Falcons 45, Saints 24: five rushing touchdowns spoil the Superdome's big night
Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson combined for 207 yards and five rushing scores as Atlanta turned New Orleans' 2006-reopening tribute into a Monday night rout.
New Orleans built Monday night around a celebration — a tribute to the Superdome's 2006 reopening, with Irma Thomas reprising the national anthem and Steve Gleason helping lead the Who Dat chant, per the Saints' own recap. Atlanta ruined it inside three plays.
How it unfolded
Bijan Robinson ripped off a 59-yard touchdown on the Falcons' third snap, and the tone never changed. Atlanta led 14-0 after a quarter and 24-7 at halftime, and by the fourth quarter the Dome was emptying out, as NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk described it. Bijan finished with 145 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries; Brian Robinson hammered in three more scores on 14 carries for 62 yards. Five rushing touchdowns matched a Falcons team record.
Michael Penix Jr. barely needed to throw — 15-of-20 for 223 yards and a 31-yard strike to Jahan Dotson, with Drake London adding five catches for 96 yards. For the Saints, Tyler Shough fought through a hand injury to go 30-of-48 for 286 yards, Chris Olave caught eight balls for 116 yards before taking a late hit to the knee, and Alvin Kamara scored twice on the ground — his 14th career multi-rushing-touchdown game, tying Deuce McAllister's franchise record.
Why it matters
Atlanta is 2-2 and suddenly looks like a different team. After scoring the fewest points in the league through two weeks, the Falcons have put up an NFL-best 80 over the past two games since Penix returned to the lineup, per NBC Sports. The win pulled them level atop a wide-open NFC South, though it came at a cost: edge rusher Za'Darius Smith (concussion) and left tackle Jake Matthews (groin) both left in the first half, with Sunday night's date with the Ravens looming on a short week.
The Saints, at 1-3, are left with the thinner consolations — Shough's toughness, Olave's production, and a party that deserved a better game.