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NEW ORLEANS -- The post game laments of Falcon fans Sunday were those of Saints fans in the ‘Bad Ole Days’ – “We abandoned the run too quickly, we got out-coached, we just can’t beat those guy.”
The Falcons were ‘those guys’ for the Saints all too often in a rivalry the Falcons dominated for long stretches of time. In the late 70s and early 80s Atlanta won nine of 10. In the late 90s, the Falcons won 10 of 10.
But now, under Payton/Brees, the pendulum has swung decisively the other way, defying the odds as odds were defied – and thankfully for the Saints – reinforced in Sunday’s win.
In winning for the ninth time in 11 games against the Falcons in the Payton/Brees era, the Saints rushed the football for just 41 yards and a 2.6 yard-per-carry average. And yet, with virtually no running threat, Brees was completing 17 of 19 off play action for 212 yards and two touchdowns. That’s 89 percent against a Falcons defense that was allowing just a 56 percent completion rate against play action.
As the Saints were losing the coin flip to begin overtime, the 11th time in 11 flips this season the opposition has won it, the Falcons’ chances of winning increased. Fifty-nine percent of the coin flip winners in overtime win the game.
But, after a three-and-out for both offenses and an exchange of punts, Falcon coach Mike Smith made his second bold – and some would say foolhardy – decision.
A failed onsides kick with over four minutes to play in regulation and trailing by three had been the first. A penalty on Jimmy Graham that negated a Kasay field goal bailed Smith out in regulation.
He would not be so fortunate in overtime with the temerity to go for it on fourth and inches at the Falcon 29.


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Commentary: It's great to have Falcons fans second-guessing their team | wwltv.com New Orleans

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