Week 3 Monday Night: Saints vs Falcons

The final match up of the week was as everyone should have expected, high scoring and plenty of excitement, and this game delivered.

It was almost to this day in 2006 when the Saints would play the Falcons after the horrifying event of Hurricane Katrina where they would start the season 3-0 in their return match to the Superdome. With a secondary who has been known to be weak against the passing game, the Saints would not be starting their season as they did ten years ago falling to 0-3 to the visiting Atlanta Falcons 45-32. The Falcons now take their record to 2-1 and 1-1 in their division after their week 1 loss to Tampa Bay.

Matt Ryan managed to find the end zone twice posting up a respectable 20/30 passes for 240 yards it would be the Falcons back field that would swoop in to steal the show. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman almost evenly split backfield carries 14 to 12 in Freemans favor however it would be Coleman who took the spoils with three rushing touchdown and totaled 89 all purpose yards. Freeman would find the end zone of a back field swing pass for 13 yards but a late 48 yard rush bolstered Freemans stats to 207 all purpose yards. Second year wide out Justin Hardy would find the end zone off a shovel pass for 4 yards.

For the home team, Drew Brees lead his offence in the only way he knows how to, passing, linking up with three of his receivers for 7 receptions each. Brandon Coleman and rookie Michael Thomas having 78 and 71 yard receiving days, but tight end Colby Fleener leading the day with 109 yards and a 5 yard touchdown. Brees threw two other touchdowns to Michael Thomas and Mark Ingram but the receiving touchdown of the night would come form the Atlanta defense with a tipped interception taken back for 90 yards by rookie linebacker and New Orleans local, Deion Jones. On the ground, Mark Ingram took bulk of the hand offs, finishing the day with 77 yards off 15 carries and 30 receiving yards from four receptions. John Kuhn would find the end zone off his only carry for the night rushing three yards.

Week 4 sees the Falcons at home for another division rivalry against the Carolina Panthers coming off a shock loss to a valiant Minnesota Vikings and the Saints will travel to Qualcomm Stadium to take on the Chargers.