The Atlanta Falcons just proved they are the real deal on Monday night. Watching the 45-24 win over the New Orleans Saints felt like a changing of the guard. While the Falcons are moving up, the Saints are clearly stuck in a downward spiral. It isn’t just another loss for New Orleans. This game was a total failure in every single phase of the game.
The recurring problem with slow starts
New Orleans can’t seem to show up when the lights are brightest. A 24-7 halftime advantage marked the Falcons’ first-quarter surge to a 14-0 lead. This isn’t a new trend for this team. Beginning with the 2025 season, the Saints fell behind by ten points or more on 16 occasions. That is the highest number in the NFL during that period. Under Kellen Moore, the Saints have not scored in the opening quarter 14 times. You can’t win games when you’re constantly playing catch-up.
Moore must fix the preparation issues
The coaching staff can’t keep making the same excuses. After the game, Moore admitted that New Orleans was not prepared for Monday night. He told reporters on Tuesday that there is “definitely gonna be a discussion” regarding how to start games with more energy. He mentioned that he wants to look at “Logistics, scheduling, to kinda maybe adjust practice plans accordingly,” to help the team. Talk is cheap. This year, the Saints have been outscored 61-26 during the first half of games. If the preparation doesn’t change, the results won’t either.
The path forward for Atlanta
The Falcons are looking much more dangerous heading into Sunday night. The team is 2-2 and just finished two massive road blowouts. They crushed Green Bay 35-14 in Week 3 and beat the Saints on Monday. The run game is absolutely dominant right now. Bijan Robinson racked up 339 yards and four touchdowns during those two games.
