Falcons defense keys upset
Unit sacks Brees 6 times as Saints go without TD
Vic Beasley sacks Saints QB Drew Brees during the Falcons’
NEW ORLEANS — Grady Jarrett and an unusually menacing Falcons defensive front repeatedly pulled Drew Brees to the Superdome turf and proved Saints coach Sean Payton right.
The records really didn’t matter in this matchup of NFC South rivals — as Payton had insisted days earlier.
Sacking Brees six times and holding the Saints without a touchdown, the Falcons ended their six-game slide with a 26-9 victory Sunday that ended the Saints’ six-game winning streak.
“It felt really good ... and motivating,” said Jarrett, who had a team-leading 21⁄2 sacks. “... So we’ve got to build off of this.”
It was a stunning improvement for a Falcons defense that came in with an NFL low-seven sacks. It happened against a Saints offensive line that had allowed 12 sacks through their first eight games.
“We didn’t play well enough to win today, really, against anybody,” Payton said.
Matt Ryan, returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him in the game before the Falcons’ off week, was 20 of 35 for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
“Winning is always a good tonic, regardless of how the season is going,” Ryan said. “Our backs are against a wall with where we put ourselves at this point.
“I’m proud of the way we’ve taken that first step.”
Ryan’s first touchdown went for 8 yards to tight end Austin Hooper in the second quarter and his second to running back Brian Hill in the fourth quarter to put the Falcons (2-7) in front 20-9.
That was more than enough with the Falcons defense frustrating the first-place Saints (7-2) throughout.
“For them to hold a really good New Orleans offense to just three field goals is impressive,” Ryan said. “A good team effort ... and certainly one we needed.”
The Saints hadn’t been held without a touchdown at home with Brees running the offense since the record-setting QB joined New Orleans in 2006. that