Falcons Wake Up and Finally Win, 31-24

It was like a recurring nightmare for the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons, who let a last-minute lead get away last week against Seattle, nearly did it again Sunday but held on to beat New Orleans, 31-24, for their first victory of the season after six losses.

It was only Atlanta’s second victory in its last 17 games.

“We don’t make anything easy,” Atlanta Coach Dan Henning said.

Atlanta seemed to have the game in hand, using a 42-yard fumble return by rookie Mike Gann and a 94-yard kickoff return by Cliff Austin to build a 31-17 lead with less than a minute remaining.

The Saints (3-4) cut the 14-point lead in half on Frank Warren’s 50-yard fumble return, recovered an onside kick and reached the Atlanta 25 before the Falcons held on for the victory.

Saint quarterback Dave Wilson threw two incomplete passes into the end zone before time ran out.

“It looked like it was over, but I think this was a good lesson for us,” Gann said. “You never know until the last second is off the clock.”

David Archer gave the Falcons a 21-10 lead late in the third quarter when he scored on an 18-yard bootleg.

Gerald Riggs scored Atlanta’s first touchdown on a three-yard run after Wendell Cason intercepted a Wilson pass.

Mick Luckhurst kicked a 31-yard field goal with 6:08 left in the game, his 16th in a row, including 13 this season.

Wilson fired two touchdown passes for the Saints--an 11-yarder to Wayne Wilson in the second quarter and 28-yarder to Hoby Brenner just before Austin’s game-clinching kickoff return on which he broke four tackles along the way.

Morten Andersen kicked a 33-yard field goal for the Saints in the second quarter.