 107 first-half points in the previous eight games.
They struggled because each time the Falcons defense took the field a new face made plays.
Defensive end John Abraham picked up his 11th sack of the season on a key third-down stop in the first half. Chris Houston recorded an interception in the end zone that put down a fourth-quarter scoring threat. Linebacker Michael Boley had two pass breakups in one second-half series that further took wind out of the Saints' sails.
“We played well as a unit from the safeties to the front line," Abraham said. "We did a good job making Drew Brees get rid of the ball and make quick decisions.”
Atlanta took a 17-6 lead into halftime after a 22-yard field goal by Jason Elam. Elam added another score in the third quarter but the Falcons blew the game 20 seconds into the final quarter when Jerious Norwood took a short pass from Ryan and turned it into an epic, 67-yard touchdown.
Brees threw a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a Hail Mary at the end of the game, but the stars of the day were still members of the team's much-examined pass defense, which forced turnovers and slowed down one of the league's best despite getting just one sack from the defensive line.
Maybe when the Saints and Falcons meet again there won't be as much discussion on stopping the pass.
"That was an outstanding football game," Smith said. "We played a very explosive offensive team. For our guys to go out and hold them to no touchdowns in the first half was very big. I liked the way that we played. Our players executed the game plan on both sides of the ball. We were proficient in our special teams as well. They bounced back well. There is a lot of stuff that we will have to check on the tape and make sure we get it corrected. But, this is another step in the process of our football team.”
MORE ON THE FALCONS-SAINTS GAME:
- GAME CENTER: Stats and more in the NFL.com Game Center
- GAME BLOG: Live thoughts and notes in the FalconsLIFE game blog
- GAME NOTES: Official game notes from the Georgia Dome press box
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith | Ryan | Houston | Foxworth | Jackson | White | Norwood
- NFL NETWORK: Falcons-Saints game highlights
- J. MIKE'S MISSIVES: Thoughts and comment from the AF.com Managing Editor | Birdseed
- TRANSCRIPTS: Head Coach Mike Smith | Falcons | Saints
- INACTIVES: Inactives and starters from the Falcons-Saints game
- REVIEW AND RESPOND: Ask your questions about the game via Voices Heard
- PHOTOS: Images from the Falcons win over the New Orleans Saints
- DISCUSS: Talk about the game with other fans on the Message Boards
