New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons game notes

Saints have five consecutive winning seasons

Jan 09, 2022 at 07:23 PM

With the win, New Orleans closes out the 2021 season at 9-8, making the Saints only the second current team to have at least five consecutive winning seasons, joining the Kansas City Chiefs (2013-).

The win improves the Saints' all-time regular season record against the Falcons to 52-53. The win also gives them a 4-1 mark in contests in the Saints-Falcons series played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The win improves their division record to 4-2, giving them a winning record in the NFC South for the fifth consecutive season. The win also helps them avoid being swept by the Falcons for the first time since 2016, the last time they were swept by a division opponent. Coach Sean Payton's record against the Falcons improves to 21-9.

The win evens Payton's record against Falcons Coach Arthur Smith at 1-1, giving him at least a .500 record against 66 of the 88 head coaches he's faced. Smith is the 74th head coach Payton has a win against.

Quarterback Taysom Hill started the game and threw seven-of-nine for 107 yards, a touchdown pass and a 153.2 passer rating. Hill also rushed the ball five times for 18 yards before leaving the game in the second quarter with a foot injury.

Quarterback Trevor Siemian entered the game in relief of Hill and led the Saints on five scoring drives, two touchdowns and three field goals. Siemian finished 9-of-15 passing for 71 yards, two second quarter touchdown passes and a 111.4 passer rating. Siemian, along with quarterback Jameis Winston, became the first pair of Saints quarterbacks to each throw at least 10 touchdown passes in the same season.

Running back Alvin Kamara finished with 146 rushing yards on a career-high 30 carries. Kamara now has 4,238 career rushing yards, surpassing Dalton Hilliard (1986-93) for fourth place in club record books. Sunday was Kamara's sixth career game with at least 100 rushing yards and his third such game of 2021 with 120 rushing yards each against the New York Giants in Week 4 and New York Jets in Week 14. Kamara has 603 career rushing yards vs. the Falcons, his most against any opponent.

Tight end Adam Trautman, wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith and tight end Juwan Johnson each caught first half touchdown passes. Smith led the team in receiving with five catches for 76 yards.

Tackle Jordan Mills played in his 100th career regular season game.

Rookie cornerback Paulson Adebo became only the fifth Saints rookie to record at least three interceptions in his rookie season after his second quarter pick of Matt Ryan. Adebo joins cornerback Robert Massey (1989), safety Sammy Knight (1997), cornerback Marshon Lattimore (2017) and safety Marcus Williams (2017). Adebo finished with five tackles (three solo) and two pass breakups to go with the interception.

Linebacker Demario Davis finished with a team leading five solo tackles, giving him 105 tackles in 2021, his fourth consecutive season of reaching the century mark. Davis becomes the first Saints defender with at least 101 stops in four consecutive seasons since linebacker Joe Federspiel (1972-80), who was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 1993.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins's second quarter tackle and forced fumble on Falcons running back Mike Davis set the Saints up at the Falcons 11-yard line which resulted in New Orleans' third touchdown. The tackle was Jenkins' 400th of his Saints career.

Jenkins played in his 104th career game as a Saint, moving into a tie with defensive tackle Elex Price for 48th on the club's all-time games played list.

Linebacker Kwon Alexander finished with three tackles (two solo), a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Defensive end Cameron Jordan recorded two tackles (one solo), two pass breakups and one sack, giving him 12.5 on the season. Jordan now has 107 career sacks, good for 26th in NFL record books. Jordan played in his 176th career game on Sunday and surpassed tight end Hoby Brenner (1981-93) to move into a tie for eighth place all-time on the club's games played list. Even though Jordan missed the first game of his career this season based on Covid-19 protocols, with the 17-game season, he reached several milestones with 16 appearances. Jordan joined punter Thomas Morstead (2009-20) as only the second player to appear in 16 games in 11 seasons. Jordan also became the only Saint to appear in 16 games in 11 consecutive seasons.

Defensive end Marcus Davenport finished with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Davenport's nine takedowns in 2021 are a career best.

Kicker Brett Maher converted three-of-four field goals for and all three extra point attempts.

The Saints extended their streak to 321 regular season games without having been shut out, dating to a 26-20 win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 6, 2002 at Raymond James Stadium, the longest running streak in the NFL.

Photos: Game Action | Saints at Falcons Week 18 2021