Game Notes | Week 10: Saints @ Falcons

Best QB in the league right now vs. the best rookie QB since Peyton Manning.

Kenny Mayne cracks me up. Spike Lee just dropped an "F" bomb on him, and then walked away laughing his ass off. "Bill O'Reilly just tried to take LaDainian Tomlinson."

Random thought of the day: Is Kevin Mawae a Hall of Famer?

What does Michael Turner do against a decent-to-average run defense like the Saints. We know he feasts on crappy defenses like the Lions and Chiefs, and we know that he gets held in check against good defenses, but it will be interesting to see how he fares against an average D.

Drew Brees is picked on the first play of the game. Nice runback, but the Falcons can't do anything with that good field position. Saints go 3 & out, and Harry Douglas has an excellent punt return of about 40 yards.

After a pass to Jenkins, Matt Ryan throws an absolutely perfect pass to thread the needle between a couple of defenders to Roddy White on a skinny post. Ryan has made that pass a couple of times this year. Very impressive.

Brees to Colston for about 15 yards and a first-down. Aaron Stecker with a nice 12-yard run -- I don't see Pierre Thomas out there anywhere. Brees to Colston for another first-down . . . hope you bought low while you could. I tried to snare him from Brad in Full Contact, but he wasn't having any of it. Playfake to Deuce and pass to Colston in the end zone, but he can't quite pull it in for the TD. Foxworth knocked it out, but it could have been caught. Stecker gets the carry from the 10-yard line. Third down. Brees under pressure to Lance Moore, but it only goes for a couple of yards. Here comes rookie Garrett Hartley for his first ever FG attempt. It's good.

Check out Matt Ryan. Mularkey allows him to change the play at the line of scrimmage, and he throws a deep sideline ball to hit Michael Jenkins in one-on-one coverage at the 5-yard line. So Ryan is that advanced already, huh? Impressive. Burner takes it in for the score.

Devery Henderson end-around first down. Pierre Thomas into the game, nice run for about 8 yards. Mike McKenzie screaming at Roman Harper, presumably about the Ryan-to-Jenkins play where McKenzie may have been expecting safety help. Drew Brees compares Lance Moore to Marvin Harrison, saying his hands and route running are elite. Brees tripped up by John Abraham for sack #11, and Hartley will hit a 44-yarder, 14-6 Falcons.

Jerious Norwood not only can't run inside, he refuses to run inside. He bounces every handoff to the outside, many of which are planned to go to the edge. Matt Ryan rollout throw to Roddy White on the run. Ryan can make all the throws. Burner bounces it outside and shows his speed on a nice gainer. Kaesvaharn gets burned, graps onto to Norwood before the catch and still can't stop the play. Falcons back in the red zone. Ryan to Finneran to the 4-yard line. Third & goal. Randall Gay nice play to break up the pass to Roddy White in the end zone. Falcons will settle for a FG here, 17-6.

First down to Shockey for the second time in a row. Brees heating up, 8 of his last 10. Here's a nice gainer to Colston, but it's brought back on a holding penalty by center Matt Lehr. Lance Moore nice 15-yard reception falling out of bounds. Brees behind Colston. Fourth & 3, back to Colston who can't bring it in. Breakup by Chris Houston, but once again Colston could have come down with that ball. One minute left in the half, and the Falcons will kneel.

Pierre Thomas with another nice 8-yard run to open the 2nd half.

It's the Michael Turner drive for the Falcons. Four straight runs to start the drive. First-down to Justin Peele, and the Falcons are having a nice ball control drive. Ryan to Jenkins, for his 5th reception of the day. 27-yard FG by Elam for a 20-6 lead, and it could be much worse considering the time of possession advantage by Atlanta.

Mike McKenzie being carted off for the Saints. Looking for info on the injury.
Incomplete to Shockey, and it's another 3 & out for the Saints. Brees now 2 of his last 9 passes. Brees is hot under the collar and going off on Shockey on the sidelines. Shockey wasn't in the right place on that pass.

Matt Ryan hits Norwood streaking out of the backfield, and Norwood takes it down the sideline 67 yards to the house -- the last 25 yards or so on the highstep.

Saints for it on 4th & 1 from their own 30, and Pierre Thomas makes it. Colston picks up a first, but then ruled incomplete. Brees to Billy Miller for 23 yards. Brees evades pressure and hits Colston for 21 yards. Note: Jeremy Shockey is not in right now while the Saints are driving and in scoring position. Billy Miller is in for him. Brees runs around for about 50 yards behind the line of scrimmage before finally throwing it away. Screen to Deuce for a TD! Good play call and nice execution by Brees & Deuce, 27-13.

Saints try an ill-advised onside kick with their new kicker, and the Falcons will get the ball at midfield. Shockey is having some issues in this game with both Brees and coach Sean Payton. He's not on the same page with his QB and head coach and is now sitting by himself at the end of the bench.

Saints T John Stinchcomb limps off with a leg injury. Brees hits Patten for 16 yards, then hits Billy Miller. Fourth down, and the Saints will have to go for it. Brees hits Patten for a 15-yard gain. Brees nice backshoulder pass to Billy Miller for 23 yards. Miller is making plays. Brees to Moore in the end zone, and Moore is screaming for interference. Brees going for Moore in the end zone, and he's picked by Chris Houston. Falcons DBs have been all over the Saints receivers will tight, physical coverage.

Brees hits a wide open Colston deep, and Colston loses the ball as he's going out of bounds. Looks like a catch & fumble to me, but did he have it long enough? Yes. Jeremy Shockey still on the sidelines as the Saints try to come from behind. Brees to Moore for 10 yards. Brees hit in the back of his knees as he throws, and that one is going to be a pick-six. Flag on the field, offensive pass interference. Play stands for a 95-yard TD, and it's 34-13 Atlanta. This one is over.

Lance Moore catches a tipped Hail Mary for a last-second TD, so Saints will lose 34-20. Stat-padding doesn't get any better than that.