A fumbled exchange between Todd McClure and Matt Ryan gave the New Orleans Saints the football at the Atlanta Falcons 34-yard line and five plays later, they cashed in with a two-yard touchdown run by Pierre Thomas to give the Saints a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.
The Saints have a healthy time of possession advantage, something the Falcons have always enjoyed this season. The Saints have 99 total yards – 76 through the air – and have gathered six first downs.
The Falcons’ offense has looked sluggish and the Saints have done a good job of clogging the running lanes and preventing Michael Turner from getting going. Turner has just five yards on seven carries while his counterpart, Thomas, has 23 yards on six carries and the aforementioned touchdown run.
A solid, clock-eating drive by the Falcons would be just what this team needs. It’s what they’ve done all season and now they have another shot.