Saints win 10th straight
Drew Brees threw four touchdown passes to inexperienced receivers and the Saints won their 10th straight game Thursday night with a 31-17 victory over the Falcons in New Orleans.
The Falcons were eliminated from contention in the NFC South.
Tommylee Lewis and Austin Carr each caught their second career touchdown pass, and rookie tight end Dan Arnold grabbed his first, as did rookie receiver Keith Kirkwood. All four entered the NFL as undrafted free agents within the last three years and had combined for zero touchdowns this season before Carr caught the first of his career last Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Falcons (4-7) lost three fumbles inside the Saints 20 — something no team facing streaking Saints (10-1) can afford this season.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was stripped by safety Marcus Williams on a third-and-2 from the Saints 3 and Williams recovered to end the Falcons’ opening drive. Julio Jones was stripped by linebacker Alex Anzalone after a catch on the Saints 17, and safety Vonn Bell recovered in the final minute of the second quarter to preserve a 17-3 lead going into halftime.
The Saints defense, which had a season-high six sacks, continued to come up with big plays in the second half, with Anzalone breaking up a fourth-down pass in the third quarter and linebacker A.J. Klein intercepting a pass tipped by defensive tackle Tyeler Davison in the fourth.
The interception gave the Saints possession on the Falcons 22, setting up Kirkwood’s 4-yard TD catch.
Just for good measure, Lattimore stripped Calvin Ridley on the Saints 1 after a 29-yard completion that looked as though it would end with a touchdown with about four minutes to go. Defensive back Eli Apple recovered that one.
Ryan was under pressure all night from a Saints defense that was bolstered by the return of first-round draft choice Marcus Davenport from a toe injury that sidelined him for three games. Cameron Jordan had two sacks, while Williams, P.J. Williams, Sheldon Rankins and Demario Davis each had one.
Ryan finished 35 of 47 for 377 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. But very little came easy. His first TD pass, to Calvin Ridley, came on a fourth-and-goal from the 2 at the end of the third quarter.
The Falcons rushed for just 26 yards, while the Saints finished with 150, led by Alvin Kamara’s 89 and Mark Ingram’s 52.
Statistically, Brees didn’t have one of his more impressive games, completing 15 of 22 passes for 171 yards with his second interception of the season. The pick was snagged by Damontae Kazee, his NFL-leading sixth this year.
Cooper had the most yards receiving for the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, along with the longest catch of his career and Dak Prescott’s longest completion in his three seasons. Cooper’s other TD was a 40-yarder.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for 121 yards with a score as the Cowboys (6-5) won their third straight game since their first home loss.
The Redskins (6-5) lost for the third time in four games in Colt McCoy’s first start in four years coming off Alex Smith’s season-ending leg injury.
The former Texas star threw three interceptions to offset two touchdown passes. McCoy won his two previous starts at the home of the Cowboys, one for the 2009 Big 12 championship and the other his most recent NFL victory with the Redskins in 2014.
Daniel set career highs with 230 yards passing and two TDs to keep the Bears rolling with a 23-16 win over the Lions in Detroit.
The NFC North-leading Bears (8-3) sealed their fifth straight victory with Kyle Fuller’s interception in the end zone with a little more than a minute left.
The Lions (4-7) have lost four of five, plummeting to last place in the division.
The Bears broke a 16-16 tie on Eddie Jackson’s 41-yard pick-6 with six minutes remaining.
Darnold strained his right foot Nov. 4 against the Dolphins and didn’t play the following week.
Josh McCown will start Sunday if Darnold can’t play.