Matt Ryan threw two touchdown passes, ran for another score and drove visiting Atlanta to a game-winning field goal as time expired in a 27-25 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon.
Ryan’s 64-yard completion to Cordarrelle Patterson set up Younghoe Koo’s winning 29-yard field goal. The Falcons escaped after Trevor Siemian had rallied the Saints (5-3) from an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to a one-point lead on an 8-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills with 1:01 left.
Ryan completed 23 of 30 for 343 yards and connected with Olamide Zaccheaus on both scoring passes for the Falcons (4-4).
Siemian, making his first start since Jameis Winston suffered a season-ending knee injury in a win against Tampa Bay a week earlier, completed 25 of 41 for 249 yards with two touchdowns.
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The Saints didn’t score in the first half, but on the first possession of the second half they drove to Brian Johnson’s 35-yard field goal, cutting the Falcons’ lead to 10-3.
Ryan answered on the ensuing possession with a drive that ended with his one-yard touchdown run for a 17-3 lead at the end of the third quarter.
On the second play of the fourth quarter, Johnson kicked a 52-yard field goal to trim the lead to 17-6.
New Orleans drove across midfield on its next possession, but Siemian fumbled when he was sacked by James Vaughters. Steven Means recovered and returned 32 yards to the Saints’ 6-yard line.
On the next play Ryan threw a touchdown to Zaccheaus for a 24-6 lead with 10:39 remaining.
Siemian’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Marquez Callaway and a 2-yard touchdown run by Alvin Kamara cut the lead to 24-19 after a two-point conversion failed with 4:35 left.
The Falcons went three and out and Siemian drove the Saints to his go-ahead touchdown pass to Stills.
Koo kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Atlanta drove 92 yards and Ryan threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Zaccheaus with six seconds left to take a 10-0 lead at halftime.
–Field Level Media