The New Orleans Saints Embarrass Themselves in 24-15 Loss to Atlanta

LAFAYETTE, La. (103.3 The Goat) Same ‘ol, same ‘ol for the New Orleans Saints.

Despite a week off to rest and prepare.

Despite the Atlanta Falcons going back to previously benched quarterback Desmond Ritter.

Despite the NFC South lead on the line.

(And sure they did play without wide receiver Michael Thomas and corner Marshon Lattimore, both out with injuries.)

Despite all of that, it appeared nothing changed for the Saints from the last time we saw them, en route to an embarrassing 24-15 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.  Just three weeks ago the Saints were on a three-game winning streak and appeared ready to take control of NFC South.  Instead, they have never corrected their issues from the beginning of the season.

Derek Carr, signed a four-year, $150 million free-agent contract in the off-season, but hasn’t looked anything like it.  He was 24 for 38 with 304 empty calorie yards as the Saints could only muster five goals against the Falcons.

New Orleans looked to be in good shape early on.  After Blake Grupe’s first field goal of the game, from 25 yards, gave the Saints a 3-0 lead, the defense forced a three and out.  New Orleans drove the length of the field, only for Carr to be picked off by Jesse Bates III and  he ran it back 92 yards for a touchdown and 7-3 Falcons lead.

The Saints would never tie or take the lead again.

As for the Saints defense, they tried keeping the team in the game with a pair of Ritter interceptions, but when New Orleans pulled with 21-15 following Grupe’s fifth field goal of the game, they couldn’t get a stop.

The Falcons basically put the game away on 10-play, 54-yard drive that lasted 4:37.  Thing was, the Falcons ran on all nine plays before Younghoe Koo’s 39-yard field goal was the final scoring of the game.

New Orleans falls to 5-6 and yet still find themselves in a 1st Place tie in the NFC South with the Falcons.  It won’t get any easier for the Saints as they play host to the Detroit Lions next Sunday at Noon.  As always the Saints can be heard on 103.3 The Goat and 97.3 The Dawg.