The Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints 24-15 on November 26, 2023, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a game decided by a 92-yard pick-six, a dominant rushing attack, and New Orleans’ inability to turn yards into touchdowns. Below is the complete Falcons vs Saints player stats breakdown — passing, rushing, receiving, and defensive numbers for both teams, plus the key takeaways the stats reveal.
For another Falcons game broken down the same way, see our Buffalo Bills vs Atlanta Falcons match player stats deep dive.
Match Summary: Falcons 24, Saints 15
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saints | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| Falcons | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 24 |
Date: Sunday, November 26, 2023
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Records after the game: Falcons 5-6, Saints 5-6
What it meant: The win pulled Atlanta into a first-place tie with New Orleans in the NFC South.
The raw numbers tell a strange story: the Saints outgained the Falcons 444-396 in total yards yet never reached the end zone. All 15 of their points came from Blake Grupe’s five field goals. Atlanta, meanwhile, ran for 228 yards and produced the game’s only defensive touchdown — Jessie Bates III’s 92-yard interception return in the first quarter, which answered Grupe’s opening field goal and gave the Falcons a lead they never gave back. The full box score is available on ESPN.
Atlanta Falcons Player Stats
Falcons Passing
| Player | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desmond Ridder | 13 | 21 | 168 | 1 | 2 | 63.3 |
Desmond Ridder returned to the starting lineup after Taylor Heinicke started the previous two games, and his afternoon was a study in resilience. Both of his interceptions were picked off by Tyrann Mathieu, yet Ridder steadied himself when it mattered: with Atlanta clinging to a 14-12 lead in the fourth quarter, he lofted a 26-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson that stretched the margin to 21-12. He added 30 rushing yards on seven carries and was not sacked.
Falcons Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | 16 | 91 | 5.7 | 1 | 17 |
| Tyler Allgeier | 10 | 64 | 6.4 | 0 | 14 |
| Cordarrelle Patterson | 8 | 43 | 5.4 | 0 | 12 |
| Desmond Ridder | 7 | 30 | 4.3 | 0 | 16 |
| Team | 41 | 228 | 5.6 | 1 | 17 |
The ground game was Atlanta’s engine: 228 rushing yards at 5.6 yards per carry. Robinson led the way with 91 yards and a touchdown, Allgeier added a bruising 64 yards at 6.4 per carry, and Patterson chipped in 43 more. The Falcons ran it 41 times — 13 more rushes than New Orleans managed.
Falcons Receiving
| Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake London | 5 | 91 | 18.2 | 0 | 29 | 7 |
| Bijan Robinson | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 1 | 26 | 6 |
| Kyle Pitts | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| Van Jefferson | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Keith Smith | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Scotty Miller | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
Drake London led all Falcons receivers with 91 yards on five catches, averaging an explosive 18.2 yards per reception. Robinson’s 26-yard touchdown catch was the longest — and most important — reception of the day for Atlanta.
Falcons Defense
| Player | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessie Bates III | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 (92-yd TD) |
| Jeff Okudah | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeMarcco Hellams | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Dee Alford | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Calais Campbell | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Arnold Ebiketie | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Jessie Bates III was the best player on the field. His game-high 12 tackles only begin to tell the story: he stepped in front of a Derek Carr pass in the first quarter and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown — Atlanta’s first pick-six of the season — and later forced a Taysom Hill fumble that Albert Huggins recovered at the Atlanta 5-yard line late in the third quarter, snuffing out a Saints scoring chance. Arnold Ebiketie recorded the Falcons’ only sack of Carr.
New Orleans Saints Player Stats
Saints Passing
| Player | Cmp | Att | Yds | TD | INT | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Carr | 24 | 38 | 304 | 0 | 1 | 77.1 |
Derek Carr threw for 304 yards — the most by any player in the game — but could not get New Orleans into the end zone. His one interception was the backbreaker: the pick-six to Bates. He was sacked once, losing eight yards, and finished with a 77.1 passer rating.
Saints Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alvin Kamara | 15 | 69 | 4.6 | 0 | 16 |
| Lynn Bowden Jr. | 2 | 40 | 20.0 | 0 | 29 |
| Taysom Hill | 7 | 26 | 3.7 | 0 | 10 |
| Derek Carr | 2 | 7 | 3.5 | 0 | 8 |
| Jamaal Williams | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 |
| Team | 28 | 148 | 5.3 | 0 | 29 |
The Saints actually averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry, with Kamara grinding out 69 yards and Bowden breaking a 29-yard run, but they ran it only 28 times and never scored on the ground. Hill’s lost fumble late in the third quarter wiped out one of their best drives.
