Defense, new receivers step up to power Saints
Cowboys tie for East lead; backup QB keys Bears
NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees threw four touchdown passes to inexperienced receivers as the New Orleans Saints won their 10th straight game Thursday with a 31-17 victory over Atlanta that eliminated the Falcons from contention in the NFC South.
Tommylee Lewis and Austin Carr each caught their second career touchdown pass, and rookie tight end Dan Arnold grabbed his first, as did rookie receiver Keith Kirkwood.
All four entered the NFL as undrafted free agents within the past three years and had combined for zero touchdowns this season before Carr caught the first of his career Sunday.
The Falcons (4-7) lost three fumbles inside the Saints’ 20 — something no team facing New Orleans (10-1) can afford this season.
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan was stripped by safety Marcus Williams on a third-and-2 from the Saints’ 3, and Williams recovered to end Atlanta’s opening drive.
Julio Jones was stripped by linebacker Alex Anzalone after a catch on the New Orleans 17, and safety Vonn Bell recovered in the final minute of the second quarter to preserve a 17-3 lead.
The Saints’ defense, which had a season-high six sacks, continued to come up with big plays in the second half, with Anzalone breaking up a fourth-down pass in the third quarter and linebacker A.J. Klein intercepting a pass tipped by defensive tackle Tyeler Davison in the fourth.
At Arlington, Texas, Amari Cooper had a 90-yard touchdown catch while totaling 180 yards receiving and two scores for Dallas (6-5), which pulled even with Washington (6-5) atop the NFC East.
Cooper had the most yards receiving for the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, along with the longest catch of his career and Dak Prescott’s longest completion in his three seasons.
Ezekiel Elliott ran for 121 yards
Cowboys 31, Redskins 23 —
with a score for Dallas, which won its third straight game since its first home loss, to Tennessee in the Cowboys debut of Cooper following a trade with the Raiders.
The Redskins lost for the third time in four games in quarterback Colt Mccoy’s first start in four years coming off Alex Smith’s season-ending leg injury. The former Texas Longhorns standout threw three interceptions to offset two TD passes.
At Detroit, Chase Daniel made the most of his chance to fill in for Mitchell Trubisky, having the best day of his journeyman career.
Daniel set career highs with
Bears 23, Lions 16 —
230 yards passing and two touchdowns to help Chicago (83) notch its fifth straight victory and hand Detroit (4-7) its fourth loss in five games.
The NFC North-leading Bears sealed the outcome with cornerback Kyle Fuller’s interception in the end zone with a little more than a minute left.
Chicago broke a 16-16 tie on safety Eddie Jackson’s 41-yard interception return for a touchdown with six minutes left, the fifth career TD for the 2017 fourth-round draft pick.
Matthew Stafford was 28 of 38 passing for 236 yards with two interceptions for Detroit. Legarrette Blount ran for 88 yards and two TDS for the Lions.