ATLANTA -- Game notes from the Falcons' 34-20 victory over division rival New Orleans on Sunday, Nov. 9 at the Georgia Dome.
- The Falcons 34-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints brought their home record to 4-0 this year. The last time Atlanta started a campaign 4-0 at home came in 1998.
- On Atlanta’s second offensive possession of the game, the Falcons pieced together a 50-yard drive, which resulted in a 16-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Ryan to wide receiver Roddy White.
- Ryan completed his second-longest career touchdown reception on a 67-yard strike to running back Jerious Norwood at the 14:40 mark in the fourth quarter. The reception is the longest in Norwood’s career and also marks the fourth play and fourth touchdown for the third-year running back of 60-plus yards (Three rushing and one receiving).
- This season at the Georgia Dome, Ryan has completed 59 of 84 passes for 902 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 125.1 passer rating. He has never fallen below a 115.0 passer rating in any game.
- Norwood’s total of 178 all-purpose yards included 17 rushing, 88 receiving and 73 kickoff return yards against the Saints. Norwood total also includes a 67-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
- Wide receiver Roddy White caught a 16-yard touchdown strike from Ryan at the 9:07 mark in the first quarter to give Atlanta a 7-0 lead. White’s touchdown was his sixth this season, setting a new career-high. The score was also the 15th of White’s career.
- Ryan totaled his second-best completion percentage in the first half of a game this season when he completed 10 of 13 passes (76.9 pct.) against the Saints. Ryan’s highest total is an 81.3 completion percentage on 13 of 16 passing against Oakland the previous week.
- At the 12:04 mark in the second quarter, running back Michael Turner dove into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown to give the Falcons a 14-3 lead. For Turner, the touchdown was the seventh this season and the 13th of his career. He finished the game four yards shy of a 100-yard performance on 27 carries.
- Turner finished the game with 27 carries for 96 yards and one touchdown. Turner is on pace to finish the season with 1,582 yards and 12 touchdowns, which would put him on pace to become the third player in franchise history to rush for at least 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns in a season.
- The Falcons offense led New Orleans by a 7-3 margin at the end of the first quarter and has now outscored their opponents, 75-17, in the opening period of play this season. Entering the game, the Falcons led the NFL in first quarter scoring.
- The Falcons posted their longest scoring drive in terms of minutes this season with a 13-play, 60-yard drive, which ate 8:30 off the clock in the third quarter. Kicker Jason Elam capped the drive with a 27-yard field goal.
- The Falcons offensive line did not allow a sack of Ryan for the fourth occasion this season. Atlanta has out-sacked its opponent by a 17.0-12.0 margin and holds a 6-0 record when posting more sacks than its opponent in a game.
- Falcons safety Erik Coleman intercepted Drew Brees on the Saints first offensive play of the game. The interception was the third for Coleman this season, the second in as many games and the 10th of his career.
- Cornerback Chevis Jackson returned his first career interception 95 yards for a touchdown to seal a Falcons 34-20 victory. The return was the second-longest in franchise history behind Tom Pridemore’s 101-yard interception return against San Francisco on September 20, 1981.
- Cornerback Chris Houston intercepted second pass of the season when he stepped in front of a Drew Brees pass in the end zone to stall a potential Saints scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
- Falcons cornerback Domonique Foxworth posted three passes defensed in the first quarter of play, which is the highest amount of deflections in the opening 15 minutes of a game since 1994. Foxworth’s three passes defensed are also tied for the most in any quarter of a game since CB Chris Houston tallied three passes defensed in the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.
- The Falcons intercepted three Drew Brees passes (a season-high for the Saints quarterback), which matched a season-high of three picks in one game against Kansas City in Week 3. Atlanta also held Brees to his lowest completion percentage of 53.4 on 31 of 58 passing.
- New Orleans recorded 37 first quarter rushing yards, ending Atlanta’s streak of holding its opponents to under 20 net rushing yards in the opening 15 minutes of every game this season.
- The Saints offense was held without an offensive touchdown in the first half of a game all year. Atlanta’s defense came out strong in the third quarter as well and held New Orleans to 22 net yards on eight offensive plays.
- Wide receiver/punt returner Harry Douglas returned his first punt of the game 25 yards, setting a new career-high. The return is the second-longest this season behind a 37-yard return from Adam Jennings against Kansas City in Week 3.
- Norwood posted his second-longest kickoff return when he brought back a 55-yard kickoff to open the third quarter. Norwood’s longest return of the season came against the Chicago Bears in Week 6 (85 yards).
- Falcons defensive end John Abraham posted his team-leading 11th sack of the season when he dropped Saints quarterback Drew Brees in the second quarter and stalled a drive, which resulted in a New Orleans field goal. The sack for Abraham is his 13th in his last 10 games, the 21st in his last 24 contests and the 78.5th of his career. As a Falcon, Abraham has posted 25 sacks in 32 games played.
- On Atlanta’s final offensive possession of the first half, Turner posted a 20-yard rush and Norwood contributed with a 21-yard reception asElam tacked on a 22-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 17-6 halftime lead. Elam added another 27-yard field goal in the third quarter, marking the 27th and 28th consecutive conversions from 20-29 yards.
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