Saints Receiving
| Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Olave | 7 | 114 | 16.3 | 0 | 51 | 9 |
| Taysom Hill | 2 | 55 | 27.5 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
| Alvin Kamara | 4 | 50 | 12.5 | 0 | 20 | 5 |
| Juwan Johnson | 4 | 45 | 11.3 | 0 | 23 | 7 |
| Keith Kirkwood | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| Rashid Shaheed | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| A.T. Perry | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Jamaal Williams | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
Chris Olave led all receivers in the game with 114 yards on seven catches, including a 51-yard reception — but he left in the third quarter with a concussion, and the Saints’ passing game lost its edge without him. Rashid Shaheed also exited with a thigh injury, and New Orleans was already playing without Michael Thomas, who was on injured reserve.
Saints Defense
| Player | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Granderson | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Werner | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcus Maye | 8 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Demario Davis | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alontae Taylor | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrann Mathieu | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 (21 yds) |
| Paulson Adebo | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tyrann Mathieu kept New Orleans in the game almost single-handedly, intercepting Ridder twice for 21 yards and breaking up two more passes. But after Blake Grupe’s fifth field goal trimmed Atlanta’s lead to 21-15 in the fourth quarter, the Falcons answered with a Younghoe Koo field goal to restore a nine-point cushion and seal the win.
Falcons vs Saints: Team Stats Comparison
| Stat | Saints | Falcons |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 15 | 24 |
| Total yards | 444 | 396 |
| Rushing yards | 148 | 228 |
| Net passing yards | 296 | 168 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Sacks | 0 | 1 |
| Field goals | 5/6 | 1/1 |
It is rare to see a team outgain its opponent by 48 yards and lose by nine points without scoring a touchdown. New Orleans dominated the yardage column and still lost — because Atlanta won the columns that decide games: rushing yards, takeaways that became points, and finishing drives.
Key Takeaways From the Player Stats
- Yards without points. The Saints’ 444 yards of offense produced zero touchdowns — an extraordinary yardage-to-points ratio in a nine-point loss. Five field goals were all they had to show for it.
- The run game won it. Atlanta’s 228 rushing yards at 5.6 yards per carry let the Falcons control tempo and protect their quarterback. Bijan Robinson’s 123 total yards and two touchdowns were the offensive difference.
- One play, seven points. Bates’ 92-yard pick-six was nearly the entire margin of victory. In a game the Falcons won by nine, a defensive touchdown was the single most valuable play on the field.
- An even turnover battle, an uneven result. Both teams gave it away twice, but only Atlanta turned a takeaway into points. Mathieu’s two interceptions gave the Saints extra possessions, but the offense turned them into field goals at best — never a touchdown.
- Injuries mattered. Losing Olave (concussion) and Shaheed (thigh) in the second half gutted the Saints’ downfield passing game just as they were chasing the lead.
Standout Performers
- Jessie Bates III (Falcons): 12 tackles, a 92-yard pick-six, and a forced fumble — the most impactful defensive performance of the game.
- Bijan Robinson (Falcons): 91 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus 32 receiving yards and another score — both of Atlanta’s offensive touchdowns.
- Chris Olave (Saints): 7 catches for 114 yards before a third-quarter concussion ended his day.
- Blake Grupe (Saints): 5-of-6 on field goals with a long of 52 — responsible for all 15 of New Orleans’ points.
- Tyrann Mathieu (Saints): Two interceptions, two pass breakups, and four tackles in a losing effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Falcons vs Saints game on November 26, 2023?
The Atlanta Falcons won 24-15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The victory moved both teams to 5-6 and pulled the Falcons into a first-place tie with the Saints in the NFC South.
What were Desmond Ridder’s stats against the Saints?
Ridder completed 13 of 21 passes for 168 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, both picked off by Tyrann Mathieu. He also rushed for 30 yards and threw the game-sealing 26-yard touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson in the fourth quarter.
What were Bijan Robinson’s stats in the game?
Robinson carried 16 times for 91 yards and a touchdown, and caught three passes for 32 yards and another touchdown — 123 total yards and both of Atlanta’s offensive touchdowns.
Who had the most receiving yards in Falcons vs Saints?
Saints wide receiver Chris Olave led all players with 114 receiving yards on seven catches, including a 51-yard reception. He left the game in the third quarter with a concussion.
How did the Saints lose despite gaining 444 yards of offense?
New Orleans never reached the end zone. The Saints settled for five Blake Grupe field goals, turned the ball over twice — including Jessie Bates III’s 92-yard pick-six — and lost their top two receivers, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, to injuries in the second half.
What was the biggest play of the game?
Jessie Bates III’s 92-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter. It answered the Saints’ opening field goal, gave Atlanta a lead it never relinquished, and accounted for nearly the entire nine-point margin of victory.
Final Word
The box score of the November 26, 2023 meeting tells a clear story: Atlanta ran the ball, made the game’s biggest defensive play, and finished its drives, while New Orleans piled up yards without finding the end zone. The 24-15 victory pulled the Falcons into a first-place tie in the NFC South — a result that reshaped the division race. For more NFL box-score breakdowns, check our Arizona Cardinals vs Minnesota Vikings match player stats and Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs match player stats analyses.
