Quick Take: Saints rally to beat Falcons

Published: Dec 07, 2008 at 09:57 AM

It was over when ...
Pierre Thomas ran 4 yards for a first down, allowing the Saints to keep the ball away from the Falcons in the closing minutes.

Fan feedback

   Which team has a better shot at making the playoffs, the 
  Saints or the 
  Falcons? 
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Game ball
Thomas was the Saints' offense in the fourth quarter. He scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass and a 5-yard run for the winning score. He also picked up two first downs on the Saints' final drive. (Highlights)

Key stat
The game changed on fourth down. The Saints converted a fourth-down attempt late in the fourth quarter, leading to Thomas' winning touchdown. The Falcons punted on fourth-and-5 from their own 35-yard line with 3:23 remaining and never got the ball back.

Noteworthy
Interestingly, the Saints and Falcons each had 414 yards in total offense. ... Before Sunday, the Saints were 0-17 when trailing at the start of the fourth quarter during the Sean Payton/Drew Brees era. They trailed, 17-16, against Atlanta. ... Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan topped 300 passing yards for second time this season. (Highlights) ... The Saints improved to 6-6, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

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