Falcons Crack Saint Defense

Chris Chandler remembers when playing New Orleans usually meant an easy win for Atlanta. On Sunday, the Falcon quarterback flashed back a few years against the Saints’ vaunted defense.

Chandler threw touchdown passes of 57 and 39 yards to lead the Falcons to a 20-13 victory Sunday, their first over the Saints since 1999.

The Saints (3-2), who had the NFL’s fourth-ranked defense under Coach Jim Haslett coming into the game, had allowed only 265.5 total yards and 86.5 yards rushing. On Sunday, they gave up 297 yards, including 124 yards on the ground.

“Those guys were open because the defense went with our fakes,” Chandler said. “Once the linebackers and the secondary committed our guys were open.”

Before last year’s sweep by New Orleans, the Falcons had beaten the Saints 10 games in row, twice a year dating to 1995.

Atlanta (3-3), losers of two in a row after Jamal Anderson was sidelined for the season, seems to have found a replacement in Maurice Smith, who gained 83 yards in 22 carries against New Orleans.

“We came out to prove the point that we’re an offensive unit to be reckoned with,” Smith said.

The Saint defensive line had trouble pressuring Chandler, who completed 14 of 20 passes for 187 yards. He was sacked twice, once by cornerback Kevin Mathis, and threw one interception.

Working against the pass defense rated last in the NFL, Saint quarterback Aaron Brooks completed 23 of 39 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown. He was sacked five times and intercepted once.

Running back Ricky Williams, who was averaging 4.5 yards a carry, gained only 51 yards in 21 carries, a 2.4-yard average. He had eight carries for five yards in the second half.

In the first half the Saints converted five of seven third downs. In the second half they converted two of 10.

The Falcons needed three plays and less than two minutes to put up their first score, fueled by a 22-yard run by Smith and the 57-yard touchdown pass. Jay Feely kicked a 31-yard field goal to put Atlanta up, 10-0, after one quarter.

In the second quarter, the Saints went to Williams, who had the ball on 16 of their 27 first-half plays. He was New Orleans’ leading receiver with nine receptions for 65 yards.

“We couldn’t do anything in the second half,” Williams said. “We didn’t block right a few times, other times they filled holes and made plays.”