Falcons at Saints: Full highlights and final score

The New Orleans Saints were able to hand the Atlanta Falcons their first loss of the 2015 NFL season on Thursday Night Football, winning 31-14. New Orleans controlled the game the entire way, scoring 14 points in the first quarter including a blocked punt returned for a score.

The Falcons have one of the more prolific offenses in the league and were expected to roll over the Saints, who have the lowest-ranked defense in the NFL. Yet, New Orleans was able to bottle up Matt Ryan and Co., holding them at bay at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Highlights

Three Stars

1. Benjamin Watson

Watson has been a terrific professional over the last decade, and on Thursday might have enjoyed his finest evening. Watson was the main target of Drew Brees with Marques Colston out, catching 10 passes on 12 targets for 127 yards and a touchdown. Watson was able to exploit a weakened Atlanta defense, which was without linebacker Justin Durant.

2. Drew Brees

Brees is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, something overlooked because New Orleans has not been good in recent seasons. The former University of Purdue star completed 30-of-39 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown without an interception. Brees hit seven different receivers, keeping the Falcons off-balance all night.

3. Julio Jones

Despite Atlanta racking up its first loss of the season, Jones was again terrific. The lanky superstar caught five passes for 77 yards, consistently giving Matt Ryan an open target. Jones was dealing with a bad toe, that limited his explosiveness. Yet, the youngster still hauled in a 30-yard pass to give Atlanta’s offense some sizzle.

Odds

Atlanta was favored by 3.5 points and did not cover the spread, with New Orleans covering and winning.

Next Week

The Saints will visit the Indianapolis Colts while the Falcons are on the road for a second straight week to face the Tennessee Titans.