South Atlanta News

ATLANTA — When the dust settled after the Falcons' 26-24 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, players and coaches praised the team for a true collective effort.

"We needed all three phases today," Matthew Judon said while coming off the field.

"That was a complete team win across the board," Raheem Morris stated in his postgame press conference.

"(I'm) pleased with the complementary football today that was able to give us the win," Kirk Cousins added.

The Falcons secured victory with a career-best, 58-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo in the final seconds. They were competitive from the start thanks to a special teams touchdown when Rashid Shaheed muffed a punt that KhaDarel Hodge recovered in the end zone. The Falcons tied it up when Judon tipped a pass from Derek Carr, which Troy Andersen intercepted and returned 47 yards for a defensive touchdown.

Offensively, Tyler Allgeier averaged 7.5 yards per carry on eight attempts. Drake London led with six catches on 12 targets for 64 receiving yards. The Falcons' offense, led by Cousins, amassed over 300 total yards.

Despite these efforts, the Falcons' offense did not score any touchdowns.

For as complete of a win as players and coaches described, none of Atlanta's points came from offensive plays. To progress further this season, their offense will need to become more productive.

Two weeks ago against Philadelphia Eagles, they executed a successful two-minute drill on Monday Night Football. However, they have only scored five touchdowns through four games in 2024. Their current record of 2-2 is due to key defensive stops and special teams performances rather than offensive prowess.

Sunday's game relied heavily on unique plays: Koo's career-best field goal, Andersen's interception return, Hodge’s recovery of a muffed punt, and a defensive pass interference call that set up the game-winning field goal. According to Jeff Asher, such an outcome hasn't occurred since the New Orleans Saints lost similarly in 1983.

The Falcons’ offense had several opportunities but failed to control their own destiny fully during this game. This could be pivotal for what they achieve in 2024. Taking control of games will be crucial for breaking through their current limitations.

"There are a lot of things to fix," Cousins said postgame.

"There are so many things to correct," Morris added.

Both agreed that it's easier to address these issues after a win.

Balancing good feelings from winning with addressing offensive shortcomings is critical. Cousins acknowledged this balance postgame, noting he would enjoy the win but recognized there is still much work left undone.

"It's such an outcome-driven league," Cousins said. "So, to have a win is a big deal, but you never really stop going back and analyzing the performance and looking at how to be better."

Relying on special teams touchdowns, defensive pick-sixes, and long field goals isn't sustainable for consistent success. On Sunday it worked; however, sustained success will require reliable offensive production instead of occasional standout plays.

Even after winning, it’s reasonable to expect more from this team offensively.